Aifs Foundation

Aifs Foundation, registered in SAM.gov since 2011, is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporate entity located in Stamford, Connecticut. The organization operates through its Academic Year in America division and specializes in international educational and cultural exchange programs. While specific details about the foundation's full organizational mission are not provided in the available data, the federal grant awards suggest a focused commitment to facilitating international youth exchanges that promote cross-cultural understanding and democratic engagement.

The foundation has consistently received cooperative agreement grants from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, specifically supporting international high school exchange programs. These grants include the Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program and the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program. The FLEX program, for instance, enables students from former Soviet Union countries to spend an academic year in the United States, living with host families and attending local schools with the goal of developing students' understanding of democracy and civil society. The YES program appears to have a similar objective, focusing on youth exchanges that likely foster mutual understanding between the United States and participating countries. The most recent grant award for the FY 2025 FLEX program is valued at $440,101, demonstrating the organization's ongoing role in facilitating international educational exchanges that support diplomatic and cultural engagement objectives.