FY 2026 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Professional Fellowship
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- DFOP0017815
- Agency
-
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Department of State
- Applications due
- Award size
- $8,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Other
- Eligible applicants
-
- Higher Education Inst. (Public)
- 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- Higher Education Inst. (Private)
- Points of contact
-
- Davron Mirsagatov mirsagatovd@state.gov (202) 632-2718
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs seeks proposals to design and implement the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Professional Fellowship program, which will deliver professional fellowships and reciprocal exchanges for emerging leaders from Southeast Asian nations and American professionals. Eligible applicants include U.S. not-for-profit organizations and educational institutions with demonstrated exchange program experience, and must maintain active registration in SAM.gov and MyGrants while complying with J-1 visa requirements. The program aims to advance U.S. strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific by developing networks of emerging leaders aligned with four strategic themes: Economic Prosperity, Strategic Energy and Minerals, Liberty and Freedom, and Peace and Security. Key requirements include recruitment and selection of approximately 220 ASEAN participants ages 25 to 35 annually, placement with U.S. public and private institutions for four-week fellowships, organization of a closing forum in Washington, D.C., facilitation of reciprocal exchanges for approximately 100 American professionals to Southeast Asia, and submission of performance monitoring data using the MODE Framework with quarterly financial and program reports. The application deadline is May 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, and evaluation will assess the applicant's exchange program experience, program design quality, and proposed monitoring and evaluation methodologies.
The total estimated funding for this opportunity is approximately $8,000,000 for a 30-month performance period, with an anticipated award date of September 15, 2026. The program will support approximately 320 total participants distributed across two annual cohorts of approximately 110 participants each, with each U.S. fellowship comprising five to six weeks of professional and leadership development. Performance activities will take place in the United States during the fellowship placements and in Washington, D.C. for the closing forum, with reciprocal exchanges occurring in Southeast Asian countries; no cost sharing is required, though matching funds are encouraged.
Synopsis
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
This NOFO has been amended. The deadline has been extended, funding amount has increased, and some programmatic aspects have been updated. Please see the amended NOFO for additional information. All changes have been highlighted in yellow and listed in the Executive Summary. -
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, through its Office of Citizen Exchanges, invites proposals to design and implement the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Professional Fellowship. The program advances U.S. strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific by developing a network of emerging leaders from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states who share America's founding principles of liberty, opportunity, and self-reliance. By promoting free enterprise, open markets, and innovation, the program fosters shared prosperity and supports a secure, free, and open Indo-Pacific.
Through professional fellowships and reciprocal exchanges, YSEALI Professional Fellowship advances U.S. leadership by strengthening commercial ties, promoting regional stability, and supporting peace and security across the Indo-Pacific. Each year two cohorts of approximately 220 participants from Southeast Asia will travel to the United States for five to six weeks of professional and leadership development. Participants, ages 25 to 35, will be placed with U.S. public, private, and nonprofit institutions for customized placements aligned with four strategic themes central to U.S. foreign policy: Economic Prosperity, Strategic Energy and Minerals, Liberty and Freedom, and Peace and Security.
The exchange will culminate in a YSEALI Professional Fellowship Forum in Washington, D.C., where participants will share lessons learned and explore future collaboration. Following each U.S. fellowship, approximately 100 American professionals will travel to Southeast Asia on Reciprocal Exchanges to extend engagement, transfer expertise, and strengthen bilateral partnerships.
Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional information.
Update #1 ·
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, through its Office of Citizen Exchanges, invites proposals to design and implement the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Professional Fellowship. The program advances U.S. strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific by developing a network of emerging leaders from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states who share America's founding principles of liberty, opportunity, and self-reliance. By promoting free enterprise, open markets, and innovation, the program fosters shared prosperity and supports a secure, free, and open Indo-Pacific. Through professional fellowships and reciprocal exchanges, YSEALI PFP advances U.S. leadership by strengthening commercial ties, promoting regional stability, and supporting peace and security across the Indo-Pacific. Each year two cohorts of approximately 144 Fellows from Southeast Asia will travel to the United States for five to six weeks of professional and leadership development. Participants, ages 25 to 35, will be placed with U.S. public, private, and nonprofit institutions for customized fellowships aligned with four strategic themes central to U.S. foreign policy: Economic Prosperity, Strategic Energy and Minerals, Liberty and Freedom, and Peace and Security. The exchange will culminate in a YSEALI Fellows Forum in Washington, D.C., where participants will share lessons learned and explore future collaboration. Following each U.S. fellowship, approximately 72 American professionals will travel to Southeast Asia on Reciprocal Exchanges to extend engagement, transfer expertise, and strengthen bilateral partnerships. 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 YSEALI Professional Fellows NOFO Amended.pdf |
Posting history
| Listing | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity | ||
| Opportunity |
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