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

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) FY2026 Community College Administrator Program

Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0017811 Application Deadline: April 20, 2026

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

A. Basic Information

1. Overview.

Funding Opportunity Title FY26 Community College Administrator

Program Funding Opportunity Number

DFOP0017811

Announcement Type New Cooperative Agreement Deadline for Applications April 20, 2026, 11:59pm Eastern (Washington

DC time)

Assistance Listing Number 19.408

Length of Performance Period

36 months

Number of Awards Anticipated

One

Award Amount $550,000, pending the availability of funds

Total Available Funding $550,000, pending availability of funds

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

Funding Instrument Type Cooperative Agreement

Anticipated Award Date June 15, 2026

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

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

2. Executive Summary.

The Community College Administrator Program’s (CCAP) goal is to advance U.S.

global leadership in vocational-technical education, support systemic education policy change in priority countries, and foster strategic partnerships that advance U.S. interests in trade and commerce. By showcasing America’s specialized approach to vocational-technical education, CCAP will help reduce reliance on foreign aid and cultivate trade and business relationships that strengthen U.S.

supply chains and economic interests. CCAP will introduce approximately 20 foreign higher education officials and senior administrators to the U.S. community college model through a maximum six-week program, to be implemented approximately between October 2026 and June 2027. The program consists of a virtual exchange and up to four weeks of in-person programming in the United States, featuring site visits, industry engagement, and a one-week executive dialogue. Cohorts include government or high-level officials with higher education planning responsibilities and senior administrators from post-secondary vocational and technical institutions, selected from one or more countries. The program will examine the key tenets of community college administration and cutting-edge programs at U.S. community colleges that address local educational and labor market needs. In support of U.S.

foreign policy, the program will build participant higher education policy knowledge regarding community college administration in key areas including, but not limited to, developing talent pipelines, curriculum development, program assessment, finance and fundraising, and private sector partnerships. The successful applicant will provide responsive and flexible programming and exhibit an ability to tailor activities to U.S. priorities for vocational-technical education that leads to measurable positive policy change. ECA, in consultation with regional bureaus, U.S.

embassies, and Fulbright commissions, will finalize the structure of the program which will be tailored to foreign policy priorities and focus on strategic sectors appropriate to meet program goals and objectives.

B. Eligibility

1. Eligible Applicants.

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

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

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

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

2. Cost Sharing.

There is no minimum or maximum percentage of cost sharing required for this program. Organizations should maximize cost-efficient models while ensuring appropriate staffing to maintain participant health and safety as well as appropriate financial and administrative standards.

3. Other Eligibility Requirements.

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

b. ECA’s Grant Guidelines require that organizations demonstrate at least four years of experience in conducting international exchanges to be eligible for awards exceeding $130,000 in ECA funding. As noted in Section A. Basic Information, ECA anticipates issuing one award, for approximately $550,000.

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

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

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

e. Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant. Please note: Applicant organizations are defined by their legal name, and EIN number as stated on their completed SF-424 and additional supporting documentation outlined in the PSI document.

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

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

C. Program Description

1. Authority.

Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the Act is "to enable the Government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries...; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United States and other nations...and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic and peaceful relations between the United States and the other countries of the world."

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

2. Purpose.

CCAP will examine the key tenets of community college administration and cutting-edge programs at U.S. community colleges that address local educational and labor market needs. The program fosters a global network between and among U.S. and foreign administrators in vocational-technical education, building connections to support U.S. competitiveness. CCAP introduces foreign higher education leaders to the key tenets of U.S. community college administration and innovative approaches to addressing labor market demands. Participants apply these practices in their home countries, expanding American influence and supporting U.S. competitiveness in critical fields with priority economic partners.

3. Program Specific Guidelines.

CCAP will introduce approximately 20 foreign higher education leaders to the U.S.

community college model through a maximum six-week program. The program includes a virtual exchange and up to four weeks of in-person programming in the United States, to include a one-week executive dialogue. Each CCAP cohort should include approximately five government or other high-level officials with higher education planning responsibilities and approximately 15 senior administrators from post-secondary vocational-technical institutions. Cohorts will consist of participants from one or more countries selected by the U.S. Department of State.

The successful proposal should emphasize how the applicant will incorporate specific knowledge of both the United States and a participating country’s educational system, labor market demands, and current initiatives in vocational-technical education in order to tailor the program’s curriculum and activities to best provide participants with tools to implement positive policy change.

Pre-Program Planning and Preparation: The proposal should include a plan describing how the applicant will successfully acquire the necessary expertise in the selected country’s vocational-technical educational system to successfully tailor the program’s curriculum for maximum impact. During this phase of the program, the implementing partner will communicate with Public Diplomacy Sections of U.S.

embassies and/or with Fulbright commissions to determine the institutions and regions in the selected country or countries that will be targeted by the program recruitment. Programmatic focus areas that advance U.S. opportunities for U.S.

business and trade should be prioritized. If necessary, an exploration and planning trip in the selected country or countries can be included but it is not required.

Virtual Engagement: Senior administrators will engage in a pre-departure virtual academic symposium designed to build foundational knowledge prior to the in-person exchange. Virtual sessions will focus on vocational-technical education management and the U.S. community college model as a cost-effective mechanism for meeting local labor market demands. The symposium will include both synchronous and asynchronous sessions that could be delivered all at once or in set increments prior to the start of the program. The government/high-level officials would join only for the executive dialogue but have access to all virtual components and other program resources.

In-Person Programming:

The in-person programming will take place between October 2026 and June 2027.

• Seminar: Senior administrators will attend a two to four-week academic seminar featuring site visits to U.S. community colleges, industry engagement, and development of concrete project plans. The project plans will give participants the opportunity to adapt lessons learned into implementable plans that are relevant to their home institution’s context. The seminar’s content should be tailored to the specific needs of the participants and reflect American interests in education and trade.

• Executive Dialogue: Both senior administrators and government/high-level officials will participate simultaneously in a one-week intensive session focused on the development of vocational-technical education policies that address current and emerging labor market demands. The sessions should include strategies for effective partnership between government, industry, and higher education to develop pipelines of trained talent that support U.S.

commercial diplomacy. The successful applicant will demonstrate a commitment to including high-level participation from its U.S. institutions as well as other relevant community college and industry experts.

Long-term policy change is best accomplished by ensuring that participants have a robust engagement with high-level American administrators during the Executive Dialogue. It is crucial that the participants are connected with well-established vocational-technical administrators and experts in the United States to discuss complex administration and policy objectives relevant to in-country demands and challenges.

Follow-on Activities: Proposals should describe how long-term links with alumni will be fostered and maintained among the cohort. Alumni implement concrete project plans that advance vocational-technical education and workforce readiness strategies that align with U.S. interests. Activities should include opportunities for alumni to present on these projects and continue engagement amongst each other and U.S. institutions. Successful applicants will describe activities that also leverage active involvement of Posts in cultivating ongoing relationships with the U.S.

Chamber of Commerce, industry representatives, and other key stakeholders that promote U.S. trade and business.

4. Recipient Responsibilities.

The responsibilities of the recipient organization for CCAP are as follows:

A. Program Planning and Logistics

• Design a plan to research the post-secondary vocational-technical education system, employability needs, and higher education priorities in participants’ country or countries, including how these factors relate to American interests in trade and education.

• Customize the design and contents of the virtual academic symposium, the two to four-week academic seminar, and the executive dialogue based on the country research.

• Design and facilitate a two to four-week in-person seminar that includes at least 30 hours of programming per week and addresses different topics related to community college administration.

• Develop a week-long executive dialogue for approximately 20 participants, including approximately five foreign government/high-level officials and approximately 15 senior higher education administrators.

• Propose a program structure that allows participants to design projects informed by their U.S. exchange that are responsive to in-country policy or institutional needs that will be presented at the end of the program.

• Issue DS-2019 forms at least 60 days before departure to the U.S. and manage and monitor the J-1 visa status and SEVIS status of the participants.

• Arrange round-trip travel for the participants from their home cities to their U.S. host institution and arrange for housing in the United States.

• Enroll participants in ECA’s Accident and Sickness Program for Exchanges (ASPE) health benefits plan or other health insurance that meets or exceeds the J-1 visa requirements and assists participants with accessing necessary health care and assist with claims as necessary.

• Manage financial aspects of the program including participant maintenance allowances, housing expenses, accident and sickness benefits, any sub-recipient agreements, and other activity costs.

• Develop a plan for sustained professional mentoring opportunities prior, during, and post-program to support participants in implementing their plans for institutional change (may include virtual platforms).

• Be responsible for the ongoing management and administrative oversight of participating U.S. colleges/universities, and the coordination with U.S.

embassies, Fulbright commissions, and ECA.

• Develop pre-departure orientation materials and ensure that the U.S.

embassy and/or Fulbright commission receives them for distribution to the participants, approximately two months prior to the start of the program.

• Coordinate with ECA regarding alumni management tracking and reporting.

Adhere to U.S. Department of State and ECA branding and communication guidelines.

B. Virtual Programming

• Design a virtual academic symposium that will give participants an overview of the vocational-technical education system in the United States and initial opportunities for cultivating trade and business relationships that strengthen U.S. supply chains and economic interests.

• Ensure participants receive foundational academic content related to U.S.

educational systems, business, and policy that allows them to maximize their in-person program.

• Explain how technologies and/or other flexibilities may be used to pivot the in-person program into a virtual format, if needed.

C. Participant and Program Monitoring and Reporting

• Prepare a pre-program survey instrument to identify participants’ interests related to community college administration. Provide survey results to ECA program officer. Use this feedback to shape the proposed programming for the cohort.

• Explain how technologies and/or other flexibilities may be used to pivot the in-person program into a virtual format, if needed.

• Assess participants’ learning during the program and adjust as needed to maximize participants’ understanding of relevant aspects of U.S. community college administration.

• Monitor participants’ adjustment and engagement with the program; consult with ECA’s program officer regarding any participant-related issues and emergencies.

• Assess the participants’ institution-specific projects presented at the end of the program and provide updates to ECA about changes alumni have implemented as a result of their participation in the program.

• Report any physical or mental health emergencies to the ECA’s program officer and ASPE Coordinator within 24 hours.

• Report programmatic, financial, and statistical information to ECA’s program and grants officers.

• Assume overall responsibility for complying with all applicable tax treaties and federal, state, and local laws on tax withholding and reporting for participants.

5. Goals and Objectives.

1. Strengthen a U.S. Aligned Global Workforce: Equip foreign administrators and policymakers to implement vocational-technical education policies that align with U.S. interests.

2. Promote American Leadership: Showcase the U.S. community college model as a global leader in vocational-technical education and workforce readiness.

3. Advance U.S. Foreign Policy Goals: Use education and exchange to reinforce American standards for business, education, industry and trade, countering PRC and other malign influence.

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

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

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

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

• Demographic Questions as outlined in the Indicator Book on page v and

Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) (See the MODE Resource Guide – https://www.state.gov/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/ https://app.box.com/s/qjo8icwj46tc8h1i1qtg80zl7ibwgtua – found on our website https://www.state.gov/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/)

• Objective 1: Advance participant and beneficiary cross-cultural competence and global perspective o Sub-Objective 1.1: Promote cultural exchanges and enhance understanding between participants and their host communities E1.1.01: Percent of participants reporting that their program experience offered opportunities to engage with other cultures E1.1.04: Percent of foreign participants with more favorable opinions of the United States Government (core indicator) E1.1.09: Percent of participants who traveled abroad for the first time because of their program (core indicator) E1.1.10: Percent of foreign participants who traveled to the United States for the first time during their program (core indicator) E1.1.13: Percent of foreign participants who are more likely to recommend the United States as a good place to study E1.1.17: Percent of foreign participants with more favorable opinions of the American people (core indicator) E1.1.18: Percent of foreign participants indicating an increase in understanding of United States culture and values (core indicator) E1.1.19: Percent of foreign participants agreeing with statements in support of democratic values (core indicator)

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

• Objective 3: Strengthen engagement among participants, alumni, beneficiaries, and institutions E3.0.02: Percent of foreign participants who report increasing their network of Americans (core indicator) E3.0.07: Percent of participants who identify as a Department of State program participant (core indicator) 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 https://app.box.com/s/qjo8icwj46tc8h1i1qtg80zl7ibwgtua

• 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;

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

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

• Indicators. Performance indicators are measures used to gauge progress toward programmatic objectives and sub-objectives. Indicators should be as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBHC1oLNZvI specific as possible (following the SMART principles) and include any proposed disaggregations (meaning, breakdowns of the data by subgroups; the PMP lists the demographic questions required to obtain the information necessary to report the disaggregations). Each indicator should also include a target number to be achieved. A target is a planned level of result to be achieved within an explicit timeframe.

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

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

• During the period of performance of the award, the ECA program office may further revise, add, or remove indicators. Therefore, the applicant’s PMP and data collection instruments should be flexible enough to incorporate those once established.

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

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

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

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

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

• A brief explanation of data analysis and reporting procedures.

• An overview of a proposed learning plan and feedback loops to ensure that the

Grant Officer (GO)/Grant Officer Representative (GOR) are informed on performance monitoring issues at regular intervals.

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

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

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

MyGrants RPM Reporting Requirements MyGrants is a database solution that serves as the official system of record for all U.S. Department of State and ECA awards. The Results Performance Monitoring (RPM) module within MyGrants is an extension module that enables users to report performance monitoring data in the same system where they currently manage federal assistance actions. As part of ECA’s efforts to streamline data collection and management, the recipient(s) of this award will be required to input performance reporting data outlined in this solicitation into the MyGrants RPM. The data stored in the MyGrants RPM will provide ECA with a bureau-wide, uniform M&E reporting https://app.box.com/s/pn6tavyg7sh064i502fzap49ox63y38a https://app.box.com/s/jjr98hmx6deorxj3lwgaxjrwdfec2r91 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jus4fRqOTcM tool that is already linked with other elements of the awards familiar to existing awardees.

7. Allowable Costs.

Allowable costs for the program include the following:

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

• Tuition or instructional fees, if necessary.

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

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

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

• Honoraria for outside speakers, if necessary.

• Ground transportation.

• Advising and monitoring of participants.

• Interpretation and/or translation services.

• Costs of academic and cultural support and enrichment activities.

• Program Performance Monitoring and Evaluation.

• Withholding of taxes, as necessary.

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

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

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

• Office supplies.

• Printing and duplication costs.

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

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

• Other direct costs.

• Indirect costs.

8. Cost Share.

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

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

9. Freedom and Democracy Guidelines.

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

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

10. Virtual Exchange Component.

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

In addition to planning for virtual exchange activities if in-person programming is prohibited, ECA welcomes innovative ideas on how organizations can leverage virtual programming technologies as stated above in section C. Program

Description.

11. Communications Guidance for ECA Recipients.

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

12. Substantial Involvement.

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

• Liaison with U.S. embassies to develop program and participant recruitment

• Recruitment, selection, and notification of program participants as approved by ECA.

• Approval of program print and online materials and highlight stories prior to publication or completion.

a. Approval of social media platforms and content.

b. Approval of overall program timeline and implementation plan.

D. Application Contents and Format Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or submitting proposals.

Applicants must follow all instructions in the Solicitation Package, including the Proposal Submission Instruction (PSI) document, which contains guidelines for proposal preparation.

1. Budget Format.

Applicants must submit a budget (SF-424A), detailed line-item budget, and a budget narrative.

Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification.

2. Content of Application.

Please see the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) for information about the application and formatting guidelines.

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

E. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

1. Address to Request Application Package.

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

2. Department of State Contacts For questions about this announcement, contact: Mary Johnson, U.S. Department of State, Office of Academic Exchange Programs, ECA/A/E, 202-975-3066, JohnsonMM4@state.gov.

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

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

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

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

(SAM.gov).

Required Registrations All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM.gov.

A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. An applicant must maintain an active registration while it has a proposal under review by the Department and must continue to keep the registration active for the entire duration of the period of performance of any Federal award that results from this

NOFO.

https://www.grants.gov/

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

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

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

All federal award recipients must maintain a current registration in the SAM database. Recipients must maintain accurate and up-to-date information in www.SAM.gov until all program and financial activity and reporting 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://sam.gov/content/entity-registration

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

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

4. Required Registration with MyGrants.

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

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

Recipient organizations and recipient contacts and signatories that have previously http://www.sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-A/section-25.110 https://mygrants.servicenowservices.com/ used MyGrants as a U.S. Department of State award recipient do not need to register again. If the organization is not able to access the system, please contact the ILMS Help Desk for help in gaining access.

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

5. Submission Instructions.

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

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

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

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

Organization applicants can find complete instructions here:

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

How to Submit an Application to ECA via Grants.gov https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

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

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

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

Email: support@grants.gov

6. Submission Dates and Times.

Application Deadline Date Monday, April 20, 2026, 11:59pm Eastern (Washington DC time)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. Funding Restrictions for this Announcement.

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

(UNRWA)

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

Agency (UNRWA).

b. Prohibition on Funding Activities that Encourage Mass-Migration Caravans towards the United States Southwest Border.

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

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

c. Certification Regarding Compliance with Applicable Federal Anti- Discrimination Laws

If the place of performance or delivery of any award made under this NOFO will be within the United States, applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award:

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

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

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

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

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

• Its compliance in all respects with section 1011f of title 20, United States Code, and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements is material for purposes of section 3729 of title 31, United States Code, and for receipt of appropriate Federal grant funds.

e. Certification of Trafficking in Persons Compliance and Compliance Plan

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

• To the best of the recipient’s knowledge, neither the recipient, nor any subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor of the recipient or any agent of the recipient or of such a subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor, is engaged in any of the activities described in 2 CFR 175(a);

The recipient has implemented a Trafficking in Persons compliance plan to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175(a) and is compliant with it; and compliance plan must be consistent with the requirements of 2 CFR 175(b)(4) and (5).

• That the recipient has procedures to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175(a) and to monitor, detect, and terminate any subrecipient, contractor, subcontractor, or employee of the recipient engaging in them.

Recipients do not need to submit a copy of the plan. However, they must provide it to the Grants Officer upon request, and as appropriate, must post the useful and relevant contents of the plan or related materials on their website and at the workplace. Recipients must re-certify on an annual basis for the entire award period of performance.

f. Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems Manufactured or Assembled by American Security Drone Act-Covered Foreign Entities

(a) Definitions.

American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity means an entity included on a list developed and maintained by the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) and published in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-175 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-175 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-175 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-175 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-175 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-175 https://www.sam.gov/

FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft system manufactured or…