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FY 2026 Youth Ambassadors Programs

Agency: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs

Assistance Listings: 19.415 -- Professional and Cultural Exchange Programs - Citizen Exchanges

Last Updated: May 19, 2026

The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is pleased to announce an open competition for the FY 2026 Youth Ambassadors program. Proposals may be submitted to implement one, or more, of eight program options outlined in this solicitation. A different proposal must be submitted for each program option, if applying for more than one. You must clearly identify which program option a proposal is for, early in the Executive Summary of the proposal. The Youth Ambassadors program provides groups of youth and adult mentor (select programs) participants from select countries in the regions of Sub-Saharan Africa (AF), East Asia and Pacific (EAP), Europe and Eurasia (EUR), Middle East and North Africa (NEA), South Central Asia (SCA), the Western Hemisphere (WHA), and the United States of America (USA) , with a three-week exchange focusing on youth leadership. In addition to participants travelling internationally, exchanges will include U.S. youth and adult mentors participating as peers in U.S. based exchanges. As applicants explore the main theme of leadership, they are encouraged to showcase creative and transformative application of AI concepts, resources, strategies, and tools. Program participants will apply knowledge gained on the program to implement follow-on projects in their home communities.


Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional information.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

Education

  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Public and state institutions of higher education

Miscellaneous

  • Other

Nonprofit

  • Nonprofits non-higher education with 501(c)(3)

Additional information

Please see full announcement.

Grantor contact information

Description

Ashraf Sarsour

Email

SarsourAA@state.gov

SarsourAA@state.gov

Documents

File nameDescriptionLast updated
FY26_YA_NOFO_Solicitation.pdf
FY 2026 Youth Ambassadors Programs NOFO
May 19, 2026 08:11 PM UTC
performance_monitoring_plan_mode_2.3_02.03.2025-4.docx
ECA Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) (DOCX)
May 19, 2026 08:11 PM UTC
performance_monitoring_plan_mode_2.3_02.03.2025.pdf
ECA Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) (PDF)
May 19, 2026 08:12 PM UTC

Link to additional information

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Organizational Funding Opportunities

Closing: July 17, 2026

Application process

This site is a work in progress. Go to www.grants.gov to apply, track application status, and subscribe to updates.

Award

$7,954,000

Program Funding

8

Expected awards

$300,000

Award Minimum

$2,100,000

Award Maximum

Funding opportunity number:

DFOP0018391

Cost sharing or matching requirement:

No

Funding instrument type:

Cooperative agreement

Opportunity Category:

Discretionary

Opportunity Category Explanation:

--

Category of Funding Activity:

Other

Category Explanation:

Please see full announcement.

History

Version:

2

Posted date:

May 19, 2026

Archive date:

August 16, 2026

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