FY 2026 USSP NOFO.pdf

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

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) FY 2026 U.S. South Pacific Scholarship Program Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0017983

Application Deadline: May 29, 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 U.S. South Pacific Scholarship Program Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0017983 Announcement Type New Cooperative Agreement Deadline for Applications May 29, 2026, 11:59pm Eastern (Washington DC time) Assistance Listing Number 19.011 Length of Performance Period 55 months Number of Awards Anticipated One award Award Amount Approximately $925,000 Total Available Funding $925,000, pending availability of funds

Type of Funding FY26 Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs (ECE) Funds

Funding Instrument Type Cooperative Agreement

Anticipated Award Date July 15, 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.

Priority Region: Indo-Pacific The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for an assistance award to administer the FY 2026 U.S.

South Pacific Scholarship Program (USSP). U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 CFR 1.501(c)(3) may submit proposals to organize and carry out academic exchange program activities for up to eight participants for the USSP program (eligible nations for USSP are listed below in the Overview section).

The Office plans to issue a cooperative agreement to support up to eight participants to undertake degree studies in the United States for the FY 2026 USSP program for approximately $925,000.

Working closely with Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region, the award recipient will be responsible for the administration of the programs, including outreach and recruitment, convening review panels and assisting with merit-based competitive selection and nomination, placing students at appropriate U.S. institutions for academic degree study, providing orientation, enrichment activities, and pre-return activities, providing monitoring and support services, conducting on-going monitoring and evaluation, and follow-up with program alumni.

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.

Organizations should maximize cost-efficient models while ensuring appropriate staffing to maintain participant health and safety as well as appropriate financial and administrative standards.

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.

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 $925,000. 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 details 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 in order 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. In response to Public Law 103-236, which directed the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to provide scholarships to students from the sovereign island nations of the South Pacific region, ECA created USSP for academic study at accredited colleges and universities in the United States.

2. Purpose.

USSP was established by the United States Congress to provide opportunities for U.S.

undergraduate and graduate degree students from South Pacific nations to study in fields important for the region’s future development. Public Law 103-236 authorized academic scholarships to qualified students from the sovereign island nations of the South Pacific region to pursue degree study at institutions of higher education in the United States. Students from the following nations are eligible to apply for these scholarships: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Fields of study are based on recommendations from U.S. Department of State EAP regional bureau representatives and Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies in the region. Students selected for these scholarships enroll in undergraduate degree programs or in master’s degree programs. South Pacific student applicants will not require pre-academic English training, but at the master’s level may benefit from up to one year of preparatory study in the U.S.

prior to enrolling in a formal master’s degree program if they possess the three-year baccalaureate degree commonly offered in the Pacific Islands region.

3. Program Specific Guidelines.

Program administration activities should cover the time period of approximately July 1, 2026 through June 31, 2031. It is expected that funding will support approximately eight students in the USSP program for up to four years of academic study plus a preparatory bridging semester/year as needed. This federal assistance award will cover the entire program in the

United States for selected participants. Students must return home following the completion of their ECA-funded programs.

For the USSP program, administrative responsibilities include the following broad categories:

program planning and management; recruitment and selection support; placement; orientation;

participant supervision and support services; fiscal management and budgeting; and program reporting and monitoring and evaluation. The proposal should include yearly budget projections for the full duration of the award. Programs must comply with J-1 Exchange Visitor Program regulations.

Participants USSP emphasizes the selection of Pacific Islanders with leadership experience or potential who will have a positive impact on their country’s future development. Individuals living in the United States are not eligible and preference is given to those without significant U.S. or third-country undergraduate study experience.

In accordance with J-1 regulations, ECA expects participants to maintain the equivalent of a full course of study. They should also maintain at least a "B" average and must comply with the academic and other requirements of the program and host institution.

USSP participants are subject to the 212(e) two-year home residency requirement and must return immediately to their home countries upon completion of the academic program. Students can be removed from the program for academic failure, behavioral misconduct, or inability to fulfill the terms of the program. The award recipient will make the final decision to remove a student after they consult with and receive written approval from ECA. Each student shall be required to read and sign a grant Terms and Conditions document.

Recruitment and Selection The description of study opportunities should include essential information for prospective participants who are unfamiliar with the U.S. educational system. Public Affairs Sections at U.S.

embassies across the South Pacific region will assist with initial screening for minimum eligibility. The award recipient will convene panels for final academic review, including at least one country/regional expert to provide country expertise, and will present a final slate of principal and alternate candidates to ECA for approval. Review panels taking place in the region will include one U.S. Mission representative and selection methodology should prominently reinforce the expectation that students will be active alumni and leaders in their home communities following the conclusion of the program.

Placement The award recipient will work with those participants who have prior undergraduate study to obtain transcripts from their home institutions and ensure that they receive maximum academic credit. The award recipient should arrange academic placement of the students at appropriate U.S. institutions. The award recipient will work to obtain financial aid, scholarships, tuition awards, in-state tuition, etc., and explain the nature of, and funding for, the program to U.S.

academic host institutions. Students may be clustered together or receive separate placements.

The proposal should describe how USSP students will be identified on their host campuses.

Orientation Programs The U.S. Embassy will arrange pre-departure orientations, as appropriate, in close coordination with the award recipient. Key points concerning academic requirements and coursework, housing, U.S. campus life, what to pack, finances, health and safety, and other critical issues should be included in the material. The award recipient should design the materials to serve as a useful post-arrival reference as well, supplemented with additional information.

Internships (Optional) Applicants may propose a U.S. internship experience for students with or without academic credit. The goal of this program is to provide students with a paid or unpaid practical internship of approximately four to six weeks over a summer during their scholarship program, as authorized under the Academic Training section of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program regulations.

Internships must directly relate to the participants' major field of study and the students must be in good academic standing. All internships must be completed according to J-1 Exchange Program regulations and in accordance with other U.S. regulations as relevant.

The applicant should estimate internship costs, such as public transportation, within the proposed budget and should guide students in their search and be responsible for approving internship placements, granting academic training in advance, arranging for academic credit, if applicable, monitoring students during their internships, and conducting an overall review of the internship component of the program.

Program Activities The proposal should describe innovative plans for orientations, goals, and approaches for the academic portion of the program, including any special academic enrichment activities that highlight American excellence, cultural and community projects, performance monitoring and follow-up, and alumni tracking. Proposed activities might include volunteer work, student presentations to the local community, and matching of students with Americans, such as a local host family. The proposal must demonstrate that the recipient organization(s) can provide effective support systems (such as tutoring, counseling, host family, mentor or buddy system, consultation with student adviser) to the students during the program. The applicant should assign an adviser or coordinator who can serve as a central resource to students regarding their scholarship, the J-1 visa program, and cross-cultural adjustment. The adviser also serves as the main point of contact for ECA.

A goal of the USSP program is to promote opportunities for academic and enrichment experiences related to U.S. institutions, society, and culture. Students are not permitted to complete accredited study in third country locations, even with another source of funding, while on program.

Exceptions may be made for short-term study abroad programs imbedded into U.S. coursework at ECA’s discretion. ECA welcomes creative ideas for exposing students to, and increasing their understanding of, key elements of American civil society, such as discussion groups on community issues and civic-related volunteer work. Student attendance at museums, concerts, plays, and other cultural or community events should be encouraged and facilitated whenever possible.

A way to enrich the campus experience and ensure greater interaction with American peers, students may be eligible for part-time campus employment not to exceed ten hours per week with ECA approval. Prior to eligibility, students must successfully complete one academic semester with at least a 3.0 grade point average.

4. Recipient Responsibilities.

The responsibilities of the recipient organization are as follows:

1. Support outreach and publicity efforts by Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies by announcing and publicizing the annual scholarship competition broadly;

2. Distribute application and informational materials about the scholarship programs to Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies, which will take the lead on recruitment and nomination;

3. Field inquiries from prospective candidates;

4. Convene review panels, including at least one country/regional expert for final academic review and assessment of U.S. university admissibility;

5. Review candidate applications to determine competitiveness and suitability for program;

review academic credentials for completeness and relevance to proposed field of study;

6. Place the participants at appropriate U.S. institutions for academic degree study leading to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in one of the pre-approved fields of study listed in the solicitation;

7. Arrange round-trip travel for the participants from their home cities to their U.S. host institutions;

8. Ensure that participants receive pre-departure and arrival orientations;

9. Enroll participants in the Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) Health Benefit Plan, in order to comply with J-1 visa requirements and assist with claims as necessary;

10. Develop and facilitate innovative cultural enrichment activities;

11. Assist participants in arranging optional local, U.S.-based summer internships, as applicable, including virtual opportunities;

12. Monitor participants’ adjustment and academic performance;

13. Ensure participant health, safety and well-being;

14. In close consultation with ECA, assess the program and its impact on the participants during their stay in the United States and after they return to their home countries, developing follow-on activities to facilitate long-term linkages and relationships;

15. Manage all financial aspects of the program (e.g., participant stipends, housing allowances, host university agreements, activity costs);

16. Report programmatic, financial and statistical information to ECA;

17. Manage and monitor all aspects of the participants’ J-1 visa status, including the issuance of DS-2019 forms; and

18. Respond fully and promptly to requests for information from ECA or U.S. Embassies relating to the participants and alumni.

5. Substantial Involvement.

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

1. Liaise with Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy, and country desk officer at the Department of State.

2. Public Affairs Sections at U.S. embassies assist with recruitment and selection activities, including but not limited to - announce and publicize annual scholarship competition(s) broadly;

distribute scholarship application materials; advise prospective participants and/or direct inquiries to the award recipient; assist with screening applications; and coordinate pre-departure and alumni activities as appropriate.

3. Approve all public-facing materials prior to dissemination;

4. Review and approve selection decisions and academic placement assignments prior to offer of award;

5. Approve changes to students’ proposed academic field or institution, and other significant decisions related to the students’ award, i.e. extensions, internships, etc.

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) 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/

E1.1.10: Percent of foreign participants who traveled to the United States for the first time during their program (core indicator)

E1.1.13: Percent of foreign participants who are more likely to recommend the United States as a good place to study

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)

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 E2.0.04: Number of hours that foreign participants spend volunteering 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) E3.0.07: Percent of participants who identify as a Department of State program participant (core indicator)

• Objective 4: Strengthen personal, professional, and technical abilities and aptitudes of participants and beneficiaries 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)

• 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 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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBHC1oLNZvI

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 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.

https://app.box.com/s/pn6tavyg7sh064i502fzap49ox63y38a https://app.box.com/s/jjr98hmx6deorxj3lwgaxjrwdfec2r91 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jus4fRqOTcM

Allowable costs for the program include the following:

• Round-trip travel domestic and international travel for all participants from home city to the United States, coach class via American carrier and following “Fly America” regulations.

• Tuition or instructional fees, if necessary.

• Maintenance allowances (estimate and explain an appropriate stipend level). Maintenance allowances should be sufficient to enable participants to meet the costs of lodging, food, and incidental purchases throughout the period of the Cooperative Agreement in the locations where the participants will be residing.

• Educational materials including books, laptop rental, and other professional equipment necessary to facilitate full participation (estimate and explain an appropriate stipend level).

• Executive dialogue and program overview materials and expenses for orientation and closing events.

• Honoraria for outside speakers, if necessary.

• Ground transportation.

• Advising and monitoring of participants.

• Interpretation and/or translation services.

• Costs of academic and cultural support and enrichment activities.

• Program Performance Monitoring and Evaluation.

• Withholding of taxes, as necessary.

• Institutional costs associated with registering participants in SEVIS, as applicable. Individual participants will not be charged SEVIS application fees because they will be issued DS-2019s on a government-sponsored program number.

• Staff salaries and benefits (each staff member and his/her position must be listed separately). Please also note the percentage of his/her total time spent on the program.

• Communication costs (e.g., fax, telephone, postage, communication equipment, etc.).

• Office supplies.

• Printing and duplication costs.

• Administration of tax withholding and reporting as required by Federal, State, and local authorities and in accordance with relevant tax treaties.

• OMB Guidance 2 CFR Parts 200 Subpart F Single Audit.

• Other direct costs.

• Indirect costs.

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. Alumni Tracking and Follow-On Activities.

Alumni activities are an important part of ECA's academic exchange programs. The applicant should indicate how they will facilitate and promote participant and alumni use of the U.S.

Department of State’s International Exchange Alumni website (www.alumni.state.gov). Alumni tracking is critical for measuring the longer-term impact of the program and for the implementation of worthwhile follow-on activities. The proposal should describe how the award recipient will maintain long-term linkages with alumni and should detail how the award recipient will update alumni records beyond the duration of the award. ECA strongly urges the applicant to outline how it will creatively organize and financially support alumni activities at a minimal cost to ECA, and how its efforts will be coordinated with ECA and Public Affairs Sections at U.S.

embassies. Additionally, the award recipient should share noteworthy alumni activities and accomplishments with ECA regularly.

10. 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.

11. Virtual Exchange Component.

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 as stated above in section C. Program Description.

12. 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.

13. 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 http://www.alumni.state.gov/ https://www.state.gov/eca-grant-opportunities/ 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.

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.

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: Anita Chan, U.S. Department of State, Office of Academic Exchange Programs, ECA/A/E, 202-716-8798, ChanAX@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).

https://www.grants.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 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.gov, 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. 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 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/ 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

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.

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

Application Deadline Date.

Friday, May 29, 2026, 11:59pm Eastern (Washington DC time)

Applicants have until 11:59 p.m., 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 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. 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.

c. 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.

d. Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems Manufactured or Assembled by

American Security Drone Act-Covered Foreign Entities

(a) Definitions.

https://www.grants.gov/

American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity means an entity included on a list developed and maintained by the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) and published in the…