AEIF 2026 Alumni Summit: Freedom 250

The U.S. Department of State's Embassy in Riyadh is soliciting applications for a cooperative agreement to organize and host the AEIF 2026 Alumni Summit: Freedom 250 in Riyadh, with applications due September 14, 2026, by 23:59 AST. This is a single award opportunity with a $100,000 maximum ceiling and no cost share requirement, though voluntary contributions are permitted.

Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations, think tanks, civil society organizations, and public or private educational institutions operating in Saudi Arabia or the United States. All applicants must maintain active SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity Identifier.

The award funds a 12-month performance period beginning October 2026, comprising three mandatory phases: planning and recruitment (October–December 2026), summit design and execution (January 2027), and post-summit follow-on activities (February–July 2027). The recipient must organize a two-day interactive alumni summit in Riyadh convening 70–90 participants representing at least five U.S. government exchange programs (IVLP, Fulbright, Humphrey, SYLEP, MEMI, YES) across all three Mission Saudi Arabia regions. Programming must address innovation and economic diversification, media literacy and civic engagement, and creative economy and cultural diplomacy, with private-sector engagement sessions, skills-building workshops, and collaborative project development. The recipient must also distribute 3–5 micro-grants of up to $5,000 each (not exceeding $25,000 aggregate) and establish a 10-member Alumni Advisory Network.

Merit review scoring weights program quality and feasibility (30 points), organizational capacity (25 points), project planning (20 points), budget effectiveness (10 points), monitoring and evaluation (10 points), and sustainability (5 points). The cooperative agreement instrument requires substantial U.S. Embassy involvement in curriculum approval, speaker selection, participant approval, and media coordination.

Applications require SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B forms; a 20-page maximum proposal; detailed budget justification with per-participant unit costs; and supporting attachments including CVs and partner letters. The opportunity is funded under CFDA 19.022 (Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs Appropriation Overseas Grants).