FY27 Fulbright Teacher Exchange NOFO.pdf

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

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) FY2027 Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program

Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0018211 Application Deadline: June 29, 2026

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

A. Basic Information

1. Overview.

Funding Opportunity Title FY2027 Fulbright Teacher Exchanges Funding Opportunity Number

DFOP0018211

Announcement Type New Cooperative Agreement Deadline for Applications June 29, 2026, 11:59pm Eastern (Washington

DC time) Assistance Listing Number 19.408

Length of Performance Period

56 months; October 2026 – June 2031

Number of Awards Anticipated

1 award

Award Amount Approximately $10,500,000 Total Available Funding $10,500,000, pending availability of funds Type of Funding FY2027 Educational and Cultural Exchange

Programs (ECE) Funds Funding Instrument Type Cooperative Agreement Anticipated Award Date October 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.

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

2. Executive Summary.

The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), U.S. Department of State, announces an open competition for one cooperative agreement to design, implement, and oversee the Office's Fulbright Teacher Exchange Programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2027.

Fulbright Teacher Exchanges advance American competitiveness by engaging K-12 educators in international exchanges that allow them to learn cutting-edge educational practices and develop innovative programs that prepare their students for careers that support U.S. economic and security interests at home and abroad.

For more than 80 years, Fulbright Teacher Exchanges have offered opportunities for American K-12 educators to demonstrate U.S. prominence and expertise to peers abroad in areas including the arts, humanities, STEM and technology. Furthermore, U.S. Fulbright Teacher Exchanges advance American interests by providing upskilling to American teachers to increase K-12 expertise in technology, especially AI and the critical minerals industry, and to prepare their students for careers in fields critical to U.S. security and prosperity. Programming supports American teachers to expand STEM coursework in fields such as earth science, data analysis, and geology to meet the need for student specialization in critical minerals and rare earths in the U.S. market. The program also integrates a wide range of fields that advance the Administration’s America First priorities and related Executive Orders, including expanding career readiness programs, promoting digital freedom, and increasing K- 12 expertise in technology education, especially the use of American-designed AI.

Through Foreign Fulbright Teacher Exchanges, U.S. university schools of education showcase American leadership in education and educational technology to visiting teachers who return home with enhanced pedagogy, leadership skills, and technology training. Foreign teachers expand the use of American-designed AI and other U.S. technology in the global market, promoting digital freedoms and developing leaders who value America as their partner of choice. Fulbright Teachers’ participation in these programs has a powerful multiplier effect, influencing millions of students around the world over the course of their careers.

Fulbright Teacher Exchanges comprise a suite of shorter and longer-term program models to accommodate the schedules of U.S. and international educators. The Presidentially appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FFSB) is responsible for the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program and establishes policies and procedures that govern the Fulbright program, including overall policy guidelines and selection criteria. The FFSB is responsible for the final selection of all Fulbright candidates. Organizations must ensure compliance with all FFSB policies and procedures and fully and properly identify this program as both a Fulbright Program and a U.S. Department of State Program in all communications.

ECA reserves the right to fully fund, partially fund, or not to fund a given program component, and to adjust or request new program models if foreign policy priorities change. The amounts listed for each component are provided below to enable applicant organizations to prepare budgets for planning purposes only and are subject to change, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds.

The Bureau estimates total funding for costs of this program to be approximately $10,500,000, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds. The applicant must demonstrate flexibility and be prepared to engage with countries from all world regions, depending on Administration priorities and the availability of funds.

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

Applicant organizations must be based in the United States.

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 $10,500,000. 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. Applicants should submit one budget that clearly details the costs per program component.

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 awards 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.

The Fulbright Teacher Exchanges advance American competitiveness by providing world class professional development to K-12 educators through international exchanges that allow them to learn cutting-edge educational practices and develop innovative educational programs to improve the outcomes of their students.

Through Fulbright programs, teachers prepare their students for success in fields essential to U.S. national security and economic prosperity.

U.S. Fulbright Teachers travel abroad to help maintain American prominence in critical fields such as math, science, history, engineering, and AI technology.

Fulbright programs help teachers prepare thousands of U.S. students with career skills in an increasingly competitive global environment.

International Fulbright Teachers travel to the United States for professional development exchanges, which develop influential leaders who value America as their preferred partner over malign influencers; pave the way for the opening of new markets for American businesses abroad; strengthen positive relations between our peoples; and foster economic development and regional stability, all while improving education outcomes for their students.

3. Program Specific Guidelines.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity reinforces the Bureau's engagement with domestic and international primary and secondary school educators and seeks interested applicant organizations to administer exchange programming for these audiences. Detailed descriptions of the program components are provided in the Recipient Responsibilities and Program Models sections below.

Programs are open to teachers and administrators in public, charter, religious, and private schools.

4. Recipient Responsibilities.

Under the terms of the Cooperative Agreement, the recipient’s responsibilities for administering the FY 2027 Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program include the following components:

For U.S. Educators:

• Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program

• Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program

• Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program

For International Educators:

• Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program

• Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers

Alumni, Outreach, and Multiplier Activities for U.S. and International Educators:

• Resource sharing among fellows, alumni, and the broader teacher community worldwide

• In-person and virtual outreach, seminars, and workshops, including collaboration on ECA-initiated events such as the Global Teaching Dialogue (https://www.fulbrightteacherexchanges.org/global-teaching-dialogue/)

• Online courses, webinars, resource libraries, and toolkits

• Virtual exchanges among teachers and/or their classrooms

• Alumni programming including small grants

• Additional related enhancement activities

• Alumni and award recipient participation in education conferences to recruit for the program and showcase American prominence in education

Under the FY 2027 cooperative agreement, the award recipient will manage:

a. the recruitment, selection, placement, and program implementation for academic year 2027-2028; (Recruitment should commence in winter 2026).

b. the recruitment and selection process for academic year 2028-2029.

(Recruitment should commence in fall 2027).

Aside from the program models listed above and described in more detail below, applicant organizations may propose other creative program models for consideration. Such models may include opportunities for U.S. educators to pursue projects at post abroad that support mission priorities, demonstrate U.S. innovation and expertise, and exchange pedagogical best practices.

The program components are described in greater detail below. For each program component, the responsibilities of the recipient organization are outlined below.

This is not an exhaustive list.

a. Outreach, recruitment, and screening of applicants using virtual and in-person engagement;

b. Administration of, in close consultation with ECA, a distinct website for the Fulbright Teacher Exchange programs;

c. SEVIS duties and preparation of DS-2019 forms with a G Program Number under the Bureau's responsibility on behalf of the Teacher Exchange Branch’s program models for international teachers:

Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement and Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching, and any other international participants;

https://www.fulbrightteacherexchanges.org/global-teaching-dialogue/

d. Leading of orientation programs, professional in-service meetings, de-briefings, and events;

e. Training and orientation of U.S. educators and institutions that will work with the international teachers and providing resources for host institutions and advisors working with U.S. teachers and educators abroad;

f. Placement, monitoring, supervision, and support of participants;

g. Enrollment of participants in ECA’s Accident and Sickness Program for

Exchanges (ASPE) healthcare coverage plan, or other plans meeting J-1 visa regulations as approved by ECA, and assist participants with accessing necessary health care and filing claims, as necessary;

h. Administering sub-award competitions as necessary;

i. Fiscal management and program reporting;

j. Compliance with FFSB and other relevant State Department guidelines;

k. Alumni initiatives and follow-on activities;

l. Program monitoring and evaluation; and

m. Foreign policy familiarity, as described below.

Foreign Policy Priorities:

• Have a general awareness of U.S. foreign policy priorities throughout the award period by consulting authoritative resources—including Executive Orders, the current National Security Strategy, Department of State policy statements, and other official U.S. government guidance—in addition to direction provided by

ECA

• In consultation with ECA, incorporate content supporting U.S. foreign policy priorities across all Fellowship components, including alumni programming

• Highlight programmatic, participant, and alumni impacts that show how Fulbright Teachers promote American excellence, advance U.S. strategic interests, and build a stronger, more prosperous world, and

• Incorporate policy highlights and reporting into programmatic outreach content and overall reporting and programming communications.

Proposals should include schedules and timelines for notifying ECA, overseas partners, potential applicants, and participants about recruitment cycles, placements, travel arrangements, and cross-cultural and program information in a timely manner. Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations and FFSB regulations. Fulbright Teacher exchange participants in the United States and abroad should be identified through open, merit-based competitions.

Proposals should reflect a vision for the overall suite of programs and individual components, interpreting the goals of the Fulbright-Hays Act and Fulbright Teacher Exchange Programs with creativity and providing innovative ideas and recommendations.

A.4.i Program Models

The Bureau offers different program models for Fulbright Teacher Exchanges, as described below, in an effort to meet the professional development needs of a variety of educators.

U.S. Participants, Total Estimated Budget $4,250,000

• Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program, approximately 120 participants, budget approximately $2,800,000

• Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program for U.S. school administrators, approximately 20 participants, budget approximately $350,000

• Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program, approximately 15 participants, budget approximately $1,100,000

International Participants, Total Estimated Budget $6,000,000

• Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program, approximately 120 participants, budget approximately $4,400,000

• Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers, approximately 35 teachers, budget approximately $1,600,000

Alumni, Outreach, and Multiplier Activities for U.S. and International Educators, Total Estimated Budget $250,000

Applicant organizations’ proposals should also include creative, cost-effective ways to engage teacher and administrator prospects, participants, alumni, and other interested educators and to amplify the reach and impact of Fulbright Teacher Exchanges.

In addition to the duties described above, the award recipient should be prepared to administer the program-specific elements listed below for each program component. Please note that the exact timing of program activity may shift from that anticipated in this solicitation and will depend on the ability of host institutions to receive participants, the capacity of international partners to recruit and nominate candidates, the staffing at the implementing partner organization, the availability of funding, and potential disruptions in scheduled programming.

For all program models, ECA reserves the right to add or remove countries and regions, depending on Bureau and Mission priorities.

For U.S. Educators

For planning purposes, the combined budget of the four programs under this component is approximately $4,250,000, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds.

a) Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms Program

The Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms program is a yearlong Fulbright Teacher Exchange for U.S. participants. It begins with a rigorous online course, during which participants explore key topics such as developing globally competitive skills, teaching about American diplomacy, and using technology and AI in the classroom. Then participants travel abroad in groups for two weeks in the spring and summer. While abroad, they are hosted in local communities and schools by teachers who are alumni of Fulbright Teacher Exchanges.

The program should support approximately 120 U.S. teachers traveling in groups of around 12 – 20 participants to approximately eight participating countries in spring or summer for a study visit of approximately 15 days. The timing of the groups’ international travel is subject to change. Participating countries will be selected in consultation with the program office and appropriate U.S. Department of State offices. Recent host countries and jurisdictions have included India, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Romania, Senegal, Taiwan, and Uruguay. Please budget approximately $2,800,000 for this program, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds.

In addition to the items noted in Section I above, proposal narratives should describe how the recipient organization plans to:

1. Facilitate an instructor-led semester-long online course, which includes synchronous and asynchronous content.

2. Host pre-departure webinars for U.S. teachers to prepare them for travel to their assigned destination.

3. Collaborate with the Fulbright Commission and/or identify and hire a local consultant in each host country to help develop, coordinate, and monitor the program in that country on behalf of the award recipient in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy as appropriate.

4. Work with the Teacher Exchange branch to develop a pre-departure orientation and an in-person symposium in Washington D.C. for the teachers and an administrator from their school or district. Teachers will reflect on their online coursework and upcoming international travel, and administrators will learn more about supporting teacher leaders and spearheading whole-of-school efforts to share global learning opportunities with their schools and districts. The symposium should not exceed 2.5 days of programming. If in-person gatherings are not advisable, the cooperating agency may propose a virtual pre-departure symposium.

5. Work with posts, commissions, and a host-country consultant to design a 15-day professional development program for U.S. teachers in the participating countries. The program should include meeting with representatives of the Fulbright Commission or U.S. embassy, briefings with the host government and educational organizations, as appropriate, visits to schools, interactions with educators and students, and local cultural enhancement activities.

b) Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program

This program will send approximately 20 U.S. school and/or district administrators to showcase U.S. prominence and expertise to peers abroad in areas such as school leadership, AI learning, apprenticeship programs, and career readiness. Education leaders will visit countries with exemplary schools or education systems. The program leverages the significant impact education leaders have in internationalizing their schools and implementing innovations from high-performing schools and systems. Please budget approximately $350,000 for this program, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds.

The proposal narrative should describe how the recipient organization will recruit outstanding leaders from around the country and work with ECA and the U.S.

embassy or Fulbright Commission to plan two ten-day seminars for education leaders in two different countries. Programs should include opportunities to shadow peers in the host location, briefings from local and national education ministries, and visits to teacher training institutions and a variety of schools, including career and technical education institutions. The visits may be scheduled to coincide with conferences and other education-specific events to maximize the interactions with colleagues in the host location. Participants may be invited to present at conferences or at other events to share their expertise.

In addition, the proposal narrative should describe a reciprocal portion of this program component that would allow international administrator counterparts to engage with U.S. alumni and administrators at sponsored conferences, for short exchanges or other activities to build on the exchanges of U.S. administrators.

Please budget approximately $50,000 (of the $350,000 total) for this element, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds.

c) Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for U.S. Teachers

Approximately 20 U.S. Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program participants will take part in a three- to six-month program to explore a pedagogical topic relevant to their instructional context such as humanities, the arts, STEM, or technology. ECA will select participating countries, and the program will be coordinated with Fulbright Commissions, Public Affairs Sections of U.S. embassies, and/or ministries of education in the participating countries. In most cases, participants will travel between September and the following July, although specific dates will be determined in consultation with the U.S. embassy or Fulbright Commission in the host country and the participant’s ability to secure leave. Please budget approximately $1,100,000 for this program, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds.

In addition to the items noted in the Recipient Responsibilities section above, proposal narratives should describe how the award recipient plans to:

1. Provide, in coordination with ECA, dossiers of U.S. finalists to partner organizations overseas for placement in appropriate universities, colleges of education, research centers, or educational non-profit organizations to facilitate individual study;

2. Support teachers before and during their experience abroad through online webinars or discussions;

3. Conduct a two-to-three-day substantive orientation meeting before the participants’ departure either virtually or in person in Washington, D.C., to help the teachers to prepare for their programs, to refine their individual program objectives, and to discuss living and working in the host country;

4. Identify a consultant, a professor at a U.S. school of education, or another educator to support the participants in preparing and implementing their individual study program;

5. Work with international partners to support U.S. teachers to ensure that their program includes the following components:

• Auditing graduate-level courses, language courses, workshops, or seminars relevant to their professional goals;

• A faculty advisor in the host institution for each participant to guide participants through the completion of their study program (advisors should be paid an honorarium according to appropriate customs/processes in the host country);

• Access to local schools to support the teachers’ professional goals;

• Training, if necessary, in areas such as technology, methodology, and cross-cultural adaptation;

• Opportunities to share their own professional expertise and information about the U.S. education system with local teachers and students;

• Appropriate housing, meal, and transportation arrangements;

• Additional activities to support and enhance the program, including attendance at conferences or other professional development activities in the host country or region;

• Please note that participants may bring dependents on this program. A modest dependent allowance should be budgeted for.

In-country partners may be asked to provide information about housing and, where appropriate, schooling or childcare, but participants will be expected to make these arrangements for their families. If recommended by the Fulbright Commission or U.S.

Embassy, dependent tuition allowances should also be budgeted for in some countries.

For International Educators

Please budget approximately $6,000,000 for these programs, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds.

a) Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program

Under the six-week Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Program, approximately 120 educators will travel in cohorts of approximately 22 teachers each to approximately six U.S. universities. The Bureau intends for approximately three cohorts to travel in spring 2028 and three cohorts to arrive in fall 2028, though the number of host universities and program timing is subject to change. The Bureau anticipates the inclusion of approximately 80 countries in all world regions.

Please budget approximately $4,400,000 for this program, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds.

In addition to the items noted in the Recipient Responsibilities section above, the proposal narrative should describe how the recipient organization plans to:

1. Consult with international partner organizations to distribute applications, recruit candidates, and interview and select participants for the program.

Partner organizations include Fulbright Commissions, Regional English Language Officers (RELOs) and Public Diplomacy Sections of U.S. embassies abroad. Posts and commissions should review and rank the applicants, interview the top candidates, and forward the highest rated applications to the award recipient for additional review by a panel of independent educational professionals.

2. Administer a sub-award competition in which U.S. university schools of education submit proposals to serve as host universities for the international educators in appropriate fields of study or continue to work with incumbent host institutions with outstanding track records. At the direction of ECA, host institutions may be selected based on their ability to provide programming with a focus on specific topics or themes.

• Coordinate the placement of the participants for six weeks at universities based on their subject expertise and level of English proficiency;

• Ensure that the program engages the participants as adult learners;

• Provide an on-campus orientation for participants;

• Develop highly tailored group seminars at the university focusing on student-centered teaching strategies and educational leadership for participants' home environments; include exposure to different teaching methodologies and approaches to curriculum development;

• Include seminars as requested on English as a Foreign Language (EFL), STEM and AI, career readiness, and/or other topics;

• Where feasible, offer school field experiences of 40 hours in length;

• Provide tailored instructional technology training if needed based on pre-program needs assessments;

• Arrange appropriate housing in single rooms, meal and transportation options, and allowances;

• Offer ongoing English language training for participants with lower

English proficiency scores throughout the program, as needed;

• Provide opportunities for participants to share their own professional expertise and information about their home education system with each other and with local teachers, students, and members of the university community;

• Organize an on-campus end of program event to highlight participants’ achievements during the program before a closing workshop in Washington, D.C.

Note that the Fulbright TEA model should be programmatically flexible and able to accommodate various program modifications in timing and type of international educators. The award recipient should continue to cooperate closely with the program office in the event of any program modifications.

b) Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers

The Bureau will bring international educators to the United States and place them in two cohorts of approximately 20 at U.S. universities for a semester, most likely during the 2028 academic year, although the program’s timing is subject to change.

Cohorts may include teachers from a mix of subject fields (English, STEM and AI, humanities, etc.) or may be specialized to focus on a topic such as English language or another foreign policy priority.

The Bureau anticipates supporting approximately 35 participants in the program from all world regions (with two additional participants likely to be cost-shared by foreign governments), subject to change. Please budget approximately $1,600,000 for this program, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds.

In addition to the items noted above, the proposal narrative should describe how the recipient organization plans to:

1. Consult with international partner organizations to distribute applications, recruit candidates, and interview and select participants for the program.

Partner organizations include Fulbright Commissions, and Public Diplomacy Sections of U.S. embassies abroad. Posts and commissions should review and rank the applicants, interview the top candidates, and forward the highest rated applications to the grantee organization for additional review.

2. Administer a sub-award competition in which U.S. university schools of education submit proposals to serve as host universities for the international educators in appropriate fields of study or continue to work with incumbent host institutions with outstanding track records.

3. Coordinate the placement of approximately 35 international participants at these institutions to ensure that the program engages them as adult learners and includes the following components:

• An online orientation at least four weeks prior to the start of the program for international teachers to help them prepare for their time in the United States;

• A substantive orientation meeting to help participants prepare for their programs, discuss living and working in the United States, and introduce the participants to the host campus, community, and its resources;

• A plan for participants to audit up to two graduate-level courses, reflecting their individual goals and interests;

• A specially tailored Fulbright seminar on American prominence and innovation in education, covering topics such as federalism, the U.S. constitution, and the history of education and best practices in the K-12 education system;

• Placements in local schools for approximately 90 hours that support the teachers’ professional goals;

• A seminar for participants to build the skills to use technology in education. The seminar should be differentiated for educators with diverse levels of expertise;

• A technology allowance (for purchasing a laptop, tablet, or other device);

• Opportunities to share their own professional expertise and information about their home education system with local teachers, students, and members of the university community;

• A professional development allowance for each participant and guidance regarding conferences, other professional development activities, and opportunities to visit schools outside the local area that represent a variety of types of U.S. schools including traditional public schools, charter schools, and private schools;

• Opportunities to get to know the local community through cultural activities, friendship families, and similar activities;

• Ongoing English language training for participants with lower English proficiency scores throughout the program, as needed;

• Appropriate housing in single rooms, meal and transportation options, and allowances;

• In exceptional circumstances, participants may be able to bring dependents on this program. A modest dependent allowance should be provided to participants to cover these costs;

• An in-person end-of-program event in Washington, D.C., at which participants can share their experiences with each other, develop action plans to implement on their return, and plan potential future collaboration.

For Both U.S. and International Educators

Alumni, Outreach, and Multiplier Activities should be considered as a separate program component for planning and budgeting purposes. Additional details about what this component includes are provided in the Recipient Responsibilities section above. Please budget approximately $250,000 for this program component, pending the availability of FY 2027 funds.

Additional Guidelines For the FY 2027 cycle, applicant organizations must submit one proposal that includes a maximum 20-page narrative outlining a comprehensive strategy for the administration and implementation of all program models. In addition to the 20-page narrative, applicant organizations should submit one overall budget that clearly delineates costs for each program component separately, including the alumni and outreach component. One Excel spreadsheet with distinct tabs for each component is recommended. Proposals may utilize appendices as needed for the budget and budget notes and to illustrate elements of the narrative.

Where possible, proposals should reflect economies of scale and should demonstrate administrative efficiencies. For example, applicant organizations’ proposals would be strengthened if they were able to support more participants than the numbers suggested above. Proposals should reflect an overarching vision for the program, interpreting the goals of the Fulbright-Hays Act and Fulbright Teacher Exchanges with creativity to achieve long-term objectives. Proposals should provide ideas for collaboration among participants and more than 30,000 alumni worldwide across the entire suite of current Fulbright Teacher Exchanges as well as past ECA teacher exchanges, for the benefit of participants, alumni, and their schools and communities. Applicant organizations should outline a plan to work with the media and other organizations, in close consultation with the Bureau, to ensure that the program and its awards and achievements receive appropriate publicity.

5. 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.

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

• 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) E1.1.11: Percent of American participants indicating a change in their understanding of their host country's culture and values 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) 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) E4.1.07: Number of instruction methodology trainings implemented

• 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.

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

• 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 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 NOFO. 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.

6. Allowable Costs.

Please submit a comprehensive overall budget that includes a separate budget for each of the six program components identified above (on different tabs/worksheets), including one for the alumni, outreach, and multiplier activities, using line-items, the details and format of which are contained in the PSI.

In addition, you must submit a comprehensive budget narrative for each program component, demonstrating how costs were derived. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with funding availability and the needs of the program.

As with other exchange programs, the Bureau is committed to containment of costs consistent with overall program objectives and sound management. The overhead costs funded by the Bureau must be reasonable and appropriate.

Cooperative Agreement-funded expenditures may include, but are not limited to, the categories below. The award recipient is encouraged to note in their program budgets/narratives areas in which economies beyond the Bureau’s allowable costs can be achieved.

EXPENSES

• Administration of tax withholding and reporting as required by federal, state and local authorities and in accordance with relevant tax treaties

• Communication costs

• Costs for review/selection/interview committees

• Furniture and equipment

• Health Care Insurance fees and medical costs (Bureau must approve in advance)

• Medical review of health forms

• Meetings and conferences

• Network charges

• Orientation, and related expenses

• Per diem or maintenance allowances for participants as needed for all programs.

• Pre-departure orientation

• Publicity, orientation materials

• SEVIS compliance

• Single Audit costs under Subpart F of the OMB Guidance 2 CFR Parts 200 and

• Standardized test fees for international teacher candidates (TOEFL or IELTS or equivalent); please give estimates by test

• Travel for participants (from home to host location) conforming to the Fly

America Act, including domestic travel abroad for international participants as part of the interview and selection process

• Virtual events and online courses

• Visa fees (only required for U.S. participants going overseas)

• Website/on-line applications/database management

In consultation with ECA, the award recipient should determine rates for participant allowances for housing and maintenance and request ECA approval of any changes to established stipend levels, as needed. Allowances should be sufficient to enable participants to meet the costs of lodging, food, clothing, and incidental purchases throughout the period of the cooperative agreement in the location where the participants will be residing.