ECA Individual Grants
Active
- Assistance listing
- 19.450
- Agency
-
Department of State
- Grant awards
- 560 $5,779,130 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Individual Grants, U.S. academics and professionals, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
- 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 Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funds individual grants to experts, academics, professionals, and other distinguished persons to conduct educational and cultural exchange activities authorized under the Fulbright-Hays Act, Assistance Listing 19.450, with the most recent award dated November 15, 2025.
The program does not accept unsolicited grant proposals; awards are made based on specific programmatic needs identified by the Bureau. Individual grant recipients support activities designed to promote U.S. interests and mutual understanding with designated countries worldwide. Recent funded activities include support for EducationUSA offices conducting college enrollment fairs and resource development, conservation of prehispanic heritage in Guatemala, programming through American Centers to expose foreign publics to U.S. democratic and economic values, women's entrepreneurship initiatives, and capacity building with regional youth in Armenia. Awards are structured as Project Grants (99 percent of the portfolio) with a minimal share of Cooperative Agreements (1 percent).
The Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs dominates funding, accounting for 454 of 560 total awards ($4.7 million federal dollars obligated). The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs represents the second-largest funder with 55 awards ($701 thousand federal dollars obligated), followed by smaller portfolios from the Bureaus of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, African Affairs, Near Eastern Affairs, and European and Eurasian Affairs. Combined federal dollars obligated total $5.8 million across the portfolio, with non-federal cost-share contributing an additional $400 thousand for a combined total of $6.2 million obligated.
Recent award magnitudes vary widely, ranging from awards under $1,000 to individual grants exceeding $230 thousand. Representative recent awards include $233 thousand for archaeological heritage preservation in Guatemala, $48 thousand for unspecified programming, $54 thousand for women's entrepreneurship initiatives in Armenia, and $26 thousand for EducationUSA programming promotion. Award activity has declined modestly from 57 per year in 2021 to 46 in 2024, with only 8 awards recorded through 2025 to date.
The most recent open grant opportunity is the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund for FY25, posted December 3, 2024, with applications due January 31, 2025, soliciting teams of at least two exchange program alumni to propose public service projects addressing foreign policy themes including civic participation, governance, economic prosperity, women's empowerment, science and technology advancement, and inclusion—specifically targeting the Sudan context through the U.S. Embassy Khartoum.
Objective and description
- Objective
To provide individual assistance awards by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to experts and other influential or distinguished persons in the United States, including U.S. academics and professionals, athletes and coaches and creat
- Description
Individual awards made by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs may support any activities authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act for which funding has been appropriated by Congress through the annual Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs appropriation administered by the Department of State, 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 individuals and supported by funds appropriated to and approved by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Individuals in fields of specialized knowledge or skill, and other influential or distinguished persons.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Beneficiaries include selected participants and the people of participating countries.
- Uses of assistance
Individual awards made by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs may support any activities authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act for which funding has been appropriated by Congress through the annual Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs appropriation administered by the Department of State, 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 individuals and supported by funds appropriated to and approved by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
How to apply
- Award procedure
Specific processes vary from program to program activities. However, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs uses the Department's Form DS-1909 (Federal Assistance Award) to award individual grants to successful applicants. All awards are signed by a warranted Grants Officer and administered through the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic). The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs DOES NOT accept unsolicited grant proposals for individual grant awards. Grant awards are made based on specific needs of the program office.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund - FY25 | Closed | ||
| Alumni Engagement Innovatin Fund (AEIF) | Closed | ||
| U.S. Embassy Dakar Public Diplomacy Section Request for Statements of Interest | Closed | ||
| U.S. Embassy Dakar Public Affairs Section Request for Statements of Interest | Closed |
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 560 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Project Harmony Inc. | $2,100,000 | 36% |
| 2 | Universidad Del Valle De Guatemala | $233,000 | 4% |
| 3 | Instituto Guatemalteco Americano IGA | $213,541 | 4% |
| 4 | Sun Yat-Sen Management Education Foundation | $178,822 | 3% |
| 5 | Fundacion Para La Conservacion De LOS Recursos Naturales Y Ambiente En Guatemala | $150,000 | 3% |
| 6 | Council On International Educational Exchange, Inc. | $124,390 | 2% |
| 7 | Knihovna Mesta Ostravy, Prispevkova Organizace | $78,418 | 1% |
| 8 | Asociacion Centro Cultural Costarricense-Norteamericano | $55,000 | 1% |
8 of 27 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | -$11,475 |
| FY2025 | -$3,402 |
| FY2024 | $246,697 |
| FY2023 | $820,978 |
| FY2022 | $2,543,151 |
| FY2021 | $234,404 |
| FY2020 | $459,184 |
| FY2019 | $235,621 |
| FY2018 | $546,874 |
| FY2017 | $202,841 |
| FY2016 | $30,750 |
| FY2015 | $42,362 |
| FY2014 | $96,798 |
| FY2013 | $26,558 |
| FY2012 | $210,543 |
| FY2011 | $131,154 |
Show all 16
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 19.450?
Assistance Listing 19.450 is ECA Individual Grants, a federal grant program run by Department of State.
What is the CFDA number for ECA Individual Grants?
Its CFDA number is 19.450: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 19.450 awarded?
560 grant awards under 19.450 have obligated $5,779,130 in federal funds to 27 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 19.450?
The recipients obligated the most under ECA Individual Grants are Project Harmony Inc. ($2,100,000), Universidad Del Valle De Guatemala ($233,000) and Instituto Guatemalteco Americano IGA ($213,541).
How much did 19.450 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 19.450 obligated -$3,402 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 19.450?
No opportunity listed under 19.450 is open now. The latest, Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund - FY25, was posted on December 3, 2024.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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