FY24 Amended Arctic NOFO.pdf

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Amendment to Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2024 Arctic Indigenous Exchange Program Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0010298 Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA) Number: 19.415 Deadline for Applications: May 28, 2024

Executive Summary:

The Global Leaders Division in the Office of Citizen Exchanges at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposal submissions to design, administer, and implement the FY 2024 Arctic Indigenous Exchange Program (AIEP). This new initiative will bring together approximately 50 Indigenous leaders, including business development professionals, government officials, and entrepreneurs from Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark (Greenland), and the United States (Alaska), for a multi-phase exchange program to explore areas of regional cooperation across the Arctic. The goal of this program is to strengthen people-to-people relationships, advance cooperation, and foster greater commercial and cultural ties between Arctic Indigenous populations in the United States, Canada, and Greenland across a range of priority areas. U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to provide a series of exchange projects ranging in size and scope, focused on critical topics to Arctic Indigenous communities in Greenland, Canada, and the United States (specifically Alaska), including sustainable economic development, climate and the environment, and health and well-being. It is anticipated that this cooperative agreement will support approximately three to six distinct exchange projects for approximately 50 participants, including approximately 35 foreign and 15 U.S. participants. Exchange activities may include, but are not limited to, regional workshops, summits, and alumni activities, as appropriate in any of the three participating countries.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs expects to award one cooperative agreement of up to $1,500,000, pending the availability of funds, for the administration of the FY 2024 AIEP.

For additional details on awards, please see Section B. “Federal Award Information” below.

Pending successful implementation of this program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA’s intent to renew this cooperative agreement for two additional consecutive fiscal years before openly competing it again.

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.

This NOFO has been amended to extend the deadline for submission of applications due to an unexpected change in the May grants.gov maintenance window and unavailability of the submission system. The original deadline date was May 20, 2024. The new deadline for submission of proposals is May 28, 2024.

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A.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.

A.2. Purpose The AIEP supports the following broad goals:

1.) Promote mutual understanding and lasting partnerships between emerging and mid-level Arctic Indigenous leaders from Canada, Greenland, and the United States;

2.) Provide opportunities for foreign and U.S. emerging leaders to collaborate and share ideas, approaches, and strategies regarding pressing challenges;

3.) Foster greater commercial and cultural ties between the Arctic indigenous communities in Greenland, Canada, and the United States and;

4.) Create a network of Arctic Indigenous leaders committed to sound business practices, ethical management, sustainable development, social entrepreneurship, and community involvement.

A.3. Program Specific Guidelines Through a variety of projects and engagements, including educational and cultural exchanges, regional workshops, summits, and alumni activities, across the three participating countries, AIEP seeks to strengthen commercial and cultural ties among Arctic Indigenous communities in the United States, Canada, and Greenland, and nurture a network of Arctic Indigenous leaders.

A.3.a. Projects:

“Projects” are defined as individually tailored exchange initiatives designed to advance AIEP goals and objectives. Over the lifespan of the award, the recipient organization will be responsible for implementing approximately three to six projects developed in consultation with ECA and relevant stakeholders from across the Department of State. The first project will take place tentatively in Spring 2025. Proposals should speak to the applicant organization’s track record and expertise developing highly tailored, nuanced international programming, as well as the applicant’s capacity, as needed, to support in-person, virtual, and hybrid program components including, but not limited to: recruitment and selection, pre-departure and program orientation, professional development activities, workshops, seminars, and enrichment activities.

Proposals should also speak to the applicant organization’s experience with, and expertise in, developing programming for Indigenous communities in general and Arctic Indigenous communities in particular and honors and incorporates Indigenous ways of knowing into the project plans and activities.

While individual projects will be selected for implementation by ECA, in consultation with the award recipient and State Department entities, proposals should include a clear plan for how to solicit project ideas from across the State Department and present them to ECA.

Themes and Eligible Countries: It is anticipated that approximately 50 Arctic Indigenous leaders from Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark (Greenland), and the United States, including Alaska Native communities, will participate in three to six projects on topics of relevance to the Arctic region such as, but not limited to: sustainable economic development, increased trade and investments, climate change and the environment, security and defense, and health and well-being. The themes of the projects will help advance U.S. foreign policy priorities in these areas.

A.3.b. Participants:

"Participants" are defined as those who travel under federal award funding from their country of origin to a designated exchange country of a project. Participants should, as appropriate, be selected through a merit-based process. Depending on the individual project, participants may be emerging thought leaders or influencers from government, academia, business, or civil society with experience and expertise directly relevant to the approved projects. Unless otherwise requested by ECA for a specific project or project component, it is preferable that all selected participants be proficient in written and oral English, have demonstrated leadership capability, and a professional commitment to project goals. Proposals should address the applicant’s ability to support non-English speaking participants, if requested, for in-person, virtual, or hybrid programming.

It is anticipated that participants’ backgrounds will be varied and could include the sciences, social sciences, humanities, education, business, technology, and other professional fields, but with a unifying commitment to leverage resources, share knowledge and expertise, and crowdsource solutions to sustainable economic development and other pressing issues in the Arctic region. Every effort should be made to attract as diverse a project cohort as possible, including persons with disabilities, a balanced mix of male and female participants, and participants who are from non-elite backgrounds.

U.S. participants selected for individual projects should include professionals with relevant expertise in the project’s subject matter or policy issue. The U.S. participants should have significant engagement with the foreign participants during project activities in or outside of the United States.

A.3.c. Organizational Capacity:

Applicant organizations must demonstrate their capacity to design and implement projects, programs, and international exchanges that achieve the objectives listed above. The dates of each program activity will be determined following the issuance of the cooperative agreement.

While the shape and dimension of projects will vary, applicant organizations should anticipate supporting approximately 15 individuals and/or project participants per project for budget purposes. Organizations should highlight any prior experience working with Arctic Indigenous communities, including Alaska Native communities.

Applicant organizations must demonstrate their capacity for conducting highly tailored international exchanges for emerging leaders, administering exchanges focused on sustainable economic development, implementing exchange projects that address specific policy challenges and goals, and providing substantive programming and leadership training, ideally from within Indigenous communities. Proposals should explicitly address the applicant organization’s track record in creating, fostering, and supporting sustainable networks.

A.3.d. Partner Organizations:

Applicant organizations should provide examples of programs, businesses, institutions, organizations, and individuals with whom they would collaborate to implement the projects and should describe any previous collaborative activities. Applicant organizations are encouraged to include a hypothetical project in the appendices that outlines a proposed approach to developing a project under these themes, with examples of partnering organizations or individuals who may contribute to the project design, implementation, and/or network development.

It is possible that one project may include a U.S.-based exchange with short-term fellowship placements. Proposals should demonstrate capacity in the United States to secure suitable short-term, tailored placements for foreign participants and develop professionally relevant, substantive programming. As program activity may take place in countries or regions where the applicant organization does not have a presence, the proposal should demonstrate the ability to identify and work with an in-country or regional partner organization to assist with program design and implementation, with an emphasis on an organization with demonstrated success in working with Arctic Indigenous communities. Proposals should include concrete examples to demonstrate the applicant organization’s capacity to establish and work with in-country or regional partner organizations in a short timeframe. Applicant organizations should include in the proposals a plan to recruit participants for project activities that could include events, trainings, or workshops as part of their international exchange experience.

A.3.e. U.S. Department of State Involvement:

It is anticipated that the applicant organization will work closely with ECA and other State Department entities, including U.S. missions, on the development and implementation of projects in selected countries. Where relevant, the applicant will be expected to coordinate with State Department entities to ensure that outreach efforts are appropriately tailored to the country or region and have the broadest possible reach, with particular focus on advancing ECA’s diversity, equity, inclusive, and accessibility (DEIA) goals. U.S. embassies and consulates may work closely with the award recipient on program activities including, but not limited to, recruitment and selection of participants; diversity benchmarks; pre-departure briefings; U.S.

visas; and the creation of sustainable local or regional networks. The proposal should discuss how the applicant organization plans to consult regularly with the Public Diplomacy Sections at participating U.S. missions to implement the select projects. While State Department entities and U.S. missions may be actively engaged in any particular project, the onus will remain with the applicant to manage the overall program activities.

A.3.f. Projected Timeline:

The AIEP will begin on or about September 15, 2024. The award period will be approximately 36 months in duration. The exact dates and destinations of each exchange project will not be determined until a proposed project is officially approved. Applicant organizations should propose at least one sample timeline along with the sample for a hypothetical project (see A.3.e. Partner Organizations for additional details).

A.3.g. Performance Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning The proposal must include a plan to monitor and evaluate the success of the program, both as the project and activities unfold, at the end of the program, and once the participants return to their home communities. The applicant organization should include a plan to support outcomes that can be tied to the AIEP goals. Evaluation and monitoring activities should be viewed as opportunities to enhance and strengthen the overall program. ECA requests that the proposal provide a description of the methodology linking outcomes to program objectives.

These performance monitoring tools should complement ECA’s performance monitoring efforts, including participation in Monitoring Data for ECA (MODE), not duplicate them (see section D.10. Program Performance Monitoring and Evaluation below). ECA expects that the recipient organization will track participants and partners and be able to respond to performance indicators that include the effectiveness of the program model and core components in meeting stated goals and objectives, learning and changes in behavior as a result of the program, delivery of the online leadership platform, and the effects of the program on institutions (institutions in which participants work in their home countries and host institutions in the United States).

A.4. Recipient Responsibilities The responsibilities of the recipient organization are as follows:

1. Design, launch, and support individually tailored projects that advance program goals.

2. Develop a recruitment and outreach campaign that targets individuals meeting the eligibility criteria for the project, supports a merit-based open competition, advances ECA’s diversity, equity, inclusive, and accessibility (DEIA) goals, and allows for robust data collection.

3. Develop a transparent review process to evaluate applicants for the projects that provides opportunities to involve U.S. missions in participating countries. The recipient organization will work closely with ECA on the development of review criteria, strategies for reaching underserved populations, diversity benchmarks, and final selection of applicants;

4. As necessary, arrange English language interviews, virtual or in-person, for semi-finalists as part of the selection process;

5. Enroll participants in ECA’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) for foreign participants during any project components in the U.S. or overseas, and for U.S.

participants during foreign program components, issue health benefits identifications cards, and provide guidance to participants about their benefits.

6. Create a mobile or web-based platform to assist program participants in preparing for their exchange, provide information on programmatic issues, including, but not limited to, program requirements and expectations, travel, accident and sickness benefits, housing, leadership development;

7. Conduct pre-departure orientations before program components, virtual or in-person, and share program materials for individuals before they depart their home countries;

8. Arrange professionally relevant substantive activities for program participants;

9. Develop and support concrete strategies to facilitate a sustainable network among

Arctic Indigenous leaders;

10. Craft a comprehensive outreach and social media strategy that amplifies the program goals and highlights participant successes, network achievements, collaborative projects, and new initiatives;

11. Assess the projects and their effects on the participants, partner organizations, and network development at the hyper-local, regional, and global levels;

12. Conduct an end-of-project briefings with participants, as appropriate;

13. Arrange and cover the cost of all appropriate program-related travel for the program, including, but not limited to, transportation, lodging, and meals and incidental expenses

(M&IE);

14. Monitor participants well-being and the performance of hosting institutions for the duration of all project components; and

15. Develop and support concrete strategies to facilitate a sustainable network among

Arctic Indigenous leaders, including, but not limited to, the design, launch, and support of a mobile or web-accessible platforms to facilitate communication among project participants and cultivate a network of Arctic Indigenous leaders;

16. Manage financial aspects of the program including timely disbursement of participant M&IE, stipends, or housing allowances and promptly report any irregularities in the budget or spending to ECA;

17. Participate in regular program reviews with ECA that provide general updates on program implementation and matters of concern, including, but not limited to, the effectiveness of past activities, progress on anticipated programmatic activities, and issues that may impede the implementation of planned programming;

18. Respond fully and promptly to requests for program or statistical information from ECA;

and,

19. Ensure compliance with the terms of the Cooperative Agreement with ECA, including, but not limited to, submitting timely financial and program reports and providing proper budget oversight.

A.5. Substantial Involvement:

In a cooperative agreement, the Department is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring. ECA’s activities and responsibilities for the AIEP are as follows:

1. Provide approval of each AIEP project;

2. Upon approval of a new project, convene an introductory meeting with the award recipient and relevant stakeholders within the State Department and, as appropriate, with outside representatives;

3. The Division will approve, in advance, all international travel paid for using funds of the ECA award; and

4. Approve partner organizations, including in-country partner organizations and sub-award recipients.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA’s level of involvement in this program is listed under Substantial Involvement in section A.5.

Fiscal Year Funds: 2024 Approximate Total Funding: $1,500,000, pending the availability of funds.

Approximate Number of Awards: One Approximate Average Award: $1,500,000, pending the availability of funds.

Minimum “Floor” of Award: $1,500,000, pending the availability of funds.

Maximum “Ceiling” of Award: $1,500,000, pending the availability of funds.

Anticipated Award Date: September 15, 2024, pending the availability of funds.

Anticipated Project Completion Date: March 31, 2027 Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, it is ECA's intent to renew this cooperative agreement for two additional, consecutive fiscal years, before openly competing it again.

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

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1. Eligible Applicants U.S. public and private academic and cultural institutions, exchange-of-persons, and other not-for-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit applications for this competition. Applicants must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. Please see the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for additional information.

C.2. Other Eligibility Requirements The following additional eligibility requirements apply to this NOFO announcement:

1.) 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 B above, ECA anticipates issuing one cooperative agreement, for approximately $1,500,000, pending the availability of funds.

Therefore, organizations that do not demonstrate four years of experience in conducting international exchanges in your proposal are ineligible to apply under this competition.

2.) All proposals must comply with the requirements stated in the NOFO, POGI (if applicable), and the PSI; non-compliance will result in your proposal being declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review process.

3.) In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 & D.5. for more information.

4.) 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.

http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/

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.

C.3. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost sharing required for this competition.

However, 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.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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

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

D.1. Solicitation Package Location The entire Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov or from ECA website at https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding.

D.2. Content and Form of Submission Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation Package, including the Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) document, which consists of required application forms and standard guidelines for proposal preparation. The application should be submitted per the instructions under D.16. “Application Deadline and Method of Submission” section below.

D.3. Unique Entity Identifier Number All organizations are required to have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement from the U.S. Government. 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. Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications. A UEI is issued as part of the required SAM.gov registration below in section D.5.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding

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

D.4. Required Proposal Elements All proposals must contain a SF-424, executive summary, proposal narrative, budget (SF 424A), detailed budget, and budget narrative.

D.5. Required Registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) All organizations must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database in order to submit a proposal in response to an open competition on Grants.gov. 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. Failure to register in SAM.gov will render applicants ineligible to receive funding.

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 is 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://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

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 number prior to registering in SAM.gov.

D.6. Responsibility/Qualification Information in SAM.gov (formerly, FAPIIS)

1.) The Federal awarding agency, prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the U.S. government designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C. 2313);

2.) An applicant, at its option, may review and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered. Currently, federal agencies create integrity records in the integrity module of the Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting System (CPARS) and these records are visible as responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov;

http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

3.) The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.206 Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

D.7. 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 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 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/.

Please take into consideration the following information when preparing your proposal narrative:

D.8. Adherence To All Regulations Governing the J Visa ECA places critically important emphasis on the security and proper administration of the Exchange Visitor (J visa) Programs and adherence by award recipients and sponsors to all regulations governing the J visa. Therefore, proposals should demonstrate the applicant's capacity to meet all requirements governing the administration of the Exchange Visitor Programs as set forth in 22 CFR 62, including the oversight of Responsible Officers and Alternate Responsible Officers, screening and selection of program participants, provision of pre-arrival information and orientation to participants, monitoring of participants, proper maintenance and security of forms, record-keeping, reporting and other requirements.

ECA will be responsible for issuing DS-2019 forms to participants in this program.

A copy of the complete regulations governing the administration of Exchange Visitor (J) programs is available at http://j1visa.state.gov or from:

Office of Private Sector Exchange Designation U.S. Department of State SA-5, Floor C2, Room C2L13 https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/ https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/ http://j1visa.state.gov/

2200 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20522

Please refer to Solicitation Package for further information.

D.9. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and Freedom and Democracy Guidelines Pursuant to ECA's authorizing legislation, “diversity” should be interpreted in the broadest sense and encompass differences including race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, geographic location, education, income, socio-economic status, and other diversity dimensions, that may hinder inclusion. Proposals should demonstrate how diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility will enhance the program’s goals and objectives and the participants’ exchange experience.

Proposals should demonstrate how the program will further engage diverse and underserved communities. Programs must maintain a non-political character and should be balanced and representative of the diversity of political, social and cultural life in the United States and abroad. Please refer to the “Support of DEIA” review criterion of this document for more information on how this will be reviewed as a part of any application. Please also refer to the “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility” section in the “Proposal Submission Instructions” document for specific suggestions on incorporating DEIA into the proposal.

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," ECA "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.

D.10. 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://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and.

https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and

For this proposal, ECA requires the applicant 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 vi, and Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) (https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and)

• 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.

▪ E1.1.04: Percent of 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)

▪ E1.1.19: Percent of participants agreeing with statements in support of democratic values (core indicator) 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) https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and 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)

▪ E4.1.14: Number of virtual exchange (VE) programs

▪ E4.1.15: Number of participants in virtual exchange (VE) programs

• Objective 6: Increase Capacity of ECA partner institutions to achieve program strategic goals

• 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. 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. A training on how to complete a PMP is available here:

https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and . 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 https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and and time-bound (SMART; see the ECA Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Innovation (MELI) Unit’s pages on the ECA website for more information:

https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-evaluation-division/capacity-building). In addition to those outlined above, the applicant may propose other program objectives from the MODE Framework, the Functional Bureau Strategy (https://eca.state.gov/about-bureau), 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, such as gender or country; 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.

o 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.

o 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).

o 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 impact of ECA programming unless otherwise specified in the NOFO and/or POGI. 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.

Award recipients will be required to submit an upload of the raw data (in CSV format) along with the MyGrants RPM reporting (see below). 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 https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-evaluation-division/capacity-building https://eca.state.gov/about-bureau https://eca.state.gov/about-bureau

The applicant should include information within the program narrative section(s) of the proposal 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://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/eca_eval_division_survey_response_rates.pdf), 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.

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.

D.11. 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 https://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/eca_eval_division_survey_response_rates.pdf submitting proposals in response to this solicitation to suggest one or more virtual exchange components to complement the in-person exchange. The virtual exchange component(s) could come before, during and/or after the physical exchange. The objective for the virtual exchange component(s) 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.

D.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.

D. 13. Celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial ECA is excited to play a key role in making the Semiquincentennial – commonly known as “America250” – 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 America250. Any America250 focused activities or plans will be subject to ECA approval and direction, and changes may be requested by ECA. Use of any ECA-provided America250 brand elements will be subject to advance ECA approval and require adherence to Department of State and ECA guidelines for such branding.

D.14. Budget Format Applicants must submit SF-424A (Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs) along with a detailed, line item budget for the entire program and a budget narrative. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.

The provided budget format is provided as an aid in organizing the budget, it is suggested but not required as a submission format for your proposal budget.

D.14.a. Allowable costs for the program include the following:

Detailed Budget: The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase the proposal budget in accordance with the needs of the program and the availability of funds. A list of costs that are eligible for funding consideration are listed below:

Travel. Please note that all international air travel must be in compliance with the Fly America Act. J-1 visas for non-U.S. Fellows are provided by the U.S. Department of State and should not be included in the budget. Proposals should include costs for any travel associated with procuring visas, including travel for interviews, delivering, or picking up passports, etc. A travel allowance of $100 for each foreign participant may be included https://eca.state.gov/comms-guidance in the budget. The allowance may be used for incidental expenses incurred during international travel.

Per Diem. For U.S.-based programming, the applicant organization should use the published Federal per diem rates for individual U.S. cities. Domestic per diem rates may be accessed at: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287. ECA requests applicants to budget realistic costs that reflect the local economy and do not exceed Federal per diem rates. Foreign per diem rates can be accessed at:

https://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp

Book and Cultural Allowance. Foreign participants are entitled to a cultural allowance of up to $200 per person, plus a book allowance of $80. Program staff members are not eligible to receive these benefits.

Consultants. Consultants may be used to provide specialized expertise or to make presentations. Honoraria rates should not exceed $250 per session. Subaward and subcontracting organizations may also be employed, in which case a letter of support between the prospective subawardee and subcontractor should be included in the proposal. Subawards should detail the division of responsibilities and proposed costs, and subcontracts should be itemized in the budget. Contractors/contracting organizations may also be employed, in which case a letter outlining the agreement between the applicant organization and the contractors/contracting organizations should be included in the proposal.

Room Rental. Room rental may not exceed the going market rate for event space in the area of activity. Proposals citing market value must provide justification as to the amount requested. Without solid justification, room rentals may not exceed $250 per day per conference room or per activity.

Materials Development. Proposals may contain costs to purchase, develop, and translate materials for participants.

Supplies.