ECA – American Spaces
Active
- Assistance listing
- 19.441
- Agency
-
Department of State
- Grant awards
- 2,470 $48,032,907 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- ECA - American Spaces
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Treasury account
-
- 19-0000-1-5-000
- 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 Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funds programming and operations at American Spaces—over 700 internationally distributed cultural and educational centers managed by U.S. embassies and consulates—under Assistance Listing 19.441, with the most recent grant award on March 1, 2027.
American Spaces are open-access learning and gathering spaces that execute public diplomacy programming aligned to U.S. foreign policy and national security goals. Funded activities include English language instruction, workforce development and skills training (STEM, AI, coding, cybersecurity, digital literacy, entrepreneurship), cultural and history programming, speaker events, alumni engagement networks, technology and innovation showcases, educational advising, and physical space operations and furnishings. Recent awards also support specialized initiatives such as youth leadership training, sports diplomacy, technology hackathons, business accelerator programs, and counter-disinformation work. Programming targets youth, educators, entrepreneurs, emerging professionals, and aspiring leaders in priority countries and regions.
The program is predominantly Project Grants (85% of awards) with a smaller share of Cooperative Agreements (15%). The Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs dominates, accounting for 2,142 awards and $42.4 million in federal dollars obligated—roughly 97 percent of award count and 88 percent of federal dollars. Four regional State Department bureaus fund the remainder: Western Hemisphere Affairs ($1.5 million across 55 awards), South and Central Asian Affairs ($1.3 million across 74 awards), African Affairs ($1 million across 76 awards), and East Asian and Pacific Affairs ($717 thousand across 57 awards).
The program obligated $48 million in federal dollars across 2,470 awards over the past several years, with recipients contributing an additional $4 million in matching or cost-share funds. Recent awards range from under $10 thousand to over $130 thousand, with typical operational and programming grants in the $10 thousand to $25 thousand range. A notable recent award extended a Cooperative Agreement to the American Spaces network in Chile for $132.378 million through December 31, 2028, expanded to support programming on security and countering China. Recent awards also funded American Corner operations in Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Cameroon, Kenya, Mozambique, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mexico, and Lebanon.
Award velocity has declined sharply: the program funded 412 awards in 2023, 363 in 2024, and 240 in 2025, but only 43 in 2026 and 1 in 2027, signaling a substantial contraction in the current grant portfolio. Multiple grant opportunities posted in mid-2026 remain open, including solicitations for American Spaces programming in Armenia (Cooperative Agreement, due September 10, 2026), Portugal operations (Grant, due August 28, 2026), Indonesia AI innovation hubs (Cooperative Agreement, due August 30, 2026), Albania e-sports and startups initiatives (Cooperative Agreements, due August 20, 2026), Algeria AI training (Grant, due August 10, 2026), Vietnam programming and cybersecurity (Cooperative Agreement and Grant, due August 2, 2026), and several others. Eligibility varies by opportunity: most accept 501(c)(3) nonprofits and educational institutions; some restrict to in-country organizations or individuals; a few accept for-profit entities as sub-contractors only.
Objective and description
- Objective
As authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act, American Spaces are key touchpoints for millions of people globally, building connections between the United States and communities worldwide. With over 700 locations in 140 countries, American Spaces are mana
- Description
As authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act, American Spaces are key touchpoints for millions of people globally, building connections between the United States and communities worldwide. With over 700 locations in 140 countries, American Spaces are managed by U.S. embassies, often in partnership with local institutions. American Spaces are strategically aligned to U.S. foreign policy and national security goals. They showcase American excellence and reflect the American spirit to international audiences. Through their engagement with foreign audiences, American Spaces support U.S. interests, foster a greater understanding of the United States, and offer opportunities for the United States to connect with aspiring leaders. The Office of American Spaces and Educational Advising provides centralized oversight, strategic direction, funding, training and programming resources to ECA-funded American Spaces, while U.S. embassies and consulates implement the programming to engage foreign audiences in support of U.S. national interests.
Eligibility
- Beneficiary eligibility
Foreign audiences. See www.grants.gov for individual award announcements.
- Uses of assistance
Discretionary grants with individuals and NGOs for programmatic and construction activities.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
See www.grants.gov for individual award announcements.
How to apply
- Award procedure
See www.grants.gov for individual award announcements.
- Time to approval or disapproval
See www.grants.gov for individual award announcements.
Grant opportunities
Show 38 more
Latest 48 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 2,470 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Project Harmony Inc. | $2,390,497 | 5% |
| 2 | Asociacion Centro Cultural Salvadoreno Americano | $1,231,552 | 3% |
| 3 | Friends Of Central Library | $1,199,327 | 2% |
| 4 | Information And Resource Centers Pa | $801,207 | 2% |
| 5 | Kazakhstan Amcorners Network, OO | $786,545 | 2% |
| 6 | Charities Aid Foundation (Southern Africa) | $772,358 | 2% |
| 7 | Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum | $628,062 | 1% |
| 8 | Tourism Development Center Public Organization | $624,115 | 1% |
8 of 428 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $425,157 |
| FY2025 | $3,583,431 |
| FY2024 | $6,803,949 |
| FY2023 | $9,800,363 |
| FY2022 | $7,919,133 |
| FY2021 | $7,863,105 |
| FY2020 | $4,092,397 |
| FY2019 | $2,498,976 |
| FY2018 | $2,236,820 |
| FY2017 | $1,353,914 |
| FY2016 | $342,414 |
| FY2015 | $587,750 |
| FY2013 | $172,000 |
Show all 13
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 19.441?
Assistance Listing 19.441 is ECA – American Spaces, a federal grant program run by Department of State.
What is the CFDA number for ECA – American Spaces?
Its CFDA number is 19.441: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 19.441 awarded?
2,470 grant awards under 19.441 have obligated $48,032,907 in federal funds to 428 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 19.441?
The recipients obligated the most under ECA – American Spaces are Project Harmony Inc. ($2,390,497), Asociacion Centro Cultural Salvadoreno Americano ($1,231,552) and Friends Of Central Library ($1,199,327).
How much did 19.441 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 19.441 obligated $3,583,431 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 19.441?
1 of the latest 48 opportunities under 19.441 is open or forecasted. The latest, Enhancing and Supporting the Network of American Spaces in Armenia, was posted on August 12, 2026.
On GovTribe
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