Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs Appropriation Overseas Grants
Active
- Assistance listing
- 19.022
- Agency
-
Department of State
- Grant awards
- 6,780 $116,372,985 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Treasury account
-
- 19-0209-0-1-154
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs makes grants under CFDA 19.022 to support educational and cultural exchange activities authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act, with the most recent award disbursed on February 8, 2027. The program funds English language instruction, teacher professional development, student advising for U.S. higher education, alumni engagement initiatives, and American Spaces cultural programming—activities designed to advance mutual understanding between the United States and other countries in alignment with U.S. foreign policy priorities. Awards are made by overseas diplomatic missions directly to eligible U.S. nonprofits, educational institutions, and individuals.
Program activity remains substantial but declining. Over the past five years, award volume has contracted from 787 awards in 2023 to 124 in 2026 and 1 award thus far in 2027, though the portfolio encompasses 6,780 total awards spanning from 2009 to present. Combined federal dollars obligated total $116.4 million across the portfolio, with a $124.5 million combined total including non-federal matching contributions. Recent awards cluster in the $18,000 to $97,000 range, though some specialized programs such as English Language Fellow administration reach $450,000. The assistance-type mix is predominantly Project Grants (93 percent) with a smaller share of Cooperative Agreements (7 percent).
Funding concentration is acute: the Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs accounts for 6,259 awards and $104.3 million in federal dollars obligated—92 percent of the portfolio by count and 90 percent by dollars. The remaining five percent of activity is distributed across the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs ($4.7 million, 110 awards), Bureau of African Affairs ($2.1 million, 142 awards), Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs ($1.6 million, 128 awards), and Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs ($1.4 million, 51 awards).
Recent representative awards include regional English Access Program teacher training in Serbia for $46,000 (October 2026), EducationUSA advising administration in Croatia for $12,000 (October 2026), and Kosovo emerging leaders STEM and digital skills programs for $27,550 (October 2026). A larger cooperative agreement supports Fulbright foreign student and research scholar program logistics in South Africa for $64,906.75 (July 2026).
Multiple grant opportunities posted in May through September 2026 remain open or recently closed. Current or recent solicitations include the U.S.-ASEAN Road to 50: Rising Leaders Forum (due August 30, 2026), English Language Teaching and Learning Program in Uzbekistan (due August 17, 2026), Mentor Program for English Educators in Egypt (due August 9, 2026), and AI Pathways to the Future in Indonesia (due August 9, 2026). Most recent opportunities emphasize Freedom 250 (the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence), AI and educational technology integration, alumni engagement, and American Spaces management. Solicitations typically come from individual embassies and target both nonprofits and, in some cases, individual alumni of U.S. exchange programs.
Objective and description
- Objective
To provide assistance awards by U.S. diplomatic missions abroad made directly to eligible organizations in the United States using funds appropriated to and authorized by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) for the purpose of support
- Description
Awards made by Overseas Public Diplomacy Offices that support activities authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act for which funding has been appropriated by Congress and administered by the Department of State's (DOS) Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The activities are designed to promote U.S. interests in designated countries around the world by developing mutual understanding of key issues and promoting long-lasting ties between the United States and other countries. Awards are made to eligible non-profit corporations, institutions or individuals. Awards under this program are specific to those made to domestic (U.S.) institutions or individuals and supported by funds appropriated to and approved by ECA.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Projects must support the development of mutual understanding between the United States and other countries in any area of importance to U.S. interests in those countries.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Beneficiaries include individuals selected for participation in the project, educational institutions, and Americans and people of other countries.
- Uses of assistance
Awards made by Overseas Public Diplomacy Offices that support activities authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act for which funding has been appropriated by Congress and administered by the Department of State's (DOS) Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The activities are designed to promote U.S. interests in designated countries around the world by developing mutual understanding of key issues and promoting long-lasting ties between the United States and other countries. Awards are made to eligible non-profit corporations, institutions or individuals. Awards under this program are specific to those made to domestic (U.S.) institutions or individuals and supported by funds appropriated to and approved by ECA.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
The period of time for which assistance is available varies depending on the specific program and will be stated in the terms and conditions of the award.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Criteria for selecting proposals vary by awards supporting individual activities and are outlined in the solicitations for individual activities.
- Award procedure
Program announcements and application procedures may vary widely depending on the overseas post and program, including through grants.gov as applicable. Note that overseas posts may also administer programs limited to overseas applicants, which are not covered by this Assistance Listing entry.
- Time to approval or disapproval
See announcement at Grants.gov.
- Renewals
As stated in the original solicitation document at Grants.gov
Grant opportunities
Show 39 more
Latest 49 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 6,780 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Councils For International Education: Actr / Accels, Inc. | $3,630,332 | 3% |
| 2 | Georgetown University | $1,565,000 | 1% |
| 3 | Society For International Education | $1,409,063 | 1% |
| 4 | Persatuan Gaya Hidup Lestari Biji Biji Kuala Lumpur | $1,129,663 | 1% |
| 5 | Protea Owl Foundation | $973,777 | 1% |
| 6 | World Learning Inc. | $915,129 | 1% |
| 7 | Centro Cultural Paraguayo Americano | $723,760 | 1% |
7 of 1,001 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $1,668,161 |
| FY2025 | $5,961,731 |
| FY2024 | $15,196,825 |
| FY2023 | $12,034,071 |
| FY2022 | $11,382,113 |
| FY2021 | $13,610,021 |
| FY2020 | $9,928,820 |
| FY2019 | $7,713,152 |
| FY2018 | $5,008,097 |
| FY2017 | $4,199,627 |
| FY2016 | $2,259,429 |
| FY2015 | $2,728,369 |
| FY2014 | $2,346,292 |
| FY2013 | $3,777,553 |
| FY2012 | $2,230,028 |
| FY2011 | $10,426,398 |
| FY2010 | $4,300,688 |
Show all 17
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 19.022?
Assistance Listing 19.022 is Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs Appropriation Overseas Grants, a federal grant program run by Department of State.
What is the CFDA number for Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs Appropriation Overseas Grants?
Its CFDA number is 19.022: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 19.022 awarded?
6,780 grant awards under 19.022 have obligated $116,372,985 in federal funds to 1,001 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 19.022?
The recipients obligated the most under Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs Appropriation Overseas Grants are American Councils For International Education: Actr / Accels, Inc. ($3,630,332), Georgetown University ($1,565,000) and Society For International Education ($1,409,063).
How much did 19.022 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 19.022 obligated $5,961,731 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 19.022?
None of the latest 49 opportunities under 19.022 is open now. The latest, AEIF 2026 Alumni Summit: Freedom 250, was posted on September 7, 2026.
On GovTribe
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