FY 2026 Leaders Lead On-Demand
Closed Posted
This opportunity was posted again on . See the latest posting
- Opportunity number
- DFOP0017860
- Agency
-
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Department of State
- Applications due
- Award size
- $1,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Other
- Eligible applicants
-
- Higher Education Inst. (Public)
- Higher Education Inst. (Private)
- 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- Points of contact
-
- Copeland Barnes barnescl@state.gov (771) 205-6717
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs seeks a qualified cooperative agreement partner to design and implement four to six customized, two-way international exchange projects for emerging leaders and mid-level professionals from government, business, and civil society sectors. Eligible applicants include public and private higher education institutions and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with at least four years of demonstrated experience conducting international exchanges. The recipient must manage approximately 75 total participants (55 foreign and 20 U.S. participants), conduct merit-based recruitment, arrange compliant travel and logistics, provide DS-2019 documentation for J-1 visa processing, manage participant health insurance through ECA's designated Accident and Sickness Program, and establish a comprehensive Performance Monitoring Plan using the ECA MODE Framework. Applications must demonstrate organizational capacity to manage multiple concurrent projects and include detailed budgets, performance indicators with specific targets, and executive narratives describing program design. The application deadline is May 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, with an anticipated award date of July 30, 2026, and applicants must submit all materials through Grants.gov with current UEI registration and active SAM.gov status.
The cooperative agreement provides approximately $1,000,000 in total funding with a performance period of 24 to 30 months. Each exchange project will feature foreign participants traveling to the United States for intensive, customized programming including workshops, meetings, and events, with every U.S.-based exchange requiring at least one accompanying overseas segment involving U.S. participant engagement. Performance locations will encompass both United States-based activities and international sites where U.S. participants work alongside foreign counterparts, with all recipients required to submit annual Performance Progress Reports and Federal Financial Reports and maintain compliance with applicable federal regulations, J visa requirements, and the Fly America Act.
Synopsis
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
The Office of Citizen Exchanges in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposals for the FY 2026 Leaders Lead On-Demand program (LLOD). This program develops ideas from across the Department of State into customized, two-way exchange projects. LLOD provides rapid response, flexible programming focused on building self-sustaining global, regional, and country-based networks of practitioners.
The recipient will design and carry out a series of exchange projects for emerging leaders and mid-level professionals representing government, business, and civil society. The program expects to support approximately four to six exchange projects for approximately 75 participants, including approximately 55 foreign and 20 U.S. participants.Each project will feature a group of foreign participants who will travel to the United States for an intensive, customized program. Activities may include workshops, meetings, or events. Every U.S.-based exchange must also include at least one segment overseas, which should involve U.S. participants. All participants should have relevant experience or expertise in the project's field. U.S. participants will work with foreign participants during both the U.S. and overseas segments.
Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional information.
Update #1 ·
The Office of Citizen Exchanges in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposals for the FY 2026 Leaders Lead On-Demand program (LLOD). This program develops ideas from across the Department of State into customized, two-way exchange projects. LLOD provides rapid response, flexible programming focused on building self-sustaining global, regional, and country-based networks of practitioners. The recipient will design and carry out a series of exchange projects for emerging leaders and mid-level professionals representing government, business, and civil society. The program expects to support approximately four to six exchange projects for approximately 75 participants, including approximately 55 foreign and 20 U.S. participants. Each project will feature a group of foreign participants who will travel to the United States for an intensive, customized program. Activities may include workshops, meetings, or events. Every U.S.-based exchange must also include at least one segment overseas, which should involve U.S. participants. All participants should have relevant experience or expertise in the project's field. U.S. participants will work with foreign participants during both the U.S. and overseas segments. Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional information.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| performance_monitoring_plan_mode_2.3_02.03.2025.pdf | ||
| performance_monitoring_plan_mode_2.3_02.03.2025-4.docx | DOCX document | |
| FY26 LLOD NOFO.pdf |
Posting history
| Listing | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity | ||
| Opportunity |
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