Funder: Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State
Due Dates: June 30, 2025
Funding Amounts: $1,300,000 total for 18 months; one award; no cost sharing required
Summary: Supports U.S. organizations to expand professional development, small grants, and regional ambassador fellowships for American alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs.
Key Information: Applicants must demonstrate at least 4 years of experience in international exchange to be eligible for the full award amount.
Description
This opportunity, administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), funds a single organization to lead the FY 2025 U.S. Exchange Alumni Network and Capacity Building Program. The program aims to deepen engagement with U.S. citizen alumni of government-sponsored people-to-people exchange programs by providing professional development seminars (in-person and virtual), managing a small grants competition, and coordinating a regional alumni ambassadors fellowship program. Activities are designed to reinforce alumni connections with the Department of State, strengthen professional networks, and support U.S. foreign policy and public diplomacy objectives.
Due Dates
- Application Deadline: June 30, 2025, 11:59 p.m. Eastern (Washington, DC time)
- Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2025
- Period of Performance: Approximately 18 months (expected start by September 30, 2025; activities to be completed by March 31, 2027)
Funding Amount
- Total Funding Available: $1,300,000 (pending availability of funds)
- Number of Awards: 1
- Award Ceiling/Floor: $1,300,000 (no range; single fixed amount)
- Duration: 18 months, with potential for renewal for up to two additional years (subject to future funding and satisfactory performance)
- Cost Sharing: Not required, but encouraged
Budget minimums:
- At least $400,000 must be granted out to alumni through the small grants program
- At least $80,000 must support the alumni fellowship program
- At least $75,000 must support seminar production costs
Eligibility
- Eligible Applicants:
- U.S. not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs)
- U.S. public and private educational institutions
- Organizational Experience: Applicants must demonstrate at least four years of experience conducting international exchange programs to be eligible for the full award amount.
- Other Requirements:
- Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and active SAM.gov registration required
- Only one proposal per organization will be considered
- Proposals must include all required documents (SF-424, executive summary, narrative, detailed budget, etc.)
Application Process
- Submission Method: Electronic submission via Grants.gov
- Required Registrations: Organizations must have an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
- Proposal Components:
- SF-424 forms
- Executive summary
- Proposal narrative
- Budget (SF-424A), detailed line-item budget, and budget narrative
- Key personnel information
- Monitoring and evaluation plan
- Additional Steps: Registration with the U.S. Department of State’s MyGrants system is required for award recipients
Additional Information
- Program Components:
- Professional Development Seminars: 3–4 in-person seminars (including one in Washington, DC), plus at least four virtual webinars annually
- Small Grants Program: Competitive grants (up to $10,000 per project) for alumni-led community projects
- Regional Alumni Fellowship: At least nine fellows serving as regional ambassadors, each receiving a stipend and support for local engagement
- Target Audience: U.S. citizen alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs
- Program Goals: Expand professional networks, support alumni-driven initiatives, promote U.S. foreign policy priorities, and reinforce alumni identity
- Performance Monitoring: Applicants must propose a plan for monitoring and evaluating program outcomes, in alignment with ECA’s requirements
External Links
Contact Information
For technical questions about Grants.gov, contact:
- Grants.gov Support Center | 1-800-518-4726 (24/7, except federal holidays)