FY24 GSMP NOFO.pdf

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2024 Global Sports Mentoring Program Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement Funding Opportunity Number: SFOP0010307 Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA) Number: 19.415 Deadline for Applications: May 20, 2024

Executive Summary:

The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Sports Diplomacy Division (ECA/PE/C/SU), in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for the implementation of the FY 2024 Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP). U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C.

501(c)(3) may submit proposals to conduct two separate month-long professional development mentorship programs and a reciprocal overseas exchange involving approximately 70-80 international and American participants in total (30 emerging leader participants from other countries and 40-50 American mentors). By empowering women and people with disabilities, the GSMP directly supports U.S. foreign policy goals, promotes social inclusion, and elevates the status of marginalized populations. Through the mentorship experience, the GSMP encourages mutually beneficial relationships between American sports executives and leaders in the sports sector overseas. Furthermore, the GSMP engages alumni from previous years through sustained U.S. Embassy relationships, follow-on individual grants to alumni, and monitoring and evaluation. Tapping into the power of public-private partnerships and founded on participant-led business plans, the GSMP positively affects communities at home and abroad and creates a more secure and democratic global playing field for all.

The FY 2024 GSMP model has two distinct professional development mentorship exchanges— the Sport for Community GSMP and the espnW GSMP. Set for spring of 2025, the Sport for Community GSMP on disability rights taps into the global attention received by mega-sporting events—in particular, the Paralympic Games, Special Olympics, and Deaflympics—to connect approximately 15 emerging leader participants with 15 to 20 American mentors in the adaptive sports sector. Sport for Community focuses on increasing the inclusion and full participation of marginalized youth and people with disabilities through sports opportunities worldwide. In fall of 2025, the espnW GSMP on women’s empowerment—a public-private partnership with espnW (ESPN’s sports brand dedicated to women in sports)—will connect approximately 15 female change agents with approximately 15 to 20 American mentors, all of whom are dedicated to promoting the rights and empowerment of women and girls around the world through sports. From start to finish, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title IX serve as core themes. By demonstrating how landmark U.S. legislation promotes democratic values and equality, the GSMP underscores American competitiveness and leadership on an international scale. To keep pace with the burgeoning sport for social change and business trend, the GSMP will also incorporate programmatic elements on how sports philanthropy, marketing, and entrepreneurship play into action plan development and implementation.

The recipient will organize and lead an orientation for American mentors before each of the respective programs as well as organize pre-departure briefings for both groups of international participants.

Under the reciprocal exchange, approximately five espnW GSMP American mentors will develop, alongside alumnae, Academies of Women Changemakers in Sports, that would offer emerging women leaders in one to three countries with significant GSMP alumni (such as Brazil, India, Kenya, or Nigeria) social entrepreneurship courses and bring together local NGOs, universities, and local mentors for speed mentoring, pitch competitions, and social entrepreneurship fairs. Countries will be selected in consultation with ECA and the Department’s regional bureaus. Under the reciprocal exchange, approximately five Americans who support Sport for Community GSMP will participate follow-on programming overseas.

Both reciprocal exchanges will take place toward the end of 2025. On an ongoing basis, the recipient will remain supportive of over 260 international GSMP alumni through surveying and tracking, support of action plans, virtual communication, follow-on grant disbursements, and media and social media storytelling updates. The recipient will be responsible for maintaining a pre-existing GSMP website and social media platforms. The FY 2024 recipient should work with the FY 2021 recipient to ensure continuity of website and social media platforms.

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.

It is the Bureau’s intent to award one cooperative agreement (one base year plus two non-competitive continuations pending successful performance and availability of funding) for an estimated total amount of $3,420,000 over three years. Please see section B.) Federal Award Information and NCCs in section D.16. below for additional details.

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 Sports Diplomacy enhances cross-cultural understanding, provides a platform for promoting democratic values, and opens avenues of dialogue and collaboration between individuals and nations. Using this two-pronged mentorship model, the GSMP is an integral component of the ECA’s sports diplomacy and professional development initiatives. As an intensive mentorship, innovation-focused, and business skill-building exchange, the GSMP galvanizes the efforts of leaders in the sports sector to positively and sustainably influence the lives of women, girls, and people with disabilities worldwide. With women’s empowerment and disability rights as key themes, the GSMP curriculum emphasizes and underscores U.S. competitiveness and leadership in the promotion of equality domestically and worldwide.

The espnW GSMP advances the U.S. Department of State’s foreign policy priority to promote the rights and empowerment of women and girls worldwide. Studies by the United Nations and other organizations prove that girls who play sports are more likely to attend and finish school, have better health, earn higher wages, and reach their full potential as contributors to society. The Sport for Community GSMP on disability rights enters its ninth year in 2024 and is a unique platform to highlight the U.S. foreign policy goal of removing barriers and creating a world in which all people enjoy dignity and full inclusion and participation in all aspects of society. By successfully implementing the Sport for Community GSMP on disability rights and the espnW GSMP on women’s empowerment, ECA directly supports the advancement of the rights of people with disabilities, women, and girls through sports.

A.3. Program Specific Guidelines

A.3.1 Sport for Community GSMP Basics:

Pairing international emerging leader participants with American mentors at U.S. companies, organizations, or universities in the disability sports sector, the Sport for Community GSMP focuses on increasing sports opportunities for marginalized youth and people with disabilities worldwide. The 2025 spring exchange will provide training, tools, and networks for international participants as they develop action plans to create opportunities for vulnerable communities back home. In turn, international participants will involve their American mentors and local U.S. communities in a substantive and meaningful way. The mentorship will last approximately five weeks, including three weeks at the mentor site with roughly one week each of opening and closing activities in Washington, DC and/or another strategic location in the country.

Identified by U.S. Embassies or Consulates, the international emerging leader participants are nominated based on demonstrated leadership abilities and a commitment to multiplying the knowledge and skills gained during their mentorships through action plans that promote disability rights through sports. Finalists will be selected from distinct levels of the sports sector within each country, including but not limited to ministries of sport, non-governmental organizations, or private sector companies. Ranging from ages 25 to 45 and open to both males and females, international participants must possess English language fluency. Participants will create individual GSMP business plans during the U.S.-based mentorship to implement over the course of the cooperative agreement timeline. Their participation and action plans will engage the American mentors, expose mentor communities to challenges overseas, and create opportunities through sports in marginalized communities—particularly for people with disabilities—around the world.

The recipient, in coordination with ECA, is responsible for identifying and recruiting qualified American mentors across the nation who represent the full geographic, social, and cultural diversity of the United States. Please refer to Section IV Subsection A of the Notice of Funding Opportunity Proposal Submission Instructions on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility and Freedom and Democracy Guidelines. Letters of support from potential mentoring organizations should be included in proposal.

The matches will be based on the interests, skills, and experience of the emerging leader participants and mentors. Participants and mentors should be matched at least two months prior to each program opening with mentor commitments confirmed at least three months in advance. Ideally, mentors will extend their involvement until the end of the award to support participants throughout the lifetime of their action plan projects.

A.3.2 espnW GSMP Basics:

In 2012, the U.S. Department of State and ESPN/espnW launched a public-private partnership on the espnW GSMP in a shared effort to promote gender equality through sports at home and abroad. Entering its 12th year in 2024, the espnW GSMP has become the Department’s flagship professional development exchange to empower women through sports. The recipient must work closely with ECA, espnW and the FY 2021 award recipient on this exchange ensuring that communication and coordination on program activities are seamless. With ECA input, espnW takes the lead to recruit and secure American mentors from U.S. companies, organizations, and universities in the sports sector. The recipient must manage complex logistics, meet strict timelines, manage the needs of private sector partners and mentors, and promote the program through social media.

Pairing international female emerging leader participants with American mentors at a U.S.

company, organization, or university in the sports sector, the espnW GSMP focuses on increasing sports opportunities for women worldwide. The 2025 fall exchange will provide training, tools, and networks for international participants as they develop action plans to create opportunities for vulnerable communities back home. In turn, international participants will involve their American mentors and local U.S. communities in a substantive and meaningful way. The mentorship will last approximately five weeks, including three weeks at the mentor site with roughly 10 days of opening and closing activities in total in Washington, DC or another strategic location in the country. At the mid-point of the mentorship, the international sportswomen will attend the annual espnW Women and Sports Summit usually held in October or November each year in the Los Angeles area with gift-in-kind passes provided by ESPN/espnW.

Identified by U.S. Embassies or Consulates, the international female emerging leader participants are nominated based on demonstrated leadership abilities and a commitment to multiplying the knowledge and skills gained during their mentorship through an action plan that promotes women’s empowerment and/or economic prosperity through sports. Finalists will be selected from distinct levels of the sports sector within each country, including but not limited to ministries of sport, non-governmental organizations, or private sector companies.

Ranging from ages 25 to 45, international participants must possess English language fluency.

They will create their business plans during the U.S.-based mentorship for implementation over the course of the cooperative agreement timeline. Their participation and action plans will engage the American mentors, expose mentor communities to challenges overseas, and create sports opportunities for marginalized communities—with an emphasis on reaching women and girls—around the world.

While espnW takes the lead to recruit American mentors for the espnW GSMP, the recipient should help ensure that American mentors represent the full geographic, social, and cultural diversity within the United States and include underrepresented female leaders. The matches will be based on the interests, skills, and experience of the participants and mentors.

Participants and mentors should be matched at least two months prior to each program opening with mentor commitments confirmed at least three months in advance. Ideally, mentors will extend their involvement until the end of the award to support participants throughout the lifetime of their action plan projects.

A3.3 Reciprocal Exchange Basics espnW GSMP Academies of Women Changemakers in Sports For the espnW outbound reciprocal exchange, approximately five American mentors will travel to one to three countries with significant GSMP alumni (such as Kenya, Brazil, India or Nigeria) to offer social entrepreneurship courses and bring together local NGOs, universities, and local mentors for speed mentoring, pitch competitions, and social entrepreneurship fairs. Countries will be selected in consultation with ECA and espnW. Timing of the reciprocal trip will depend on participant, mentor, and alumnae availability with an approximate duration of one week. In advance of the exchange, mentors will work with alumnae to develop a robust program, thereby increasing alumnae leadership capacity and advancing other female emerging leaders in their communities. The recipient, in coordination with espnW and ECA, should select American mentors who represent the diversity of the United States and should prioritize underrepresented communities when selecting the destination of the outbound reciprocal exchanges.

Sport for Community Reciprocal Exchange For the outbound reciprocal exchange, approximately five American GSMP supporters will travel to a strategic alumni community to support, engage, and learn from the local contexts.

Timing of the reciprocal trip will depend on participant, mentor, and recipient availability with an approximate duration of one to two weeks. The Americans will work with the participants in the implementation of action plans and be prepared to conduct/participate in seminars, workshops, and other on-site consultancies with the goal of reinforcng the GSMP network and supporting action plan activities. The recipient, in coordination with ECA, should prioritize underrepresented communities when selecting Americans to participate in, and the destination of the annual outbound reciprocal exchanges. With support from the recipient, relationships between the mentors and participants will continue through virtual means once the Americans return to the United States.

A3.4 Alumni Engagement Together, the Sport for Community GSMP and espnW GSMP have a distinct target population, mentors, timelines, and regional focus. The existing international alumni cohort includes over 260 individuals in every region of the world. On an ongoing basis, the recipient will remain supportive of the GSMP alumni through surveying and tracking, support of action plans, virtual communication, follow-on grant allotments, and social media storytelling updates. The recipient will also be expected to nurture pre-existing mentor and participant relationships, while integrating new participants into the U.S. Department of State’s GSMP alumni cohort and should work with the FY 2021 recipient to ensure continuity of alumni communication and database management. To ensure successful alumni engagement, the recipient will staff a dedicated alumni coordinator.

A3.5. Embassy Involvement:

U.S. Embassies and Consulates, in coordination with ECA/PE/C/SU, will be responsible for recruitment and nomination of emerging leader participants for both the Sport for Community GSMP and the espnW GSMP, collaborating with the U.S. recipient organization in providing pre-departure briefings and overseeing alumni follow-on activities. In as much as this program involves American citizens for the reciprocal exchange, the U.S. Embassies and ECA/PE/C/SU will remain informed on the plans of the reciprocal exchange overseas, represent the U.S.

Government during the overseas exchange, and assist program staff and participants in the event of an emergency. The cooperative agreement, though, requires that the award recipient manage the in-country aspects of this program in its entirety, with little reliance on the U.S.

Embassy staff for support.

A3.6 Organizational Capacity:

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge, experience, and capacity in the following areas: 1) delivery of successful international sports exchange and social entrepreneurship programs; 2) creation and facilitation of mentoring relationships between participants and individuals in the private sector, non-profits, or universities; 3) technical knowledge and significant experience in sports diplomacy and/or sport for development programs, especially those targeting women, girls, people with disabilities, and youth from marginalized populations; 4) monitoring and evaluation of both international and American participant experiences and follow-on project implementation data; and 5) high quality digital production to include photos, videos, website content, social media, and public-facing written content for social media use.

Applicants must identify any U.S.-based and foreign-based organizations and individuals with whom the organization is proposing to collaborate and describe any previous cooperative activities.

A.4. Recipient Responsibilities The activities and the roles and responsibilities of the recipient for this program are outlined in the attached Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document.

A.5. Substantial Involvement:

In a cooperative agreement, the Department is substantially involved in program activities above and beyond routine monitoring. These activities are outlined in the attached POGI document.

A.6. Non-Competitive Continuations (NCCs) Proposal narratives should include a commitment to implement the program for the base year, plus two additional NCCs, pending successful performance and the availability of funds. The narrative should focus on details specific to the implementation of the base year program, with the understanding that the program design, duration, and participant numbers would be similar when/if the subsequent two NCCs are exercised. ECA will perform an annual performance evaluation/review to determine if a NCC will be exercised. Satisfactory performance and the availability of funds is a condition of continued administration of the program and execution of all NCCs.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

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

Fiscal Year Funds: FY2024 – $1,140,000 base year; FY2025 – NCC year-one $1,140,000, pending successful performance and the availability of funds; FY2026 – NCC year-two $1,140,000, pending successful performance and the availability of funds.

Approximate Total Funding: $3,420,000. This figure represents base year plus two NCC years, pending successful performance and the availability of funds.

Approximate Number of Awards: One Approximate Average Award: $1,140,000, pending the availability of funds Minimum “Floor” of Award: $1,140,000 Maximum “Ceiling” of Award: $1,140,000 Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2024, pending the availability of funds.

Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 31, 2027. This date reflects the anticipated duration of the award – one base year plus two NCC years.

Additional Information: A Cooperative agreement will be awarded for a period of 12 months (base year) with NCCs for two additional 12-month periods (NCC years one and two). ECA will notify the recipient of its intention to exercise or not to exercise a NCC at least 90 days in advance of expiration of the current year after an internal evaluation of the recipient’s performance. The decision to exercise a NCC will depend both on the satisfactory performance of the recipient and the availability of funds.

ECA 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 $1,140,000. 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.

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.

5.) For this program:

http://www.sam.gov/

a. All proposals must contain an executive summary (one page), proposal narrative (not to exceed twenty pages), detailed timeline and detailed budget (which includes a line-item budget and a budget narrative; this is in addition to the required SF-424and SF-424A forms. The SF-424-B and SF-LLL forms should be submitted if applicable). Failure to submit all required elements will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible.

b. The Office of Citizen Exchanges does not support proposals limited to conferences or seminars (i.e., one- to fourteen- day programs with plenary sessions, main speakers, panels, and a passive audience). It will support conferences only when they are a small part of a larger project in duration that is receiving Bureau funding from this competition. No funding is available exclusively to send U.S. citizens to conferences or conference type seminars overseas; nor is funding available to support the attendance of foreign nationals at conferences or at routine professional association meetings in the United States.

c. The Sports Diplomacy Division does not fund programs that involve building of structures of any kind, including playing fields, recreation centers, or stadiums.

d. The pursuit of academic degrees from U.S. institutions is not an acceptable focus of this program. Proposals that have only an academic focus will be deemed technically ineligible and will receive no further consideration in the review process.

e. If your organization is a private nonprofit which has not received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or if your organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the past four years, you must submit the necessary documentation to verify nonprofit status as directed 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.17 “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.

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

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.

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 https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/

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.

The award recipient 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 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 https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/ http://j1visa.state.gov/ 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.

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.

▪ E1.1.01: Percent of participants reporting that their program experience offered opportunities to engage with other cultures 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 https://eca.state.gov/impact/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/mode-framework-eca-applicants-and

▪ E1.1.04: Percent of participants with more favorable opinions of the United States Government (core indicator)

▪ 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)

• Objective 2: Increase the impact that participants and alumni have on their communities / countries.

o Sub-Objective 2.2: Foster participants’ belief that civic engagement benefits communities/countries

▪ E2.2.01: Percent of participants who have more confidence in their ability to have an impact in their home country (core indicator)

• Objective 3: Strengthen engagement among participants, alumni, beneficiaries, and institutions

▪ E3.0.02: Percent of foreign participants who report increasing their network of Americans (core indicator)

▪ E3.0.04: Percent of foreign participants who report increasing their network of third country nationals

▪ E3.0.07: Percent of participants who identify as a Department of State program participant (core indicator) o Sub-Objective 3.1: Alumni subscribe to platforms for resources and information-sharing

▪ E3.1.02: Percent of participants who learned about new resources

▪ E3.1.05: Percent of participants who are connected to ECA through a U.S.

Department of State-managed platform

• 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)

• 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 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 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-evaluation-division/capacity-building https://eca.state.gov/about-bureau https://eca.state.gov/about-bureau 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 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 https://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/eca_eval_division_survey_response_rates.pdf

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 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.