U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Amendment to the FY26 Leaders Lead On-Demand

Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0017860 Application Deadline: May 25, 2026

A. Basic Information B. Eligibility C. Program Description D. Application Contents and Format E. Submission Requirements and Deadlines F. Application Review Information G. Award Notices H. Post-Award Requirements and Administration I. Other Information

A. Basic Information

1. Overview.

Funding Opportunity Title FY26 Leaders Lead On-Demand Funding Opportunity Number

DFOP0017860

Announcement Type Amendment to the New Cooperative Agreement

Deadline for Applications May 25, 2026, 11:59pm Eastern (Washington DC time)

Assistance Listing Number 19.415

Length of Performance Period

24 to 30 months

Number of Awards Anticipated

One award

Award Amount Approximately $2,000,000 Total Available Funding $2,000,000, pending availability of funds Type of Funding FY26 Educational and Cultural Exchange

Programs (ECE) Funds Funding Instrument Type Cooperative Agreement Anticipated Award Date August 31, 2026

This notice is subject to availability of funding. Issuance of the NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government.

ECA reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds.

2. Executive Summary.

The Office of Citizen Exchanges in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposals for the FY 2026 Leaders Lead On-Demand program (LLOD). This program develops ideas from across the Department of State into customized, two-way exchange projects. LLOD provides rapid response, flexible programming focused on building self-sustaining global, regional, and country-based networks of practitioners.

The recipient will design and carry out a series of exchange projects for emerging leaders and mid-level professionals representing government, business, and civil society. The program expects to support approximately four to six exchange projects for approximately 150 participants, including approximately 110 foreign and 40 U.S. participants.

Each project will feature a group of foreign participants who will travel to the United States for an intensive, customized program. Activities may include workshops, meetings, or events. Every U.S.-based exchange must also include at least one segment overseas, which should involve U.S. participants. All participants should have relevant experience or expertise in the project’s field. U.S. participants will work with foreign participants during both the U.S. and overseas segments.

The award recipient will work closely with ECA, other State Department staff, and partner organizations in the relevant countries or regions as appropriate to identify participants and design activities that meet each project’s goals. ECA must approve the final list of foreign and U.S. participants.

Additional project elements, such as regional meetings overseas, small grants competitions, or local trainings, should be included as needed to support project objectives and promote American leadership and expertise.

This amendment to the NOFO makes the following changes to the original NOFO:

• Increases the total estimated funding from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000;

• Increases the total number of participants from approximately 75 (55 foreign and 20 from the United States) to approximately 150 (110 foreign and 40 from the United States);

• Increases the total number of project activities from approximately four to six to approximately eight to 12;

• Extends the proposal due date from May 5, 2026, to May 25, 2026, due to the nature of these changes;

• Changes the anticipated award date from July 30, 2026, to August 31, 2026.

B. Eligibility

1. Eligible Applicants.

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

• U.S. Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations

• U.S. Not-for-profit public and private educational institutions

Please see the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for additional information.

2. Cost Sharing.

There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost sharing required for this program.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements.

a. All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM.gov as well as a valid registration in SAM.gov. Please see Section E. Submission Requirements and Deadlines for more information.

b. ECA’s Grant Guidelines require that organizations demonstrate at least four years of experience in conducting international exchanges to be eligible for awards exceeding $130,000 in ECA funding. As noted in Section A. Basic Information, ECA anticipates issuing one award, for approximately $2,000,000.

Therefore, organizations must demonstrate four years of experience in conducting international exchanges in your proposal to be eligible to apply under this competition.

c. All proposals must comply with the requirements stated in the NOFO and the PSI; not doing so may result in your proposal being declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review process.

d. All proposals must contain a SF-424, executive summary, proposal narrative, budget (SF-424A), detailed line-item budget, and budget narrative.

e. Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant.

Please note: Applicant organizations are defined by their legal name, and EIN number as stated on their completed SF-424 and additional supporting documentation outlined in the PSI document.

f. Applicants who are current recipients of awards directly from ECA should make sure the application discusses one or more award that will be open with ECA at the start of the anticipated period of performance for this NOFO.

Applicants who do not have current awards directly with ECA, please review the information in the PSI, section D, with additional information that must be provided in your application for it to be eligible.

C. Program Description

1. Authority.

Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the Act is "to enable the

Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries...; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United States and other nations...and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States and the other countries of the world."

The funding authority for the program above is provided through legislation.

2. Purpose.

LLOD was developed to strengthen existing public diplomacy efforts for emerging leaders and mid-level professionals and to help the Department of State quickly respond to new foreign policy priorities. LLOD exchanges allow for a rapid response, flexible project design that seeks to build self-sustaining global, regional, and country-based networks of practitioners.

Each LLOD project will address different topics, but all should build participants’ capacity to address key challenges in their home communities by highlighting U.S.

leadership and expertise in the given subject matter.

3. Program Specific Guidelines.

Throughout the FY 2026 cooperative agreement, ECA expects to approve and carry out approximately eight to 12 projects, covering a wide range of topics aligned with U.S. foreign policy priorities. ECA will provide final approval for each LLOD project proposed by U.S. embassies, U.S. consulates, and other offices within the U.S.

Department of State. Multiple projects may run concurrently, and the award recipient must demonstrate capacity to manage several projects in different stages at once.

• Projects: Projects are sets of exchanges focused on specific, urgent, or emerging U.S. foreign policy priorities. For example, during the Exchange for Rising Think Tank Leaders from Quad Countries, participants from Australia, India, Japan, and the United States visited each participating country to examine policymaking and identify areas for ongoing collaboration.

• Participants: Participants are those who travel under federal award funding from their home country to the project location. Foreign participants should be chosen through a merit-based, competitive process. Participants may also be recommended by participating U.S. missions. Unless otherwise requested, participants should be emerging leaders and mid-level professionals in government, business, or civil society, with experience and current employment relevant to the project. All participants should be proficient in written and spoken English, have demonstrated leadership ability, and show professional commitment to the project’s goals.

• U.S. participants: U.S. participants should be professionals with expertise in the project’s subject or policy area. They should have significant engagement with foreign participants during the U.S. exchange program.

• Organizational Capacity: Applicant organizations should show they can conduct international professional exchanges, support different types of exchange activities and topics, and provide leadership training for rising professionals. Proposals should show the organization’s experience working in challenging environments, including in countries where the organization has not worked before, setting up tailored work placements, and adapting programs as needed. Proposals should clearly explain how the organization will staff and manage multiple LLOD projects concurrently.

• Partner Organizations: Applicants should list programs, businesses, institutions, and individuals they would work with to implement projects and describe any past collaborations. Proposals may include a sample project theme and objective and suggest potential organizations or individuals who could serve as facilitators or interlocutors during the sample project.

Proposals should show the ability to develop strong, relevant programming in the United States. Since activities may take place in countries where the organization does not have a presence, proposals should show how they will find and work with local or regional partners quickly. Proposals should include a participant recruitment plan and list foreign partner organizations that have helped recruit participants for other programs.

• U.S. Department of State Involvement: State Department offices will generate project ideas and be involved in each project. U.S. embassies and consulates may work closely with the award recipient on activities such as recruiting and selecting participants, pre-departure briefings, U.S. visas, and follow-on projects. Proposals should explain how the award recipient will regularly consult with State Department offices to implement exchange projects. While State Department offices may be involved, the award recipient is responsible for managing the overall program.

• Projected Timeline: The exact dates for each exchange project will be set after ECA approves the project. Proposals should include a sample timeline and outline for a hypothetical project.

4. Recipient Responsibilities.

The responsibilities of the recipient organization are as follows:

a. Project Design: After ECA approves a project, the award recipient will design project activities and submit a detailed outline to ECA’s Global Leaders Division. Each project will be unique and may require a different approach.

Projects should be flexible, collaborative, and include at least one segment in the United States and at least one segment abroad, as appropriate.

b. Recruitment and Selection: The award recipient will work with State Department offices and, if needed, local partners to recruit and select qualified participants. The process should include:

o A targeted recruitment campaign that supports a merit-based competition and meets project goals.

o A secure online application system.

o A transparent review process, developed with ECA, involving State

Department input and final ECA approval of participants.

o English-language interviews for semi-finalists, as appropriate.

c. Promotional Materials: The award recipient will create promotional materials for the LLOD program and individual projects. ECA will approve all materials.

d. Orientation: The award recipient will provide pre-departure and/or arrival orientations, either in person or virtually, for all participants. Orientations should cover:

o Travel and lodging details, including J-1 visa rules o Project goals and expectations o Program schedule and host community information o Cross-cultural guidance

e. Visa Support: The award recipient will prepare and issue DS-2019 forms for J-1 visas and assist with the visa process for both foreign and U.S. participants, working with U.S. embassies and consulates as needed.

f. Logistics: The award recipient will arrange all travel, transportation, accommodations, and meals, following federal regulations and the Fly America Act.

g. Health Benefits: The award recipient will enroll all participants in ECA’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) and provide health ID cards.

h. Participant Monitoring: The award recipient will monitor participant safety and well-being, maintain effective communication, and resolve issues promptly. Proposals should show how staffing will support participant safety and well-being.

i. Program Closing: The award recipient will hold a closing session at the end of each project.

j. Data Collection and Reporting: The award recipient will track all projects and participants, including budgets and participant numbers by country. This data will be included in regular reports to ECA and provided upon request.

The award recipient must securely maintain all personal information.

5. Goals and Objectives.

The FY 2026 LLOD program supports these main goals:

1. Provide targeted support for urgent or emerging U.S. foreign policy priorities when existing public diplomacy resources are not available.

2. Build lasting partnerships between emerging leaders and mid-level professionals from other countries and the United States in key thematic areas.

3. Create opportunities for foreign and U.S. emerging leaders and mid-level professionals to work together and share ideas, strategies, and solutions to important issues.

4. Strengthen professional and leadership skills for both foreign and U.S.

participants, equipping them to make a positive impact in their home communities.

6. Program Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E).

Distinct from grants or cooperative agreement monitoring and participant monitoring, performance monitoring is designed to assess progress against a program’s goals and objectives. A performance monitoring framework is vital to tracking the direction, pace, and magnitude of change that result from ECA programs.

ECA created the Monitoring Data for ECA (MODE) Framework to measure the performance of ECA programs. The MODE Framework provides standard indicators and corresponding survey questions to ensure consistent measures across all ECA programs. More resources and guidance documents on the MODE Framework are available online at: https://www.state.gov/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/.

The proposal must include the MODE Framework objectives and indicators listed below (note that, because not all MODE objectives and indicators are relevant for a program, the numbering below will not be sequential). In addition to the ECA-required objectives and indicators, applicants may also select additional MODE Framework indicators (see the Indicator Book on the MODE Framework website), or design custom objectives and indicators that are specific to the proposed program and this proposal.

• Demographic Questions as outlined in the Indicator Book on page v and Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) (See the MODE Resource Guide -https://app.box.com/s/qjo8icwj46tc8h1i1qtg80zl7ibwgtua – found on our website https://www.state.gov/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/)

• Objective 1: Advance participant and beneficiary cross-cultural competence and global perspective o Sub-Objective 1.1: Promote cultural exchanges and enhance understanding between participants and their host communities E1.1.01: Percent of participants reporting that their program experience offered opportunities to engage with other cultures E1.1.04: Percent of foreign participants with more favorable opinions of the United States Government (core indicator) E1.1.09: Percent of participants who traveled abroad for the first time because of their program (core indicator) E1.1.10: Percent of foreign participants who traveled to the United States for the first time during their program (core indicator) E1.1.11: Percent of American participants indicating a change in their understanding of their host country's culture and values E1.1.12: Percent of foreign participants indicating a change in understanding of third-party countries’ cultures and values E1.1.17: Percent of foreign participants with more favorable opinions of the American people (core indicator) E1.1.18: Percent of foreign participants indicating an increase in understanding of United States culture and values (core indicator) https://www.state.gov/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/ https://www.state.gov/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/ https://app.box.com/s/qjo8icwj46tc8h1i1qtg80zl7ibwgtua https://www.state.gov/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/ https://www.state.gov/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/

E1.1.19: Percent of foreign participants agreeing with statements in support of democratic values (core indicator)

• Objective 2: Increase the impact that participants and alumni have on their communities / countries E2.0.01: Percent of foreign participants that volunteer in their host communities o Sub-Objective 2.2: Foster participants’ belief that civic engagement benefits communities/countries E2.2.01: Percent of participants who have more confidence in their ability to have an impact in their home country (core indicator)

• Objective 3: Strengthen engagement among participants, alumni, beneficiaries, and institutions E3.0.02: Percent of foreign participants who report increasing their network of Americans (core indicator) E3.0.04: Percent of foreign participants who report increasing their network of third country nationals E3.0.07: Percent of participants who identify as a Department of State program participant (core indicator) o Sub-Objective 3.1: Alumni subscribe to platforms for resources and information-sharing E3.1.02: Percent of participants who learned about new resources

• Objective 4: Strengthen personal, professional, and technical abilities and aptitudes of participants and beneficiaries E4.0.01: Percent of participants reporting increases in their job skills as a result of their program participation E4.0.03: Percent of participants reporting an increase in soft skills as a result of their program participation E4.0.05: Percent of participants who report an increase in technical skills as a result of their program participation o Sub-Objective 4.1: Participants engage in language, academic, professional, and cultural exchange programs E4.1.01: Total number of participants (core indicator) E4.1.02: Total number of program cohorts (core indicator) E4.1.04: Number of professional placements

• Objective 8: Enhance the quality and effectiveness of ECA programs by leveraging the Bureau’s resources, policy, and stakeholder relationships E8.0.03: Response rate for participant surveys (core indicator)

Performance Monitoring Plans (PMPs)

ECA recommends the use of a PMP to serve as the primary reference document for performance monitoring for this award. If used, the PMP is an important part of any proposal, as it outlines how the applicant plans to track progress towards the proposed program’s goals and objectives through indicators and corresponding data collection questions. A PMP document that includes all MODE Framework indicators is a part of this solicitation’s attachments. Specific instructions on how to modify the PMP to be responsive to this solicitation are included in that document;

there is also a support video available for more information on how to fill out the PMP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBHC1oLNZvI. While ECA recommends the applicant use the PMP format provided, this is not a requirement. If a PMP is not included in the proposal, applicants should provide similar information to that found in the suggested PMP format, in a presentation of your choice. Successful PMPs (or similar documentation) should include the following:

• Objectives. Programmatic objectives are statements of the condition(s) that state what the program is designed to achieve. Objectives are therefore bound by the resources and timeframe of the program and must be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). In addition to those outlined above, the applicant may propose other program objectives from the MODE Framework or other applicant-designed program-specific objectives.

• Indicators. Performance indicators are measures used to gauge progress toward programmatic objectives and sub-objectives. Indicators should be as specific as possible (following the SMART principles) and include any proposed disaggregations (meaning, breakdowns of the data by subgroups; the PMP lists the demographic questions required to obtain the information necessary to report the disaggregations). Each indicator should also include a target number to be achieved. A target is a planned level of result to be achieved within an explicit timeframe.

• If you do not use the PMP format provided, note that any performance monitoring reference document the applicant submits should include the information in the column headers (Indicator Name, Definition, Target, Survey Question, etc.) in the PMP attachment at a minimum.

• In addition to those indicators outlined in above, the applicant may propose additional custom, program-specific indicators in the PMP (ECA recommends the proposed PMPs include a minimum of one indicator for each custom programmatic objective).

• During the period of performance of the award, the ECA program office may further revise, add, or remove indicators. Therefore, the applicant’s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBHC1oLNZvI

PMP and data collection instruments should be flexible enough to incorporate those once established.

Award recipients are responsible for collecting indicator data only on participant outcomes during the period of performance of the award itself (see the PMP for guidelines as to when these data collection efforts should occur). ECA will measure outcomes of ECA participants at one, three, five, and 10 years after the exchange has ended to capture the long-term outcomes of ECA programming unless otherwise specified in the solicitation. In this instance, the recipient will be responsible for coordinating with ECA on any alumni surveys to de-duplicate questions and minimize potential survey fatigue.

Regardless of the survey platform used, all MODE Framework survey questions outlined above are required (i.e., should be forced response); please see the Consent Language in the MODE Framework Indicator Book for more information on how to convey this to participants/survey respondents.

Program Performance M&E Narrative Proposals should include information within the program narrative section(s) that outlines how the applicant intends to measure the indicators listed above. This will be separate from the PMP and should include but not be limited to:

• An overview of resources available to the applicant that outline the team structure and responsibilities surrounding performance monitoring.

• The mechanism(s) through which surveys and other data collection tools (if applicable) will be administered, including which platform will be used, and when and how surveys will be advertised to participants – detailing strategies to ensure adequate survey response rates (https://app.box.com/s/pn6tavyg7sh064i502fzap49ox63y38a), and to reduce selection and non-response bias.

• A brief explanation of data analysis and reporting procedures.

• An overview of a proposed learning plan and feedback loops to ensure that the Grant Officer (GO)/Grant Officer Representative (GOR) are informed on performance monitoring issues at regular intervals.

Nonmandatory Use of the Qualtrics MODE Survey Builder Data Collection System ECA has created a guided tool (the MODE Survey Builder) within the Qualtrics survey platform for ECA implementing partners to generate surveys to facilitate the https://app.box.com/s/pn6tavyg7sh064i502fzap49ox63y38a seamless collection and reporting of MODE Framework data. The MODE Survey Builder offers implementing partners a guided workflow that will generate a ready-to-send MODE survey, allows the addition of custom survey questions, and offers a standard report template for a quick overview of survey results that can be submitted in MyGrants (see section below) to fulfill RPM Reporting Requirements.

Use of the Qualtrics survey platform can be utilized at no cost to implementing partners. Additional information about the MODE Survey Builder can be found here: https://app.box.com/s/jjr98hmx6deorxj3lwgaxjrwdfec2r91 and here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jus4fRqOTcM. You can propose use of an alternate survey tool or use the MODE Survey Builder, but if you are utilizing the MODE Survey Builder, you must indicate such in your proposal.

MyGrants RPM Reporting Requirements MyGrants is a database solution that serves as the official system of record for all U.S. Department of State and ECA awards. The Results Performance Monitoring (RPM) module within MyGrants is an extension module that enables users to report performance monitoring data in the same system where they currently manage federal assistance actions. As part of ECA’s efforts to streamline data collection and management, the recipient(s) of this award will be required to input performance reporting data outlined in this solicitation into the MyGrants RPM. The data stored in the MyGrants RPM will provide ECA with a bureau-wide, uniform M&E reporting tool that is already linked with other elements of the awards familiar to existing awardees.

7. Allowable Costs.

a. Travel: All international air travel must comply with the Fly America Act. The U.S. Department of State provides J-1 visas for non-U.S. participants, and visa processing fees should not be included in the budget. The proposal should include costs for travel related to obtaining visas, such as interviews, delivering or picking up passports, etc. A travel allowance of $100 per foreign participant may be included in the budget for incidental expenses during international travel.

b. Per Diem: For U.S.-based programming, use the federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities, which can be found at GSA Per Diem Rates. Budget realistic costs that reflect the local economy and do not exceed federal per diem rates. For foreign programming, use the rates available at State Department Per Diem Rates.

https://app.box.com/s/jjr98hmx6deorxj3lwgaxjrwdfec2r91 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jus4fRqOTcM

c. Book and Cultural Allowance: Foreign participants may receive a one-time cultural allowance of $200 per person and a book allowance of $80. U.S.

program staff are not eligible for these allowances.

d. Consultants: Consultants may be hired to provide specialized expertise or presentations. Honoraria rates should not exceed $250 per session.

Subaward and subcontracting organizations may also be used. Include a letter of support detailing responsibilities and costs for subawards, and itemize subcontract costs in the budget. Contractors or contracting organizations may also be employed, with a letter outlining the agreement included in the proposal.

e. Room Rental: Room rental costs must not exceed the market rate for event space in the area of activity. If citing market value, provide justification for the requested amount. Without justification, room rentals may not exceed $250 per day per conference room or activity.

f. Materials Development: The proposal may include costs for purchasing and developing program materials for participants.

g. Supplies: The proposal may include costs for equipment needed for programming, such as computers or fax machines. Furniture costs are not allowed. Equipment costs should be kept to a minimum.

h. Working Meals: No more than two working meals may be provided per project. The cost per person for a working meal must not exceed $45.

Alcoholic beverages cannot be charged to U.S. government funds. The number of invited guests should not exceed twice the number of funded program participants (e.g., no more than 20 guests for a meal with 10 participants).

i. Health Benefits: Foreign participants will be covered under the U.S.

Department of State-sponsored Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE). The State Department pays the ASPE premium directly to the administrator. The proposal may include costs for supplemental health insurance for hosting organizations requiring specialized coverage and travel insurance for participants.

j. Reasonable Accommodations: The proposal should budget for reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Up to five to seven percent of the total requested ECA award funds may be allocated for this purpose.

Plans should include necessary program modifications or adjustments to participant numbers if accommodations are required.

k. Wire Transfer Fees: The proposal may include costs for transferring funds to partner organizations overseas. Research applicable taxes imposed by host governments on these transfers.

l. Other cost categories as needed.

8. Cost Share.

ECA encourages applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support of its programs. When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its proposal and later included in an approved agreement. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For accountability, you must maintain written records to support all costs which are claimed as your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records are subject to audit.

The basis for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s Guidance 2 CFR Parts 200 and 600, entitled the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. In the event you do not provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the approved budget, ECA's contribution may be reduced in like proportion.

9. Freedom and Democracy Guidelines.

Public Law 104-319 provides that "in carrying out programs of educational and cultural exchange in countries whose people do not fully enjoy freedom and democracy," the Bureau "shall take appropriate steps to provide opportunities for participation in such programs to human rights and democracy leaders of such countries." Public Law 106 - 113 requires that the governments of the countries described above do not have inappropriate influence in the selection process.

Proposals should reflect advancement of these goals in their program contents, to the full extent deemed feasible.

10. Virtual Exchange Component.

When changing political, health, environmental, or other similar circumstances require a suspension or halt of in-person activities and where ECA determines that a virtual alternative is appropriate and viable, award recipients should demonstrate the ability and capacity to transition from in-person to virtual exchanges.

Proposals should demonstrate the organization’s capacity to provide innovative options for virtual activities to substitute for in-person engagement for program participants. Organizations should consider how they will implement virtual exchange activities, given the potential limits to internet access from participants in some locations and while continuing to advance foreign policy objectives and achieve lasting benefits for U.S. citizens and international participants.

In addition to planning for virtual exchange activities if in-person programming is prohibited, ECA welcomes innovative ideas on how organizations can leverage virtual programming technologies during or in addition to in-person programming.

ECA encourages organizations submitting proposals in response to this solicitation to suggest one or more virtual exchange components to complement the in-person exchange. The virtual exchange components could come before, during and/or after the physical exchange. The objective for the virtual exchange components is to augment the impact of the in-person exchange described in this solicitation. ECA encourages organizations to propose virtual exchange ideas that take advantage of ECA’s existing web and social networking platforms. Virtual exchange components would be coordinated with and approved by the ECA program office and U.S.

missions abroad on a project-by-project basis.

11. Communications Guidance for ECA Recipients.

All ECA Recipients must adhere to the requirements in ECA’s Communications Guidance on the creation of program branding and attribution, websites, social media, and press.

12. Celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial.

ECA is excited to play a key role in making the Semiquincentennial – commonly known as “Freedom 250” – a truly global celebration. As the period of performance for this award is scheduled to cover part or all of calendar year (CY) 2026, the applicant may wish to consider ways the program can celebrate Freedom 250. Any Freedom 250 focused activities or plans will be subject to ECA approval and direction, and changes may be requested by ECA. Use of any ECA-provided Freedom 250 brand elements will be subject to advance ECA approval and require adherence to Department of State and ECA guidelines for such branding.

https://www.state.gov/eca-grant-opportunities/ https://www.state.gov/eca-grant-opportunities/

13. Substantial Involvement.

In a cooperative agreement, the Department is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring, as follows:

a. Approve key personnel and any changes to dedicated LLOD staff, ensuring the team possesses the expertise to advance program goals.

b. Review and approve LLOD project proposals, recruitment materials, program timelines, and agendas to maximize visibility and attract high-potential participants.

c. Approve the final selection of all foreign and U.S. LLOD participants to ensure participants are positioned to advance project goals.

d. Approve decisions related to special circumstances or problems throughout the program, including assisting with participant emergencies as appropriate and ensuring program continuity.

e. Liaise with applicable regional bureaus, U.S. embassies and consulates, and other State Department offices as appropriate to ensure program activities support U.S. strategic interests.

f. Monitor and evaluate the program through regular communication, meetings, and debriefing sessions; and liaise with ECA’s MELI Unit and the award recipient to ensure measurable outcomes and continuous improvement in advancing U.S. foreign policy priorities.

g. Provide oversight ensuring award closeout process completion.

D. Application Contents and Format

Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals.

Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation Package, including the PSI, which contains guidelines for proposal preparation.

1. Budget Format.

Applicants must submit a budget (SF-424A), detailed line-item budget, and a budget narrative. See the PSI section III for more information on the budget requirements.

Budget requests may not exceed $2,000,000. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.

2. Content of Application.

Please see the PSI for information about the application and formatting guidelines.

E. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

1. Address to Request Application Package.

The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov or from the ECA website at https://www.state.gov/eca-grant-opportunities/.

2. Department of State Contacts For questions about this announcement, contact: Copeland Barnes, U.S.

Department of State, Office of Citizen Exchanges, ECA/PE/C/GL, (771) 205-6717, BarnesCL@state.gov.

All correspondence with ECA concerning this solicitation should reference the title and funding opportunity number listed at the top of this solicitation. Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals.

Once the deadline has passed, ECA staff may not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal review process has been completed.

The terms and conditions published in this solicitation are binding and may not be modified by any ECA representative. Explanatory information provided by ECA that contradicts published language will not be binding.

3. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management

(SAM.gov).

Required Registrations All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM.gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. An applicant must maintain an active registration while it has a proposal under review by the Department and must continue to keep the registration active for the entire https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:BarnesCL@state.gov duration of the period of performance of any Federal award that results from this

NOFO.

The 2 CFR 200 requires subrecipients to obtain a UEI. Please note the UEI for subrecipients is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a subrecipient.

Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.

Organizations based in the United States or that pay employees within the United States will need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and a UEI prior to registering in SAM.gov.

All federal award recipients must maintain a current registration in the SAM database. Recipients must maintain accurate and up-to-date information in www.SAM.gov until all program and financial activity and reporting are completed on any issued award. Recipients must review and update the information at least annually after the initial registration and more frequently if required information changes or another award is granted. There is no cost associated with registering or updating SAM.gov accounts.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

Exemptions An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. See 2 CFR 25.110 for a full list of exemptions.

Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.

4. Required Registration with MyGrants.

All ECA award recipient organizations and recipient contacts and signatories must be registered with the U.S. Department of State’s MyGrants system by accessing https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com and clicking the “create an account” link.

http://www.sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-A/section-25.110 https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/

MyGrants is the U.S. Department of State’s grants management system and is supported by the Department’s Integrated Logistics Management System (ILMS).

Recipient organizations and recipient contacts and signatories that have previously used MyGrants as a U.S. Department of State award recipient do not need to register again. If the organization is not able to access the system, please contact the ILMS Help Desk for help in gaining access.

Support for Recipient Organizations and recipient contacts and signatories is available 24 hours, 7 days a week (except federal holidays), and can be reached at 1- 888-313-ILMS (4567) or through the ILMS Self Service Portal at https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/.

5. Submission Instructions.

Method of Submission Applications may only be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov). Complete solicitation packages are available at Grants.gov in the “Search Grants” portion of the system.

Grants.gov Registration, Application Submission, and Receipt Procedures Eligible organizations should follow the instructions available in the ‘Get Started’ portion of the site (https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants.

How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov Applicants should read instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Applicants should check with appropriate staff within their organizations immediately after reviewing this NOFO to confirm or determine their registration status with Grants.gov.

Organization applicants can find complete instructions here:

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

How to Submit an Application to ECA via Grants.gov For access to complete instruction on how to apply for Notice of Funding Opportunities on Grants.gov, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants

Grants.gov Support and Submission Issues Direct all questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission issues to:

Grants.gov Customer Support Contact Center Phone: 800 -518-4726 Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; closed on federal holidays.

Email: support@grants.gov

6. Submission Dates and Times.

Application Deadline Date.

Monday, May 25, 2026, at 11:59 pm, Washington, DC, time

Applicants have until 11:59 pm, Washington, DC time of the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been uploaded to the Grants.gov site. There are no exceptions to the above deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after the application deadline date and time will be automatically rejected by the Grants.gov system and will be found technically ineligible.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you begin the submission process through Grants.gov well in advance of the application deadline.

Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant Grants.gov Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When ECA successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgement of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role. Again, proof of timely submission shall mailto:support@grants.gov be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Please also be mindful of any Grants.gov generated error messages that may appear during the application process as they may result in some documents not transmitting correctly.

Applicants using slow internet should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

The Grants.gov website includes extensive information on all phases/aspects of the Grants.gov process, including an extensive section on frequently asked questions, located under the “Applicant FAQs” section of the website. ECA strongly recommends that all potential applicants review thoroughly the Grants.gov website, well in advance of submitting a proposal through the Grants.gov system. ECA will not notify you upon receipt of electronic applications.

PLEASE NOTE: ECA bears no responsibility for applicant timeliness of submission or data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes for proposals submitted via Grants.gov. Prior to submitting applications through Grants.gov, please ensure you meet all Grants.gov system and software requirements, including Adobe software compatibility. You can verify if your version of the Adobe software is compatible with Grants.gov, by visiting https://grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility

It is the responsibility of all applicants submitting proposals via the Grants.gov web portal (https://www.grants.gov) to ensure that proposals have been received by Grants.gov in their entirety, and ECA bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

7. Funding Restrictions for this Announcement.

a. Funding Restrictions for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency

(UNRWA)

None of the funds awarded resulting from this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

b. Prohibition on Funding Activities that Encourage Mass-Migration

Caravans towards the United States Southwest Border.

None of the funds awarded under this grant may be made available to encourage, mobilize, publicize, or manage mass-migration caravans towards the United States southwest border. Funds may not be made available for legal counseling on the United States asylum process; and/or for referrals to legal or representation in the United States.

Funds may only be used for cash cards for use in the country in which they are provided or to facilitate assisted voluntary returns and other purposes that do not encourage, mobilize, publicize, or manage mass migration caravans towards the United States southwest border. The provision of humanitarian assistance is permitted.

c. Certification Regarding Compliance with Applicable Federal Anti- Discrimination Laws If the place of performance or delivery of any award made under this NOFO will be within the United States, applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award:

i. Its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of section 3729(b)(4) of title 31, United States Code and;

ii. It does not operate any programs promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws. A program promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion means a program whose purpose is to promote preferences based on race, color religion, sex, or national origins, such as in training or hiring.

d. Certification Regarding Compliance with 20 U.S.C. 1011f and Any Other

Applicable Foreign Funding Disclosure Requirements for Institutions of Higher Education (IHE).

Applicants are advised that IHEs must certify the following at the time of award, and that this certification requirement must be included in any subaward agreements to IHEs:

• Its compliance in all respects with section 1011f of title 20, United States

Code, and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements is material for purposes of section 3729 of title 31, United States Code, and for receipt of appropriate Federal grant funds.

e. Certification of Trafficking in Persons Compliance and Compliance Plan

Applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award for awards where the estimated value of services to be performed outside the United States exceeds $500,000:

• To the best of the recipient’s knowledge, neither the recipient, nor any subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor of the recipient or any agent of the recipient or of such a subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor, is engaged in any of the activities described…