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FY 2026 National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)

Agency: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs

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

Last Updated: March 3, 2026

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is pleased to announce an open competition for proposals to administer the FY 2026 National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program. NSLI-Y increases the number of American youth (ages 15 to 18) who learn critical foreign languages in support of bolstering U.S. national security; promoting U.S. competitiveness and economic prosperity; and building mutual understanding with critical regions of the world. The award will support approximately 275 American teens to study critical languages through intensive overseas language programs in locations where the target languages are widely spoken, and through virtual programming. U.S. public and private non-profit organizations, meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3), may submit proposals to cooperate with ECA in the overall administration of NSLI-Y and the implementation of summer, academic year, and virtual programs according to the guidance in this solicitation.


Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional information.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

Miscellaneous

  • Other

Education

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

Nonprofit

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

Additional information

Please see full announcement.

Grantor contact information

Description

Kaveri Advani

Email

advanike@state.gov

advanike@state.gov

Documents

File nameDescriptionLast updated
NSLI-Y_NOFO.pdf
FY 2026 National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) NOFO
Mar 3, 2026 04:38 PM UTC
performance_monitoring_plan_mode_2.3_02.03.2025-4.docx
ECA Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) (DOCX)
Mar 3, 2026 04:38 PM UTC
performance_monitoring_plan_mode_2.3_02.03.2025.pdf
ECA Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) (PDF)
Mar 3, 2026 04:39 PM UTC

Link to additional information

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Organizational Funding Opportunities

Closing: May 1, 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

$--

Program Funding

1

Expected awards

$5,000,000

Award Minimum

$5,000,000

Award Maximum

Funding opportunity number:

DFOP0017852

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:

March 3, 2026

Archive date:

May 31, 2026

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