FY26 NOFO_U.S. LEADS.pdf

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

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) FY 2026 U.S. Leadership in Education, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Skills (U.S. LEADS) Program Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0017930

Application Deadline: May 18, 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 FY 2026 U.S. Leadership in Education, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Skills (U.S. LEADS) Program

Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0017930 Announcement Type New Cooperative Agreement Deadline for Applications May 18, 2026, 11:59pm Eastern (Washington

DC time) Assistance Listing Number 19.408

Length of Performance Period 18 to 36 months Number of Awards Anticipated One award Award Amount approximately $2,500,000 Total Available Funding $2,500,000 Type of Funding FY 2026 Educational and Cultural Exchange

(ECE) Program Funds Funding Instrument Type Cooperative Agreement Anticipated Award Date July 1, 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 United States Leadership in Education, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Skills (U.S. LEADS) Program celebrates America's 250th anniversary by showcasing U.S. leadership from the Industrial Revolution to the Digital Revolution, focusing on revitalizing manufacturing, advancing AI, and strengthening supply chains. This Freedom 250 initiative will spark collaboration between U.S. community colleges, international vocational leaders, and U.S. industry partners to address emerging labor market demands that advance U.S. interests and drive economic development. The program will launch with a summit in Washington, D.C. to highlight America’s industrial heritage, current leadership in manufacturing and AI, and the role of U.S. community colleges in preparing the workforce of tomorrow.

The program will also include a U.S. exchange for approximately 100 higher education officials, commerce leaders, and policymakers from countries strategically important to U.S. industry. The group should be divided into four cohorts comprised of approximately 25 representatives from approximately 3-4 countries, determined based on U.S. foreign policy priorities in consultation with ECA, U.S.

embassies, and regional bureau input. These two-week regional programs will take place in approximately four U.S. cities with strong higher education-industry partnerships. Through site visits, hands-on learning, and industry engagement, international participants will gain knowledge of U.S. best practices in manufacturing and technology training, enabling them to adopt similar approaches and establish partnerships that advantage U.S. companies. The summit should occur between

December 2026 and March 2027 and be followed immediately by the in-person regional exchanges. The successful applicant will provide responsive and flexible programming with activities tailored to U.S. priorities for vocational-technical education and commercial diplomacy that will lead to measurable positive policy change.

B. Eligibility

1. Eligible Applicants.

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

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

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

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

2. Cost Sharing.

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

3. Other Eligibility Requirements.

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

b. ECA’s Grant Guidelines require that organizations demonstrate at least four years of experience in conducting international exchanges to be eligible for awards exceeding $130,000 in ECA funding. As noted in Section A. Basic Information, ECA anticipates issuing one award, for approximately $2,500,000.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

C. Program Description

1. Authority.

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

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

2. Purpose.

U.S. LEADS advances U.S. foreign policy and national interests by strengthening international partnerships with countries strategically important to U.S. industry and supply chains. This Freedom 250 initiative will showcase U.S. innovation and the unique role of community colleges in preparing the 21st-century workforce. The program will share U.S. best practices with key international policymakers focused on vocational-technical education, paving the way for future U.S. trade and investment. The program will also facilitate partnerships that advantage U.S.

companies and enhance global competitiveness while building networks between U.S. community colleges, international educational institutions, and industry partners.

3. Program Specific Guidelines.

U.S. LEADS is a comprehensive international exchange program that will engage approximately 100 participants from countries strategically important to U.S.

industry and supply chains. The program consists of two integrated components: (1) a Washington, D.C. summit highlighting America's industrial heritage and current leadership in workforce innovation, and (2) regional exchange programs in four U.S.

cities showcasing exemplary community college-industry partnerships in advanced manufacturing, AI, and digital skills training. Cohorts will be comprised of approximately 25 participants each. The program should also include capacity-building opportunities for U.S. community colleges designed to further strengthen industry connections and opportunities for global partnership that strengthen U.S.

competitiveness.

The program provides participants with practical skills to address emerging labor market demands through immersive experiences in U.S. regions with strong industry-education partnerships. Participants gain direct access to U.S. industry leaders and higher education institutions, creating partnership opportunities with U.S. companies and community colleges that can facilitate U.S. job creation and competitiveness in a global economy. The program expands market access for U.S.

companies by aligning emerging economies to U.S. industry and educational standards.

A. Pre-Program Planning and Preparation:

• The proposal should include a plan describing how the applicant will identify participating U.S. cities and community colleges for the exchange, demonstrating existing partnerships between U.S. higher education institutions and industry, prioritizing vocational-technical skill building. The applicant should identify host cities that have capacity for continued growth in advanced manufacturing, AI, and other priority fields and where increased global engagement could lead to U.S. job creation and competitiveness.

• The applicant should consult the Freedom250.org website, America’s AI Action Plan, the U.S. National Security Strategy, State Department Agency Strategic Plan, and other public documents that highlight current administration priorities.

• The applicant should also outline a plan to successfully acquire the necessary expertise in the participating countries’ labor market demands and opportunities for partnership with U.S. industry. During this phase of the program, ECA will communicate with Public Affairs Sections of U.S. embassies and/or with Fulbright commissions to determine the institutions and regions in the selected countries that will be targeted by the program recruitment and provide all necessary information to the applicant.

• The applicant should develop standardized recruitment/nomination forms to be utilized by U.S. embassies and/or commissions and outline a clear selection process. International participants should be senior foreign officials who have policy-level responsibility related to vocational-technical education, curriculum development and credentialing, workforce readiness, and/or trade and commerce.

B. In-Person Programming:

• The in-person programming, including alumni engagement, should take place between December 2026 and August 2028.

Washington, D.C. Summit

In collaboration with ECA, the award recipient will develop a robust schedule for the D.C. summit that will serve as both the foundation of the participants’ experience and the launch pad for the cohort regional travel. The summit should take place over the course of approximately two days and serve as the official program welcome. The overarching theme should focus on Freedom 250 and an overview of America's industrial evolution from the Industrial Revolution to the Digital Revolution. The summit will include the approximately 100 international participants, and 50 senior officials from participating U.S. community colleges, and U.S. industry and government representatives. Activities for the summit will include policy briefings, panel discussions, and networking events that reinforce key themes including U.S. leadership in advanced manufacturing and AI, the U.S.

community college model and America’s unique approach to emerging labor market demands and building effective education-industry partnerships.

Additional workshop and seminar sessions may include topics such as grants, partnerships, and multi-stakeholder project planning. The applicant should allocate no more than 20 percent of the proposal’s total budget for the summit.

Regional Site Visits

The award recipient must design and implement two-week regional exchange programs following the D.C. Summit, consisting of four cohorts of approximately 25 participants. Programs will take place in U.S. cities with strong historic and strategic importance to American industry and innovation. Selected U.S. cities must demonstrate:

• Exemplary community college workforce training programs in advanced manufacturing, AI, or digital skills

• Existing partnerships between educational institutions and industry

• Strong industry presence (manufacturing facilities, technology companies, innovation centers)

• Facilities willing to host international visitors

Each two-week regional program must include the following components:

Community College Immersion: Tours of training facilities, labs, and classrooms in advanced manufacturing, AI, and digital skills programs; meetings with college presidents, deans, and department chairs; discussions with faculty on curriculum development and industry alignment; meetings with student services staff on recruitment, retention, and job placement; review of assessment and credentialing processes; and discussion of funding models and partnership strategies.

Market Analysis and Partnership Workshops: Sessions with experts in labor market demands and international partnership building that includes relevant content for both U.S. host institutions (community colleges, industry partners) as well as the international participants.

Industry Site Visits: Visits to technology companies utilizing AI and automation;

meetings with corporate executives and human resources leaders; observation of on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs; discussion of industry workforce needs and skills gaps.

Policy and Economic Development Engagement: Meetings with state or local workforce development officials; discussions with chambers of commerce or industry associations.

Action Planning and Reflection: Facilitated sessions for participants to synthesize learning; development of individual action plans for implementing U.S. best practices; identification of potential partnership opportunities with visited institutions.

C. Follow-on Activities

• Proposals should describe how long-term links with alumni will be fostered and maintained among the cohorts. The applicant should describe how it will prepare and/ or support alumni to implement concrete project plans that advance vocational-technical education and industry engagement strategies that align with U.S. interests.

• Activities should include opportunities for alumni to present on these projects and continue engagement with U.S. institutions, industry partners, and each other.

• The follow-on activities should also include virtual or in-person opportunities for U.S. community college leaders and/or workforce experts to further strengthen industry connections and opportunities for global partnership that strengthen U.S. competitiveness.

• If funding allows, the applicant may include reciprocal exchange opportunities for American representatives to travel to participating regions to solidify partnerships and advance opportunities for U.S. industry and educational engagement.

• 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.

• Applicants should allocate no more than 25 percent of the proposal’s total budget for these activities and should plan to complete all follow-on programming within 18 months of the program’s in-person component.

4. Recipient Responsibilities.

A. Program Planning and Logistics

• Design a plan to finalize participating regions, including community colleges and industry partners.

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

• Customize the design and contents of the D.C. summit and regional exchange programs based on the country research.

• Design and facilitate a two week in-person seminar for four cohorts of approximately 25 participants that includes at least 30 hours of programming per week and addresses different topics related to workforce innovation and partnership with the U.S.

• Include program components that directly benefit U.S. communities, higher education institutions, and industry.

• Propose a program structure that allows participants to design projects informed by their U.S. exchange that are responsive to U.S. commercial diplomacy interests and 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 Washington, D.C. and their U.S. host city 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/partners, 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. Participant Recruitment and Selection

• Create comprehensive recruitment materials (program description, application/nomination forms, eligibility criteria).

• Provide resources to U.S. embassies and Fulbright commissions to conduct outreach to relevant ministries, educational institutions, and industry associations.

• Establish clear application requirements and selection criteria.

• Maintain communication with participants throughout recruitment and preparation phases.

C. Washington, D.C. Summit

• Develop comprehensive summit agenda aligned with program objectives and

Freedom 250 themes.

• Recruit and coordinate high-level speakers from U.S. government, industry, and education sectors.

• Organize plenary sessions on U.S. leadership in manufacturing, AI, and workforce development.

• Facilitate panel discussions featuring community college leaders and industry representatives.

• Coordinate structured networking sessions connecting international participants with U.S. stakeholders.

• Secure appropriate venue and meeting spaces for approximately 150 participants.

• Develop and distribute summit materials (programs, briefing books, participant directories).

D. Regional Exchange Program

• Identify four U.S. cities/regions with exemplary community college-industry partnerships in priority sectors.

• Conduct site assessments and feasibility analysis for each region.

• Secure commitments from host community colleges and industry partners.

• Develop detailed two-week itineraries for each region that include community college engagement, industry collaboration and site visits, and policy/economic development meetings.

• Organize participation in training modules or workshops in priority sectors, including interactive sessions on curriculum design, competency-based education, and industry partnerships.

• Create networking opportunities with U.S. counterparts.

• Facilitate sessions for participants to synthesize learning and develop action plans.

• Provide templates and guidance for action plan development

• Support identification of potential partnership opportunities with visited institutions.

E. Participant and Program Monitoring and Reporting

• Prepare a pre-program survey instrument to identify participants’ interests related to workforce innovation and U.S. industry and education partnerships.

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.

• 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.

F. Communications, Outreach, and Branding

• Propose a detailed communications plan that outlines outreach strategies to convey the program’s domestic and international impact and contribution to key foreign policy priorities.

• The plan should address how websites, social media platforms, and print and digital materials will be consolidated and prioritized to support the communications plan. The plan should also specify what resources will be utilized for its full implementation.

• Ensure that all print and electronic materials (online application, websites, digital resources, brochures, press releases, announcements, etc.) developed for and related to the program comply with ECA’s Communications Guidance.

See section C.11.

5. Goals and Objectives.

• Showcase U.S. Leadership and Commemorate Freedom 250: Demonstrate American excellence in workforce innovation by highlighting the unique role of community colleges and their industry partnerships while celebrating America's 250th anniversary and 250 years of leadership in industrial and technological innovation.

• Build U.S. Driven Strategic Partnerships: Establish relationships between U.S.

community colleges, international educational institutions, and industry partners while equipping approximately 100 international higher education officials, commerce leaders, and policymakers with knowledge, tools, and action plans to implement U.S. workforce innovation models in their home countries.

• Advance U.S. Economic Interests and Supply Chain Resilience: Facilitate public-private partnerships and vocational-technical education policies that advantage U.S. companies and enhance global competitiveness while supporting development of skilled workforces in countries strategically important to U.S. industry, manufacturing, and supply chain security.

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/.

https://www.state.gov/eca-monitoring-evaluation-learning-and-innovation-meli-unit/

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

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

• Objective 1: Advance participant and beneficiary cross-cultural competence and global perspective o Sub-Objective 1.1: Promote cultural exchanges and enhance understanding between participants and their host communities E1.1.01: Percent of participants reporting that their program experience offered opportunities to engage with other cultures

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

E1.1.09: Percent of participants who traveled abroad for the first time because of their program (core indicator)

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

E1.1.13: 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 https://app.box.com/s/qjo8icwj46tc8h1i1qtg80zl7ibwgtua 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 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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBHC1oLNZvI not included in the proposal, applicants should provide similar information to that found in the suggested PMP format, in a presentation of your choice. Successful PMPs (or similar documentation) should include the following:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

7. Allowable Costs.

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).

• 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 during or in addition to in-person programming.

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

missions abroad on a project-by-project basis.

11. Communications Guidance for ECA Recipients.

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

12. Celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial.

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

13. Substantial Involvement.

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

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.

• Oversight and approval of final program design and components to ensure alignment with current U.S. foreign policy priorities.

• Engagement with key interagency partners, including U.S. Department of

Commerce, U.S. Department of Labor, and other relevant stakeholders.

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

o Approval of social media platforms and content.

o 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 PSI, which contains guidelines for proposal preparation.

1. Budget Format.

Applicants must submit a budget (SF-424A), detailed line-item budget, and a budget narrative. Applicants may provide separate sub-budgets for each program component, phase, location, or activity to provide clarification. See the PSI section III for more information on the budget requirements.

2. Content of Application.

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

E. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

3. 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/.

https://www.grants.gov/

2. Department of State Contacts.

For questions about this announcement, contact: Matt Sacco, U.S. Department of State, Office of Academic Exchange Programs, ECA/A/E, 202-975- 3074, SaccoMJ@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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Required Registration with MyGrants.

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

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

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

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

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/ https://afsitsm.servicenowservices.com/ilms/

5. Submission Instructions.

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

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

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

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

Organization applicants can find complete instructions here:

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

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

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

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

Email: support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration mailto:support@grants.gov

6. Submission Dates and Times.

Application Deadline Date.

Monday, May 18, 2026, 11:59 p.m. 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.