To maximize sustainability, this cycle prioritizes projects that:

·        Break Professional Silos: Encourage collaboration across different exchange cohorts to build broader, more resilient networks.

·        Leverage Freedom 250: Use the 250th anniversary of the United States as a strategic platform to promote shared democratic values.

·        Drive Collaborative Action: Mobilize alumni to work alongside the U.S. Mission to Belarus to solve community problems.

Ultimately, AEIF 2026 reinforces the value of the original exchange investment by creating a self-sustaining network of leaders committed to American principles on the global stage.

Project Audience(s): The primary beneficiaries of this program are U.S. government-sponsored exchange alumni. Specific audience characteristics include:

·        Foreign National Alumni: Non-U.S. citizen exchange participants who serve as project leads, leveraging their U.S.-acquired expertise to implement community-driven solutions.

·        Target Communities (In-Country and in Exile): Belarusian citizens, both those remaining in the country and those in the diaspora, who will benefit from alumni-led initiatives focused on digital security, economic opportunity, and the protection of civil liberties.

Project Goal:   To mobilize a sustainable network of U.S. exchange alumni as strategic partners in advancing U.S. foreign policy, celebrating Freedom 250 through collaborative action that promotes regional security and economic prosperity.

Project Objectives:

·        Objective 1 (Cross-Cohort Collaboration): Foster a multidisciplinary network by integrating at least two distinct exchange cohorts per project, achieving a 20% increase in regional alumni collaboration (e.g., joint workshops or shared platforms) within 12 months.

·        Objective 2 (Mission Alignment): Strengthen strategic ties between the U.S. Mission and the alumni network by ensuring all funded projects directly address key policy priorities, such as freedom of expression or digital resilience.

·        Objective 3 (Freedom 250 Impact): Utilize the 250th anniversary of the United States as a primary platform for alumni-led initiatives that highlight shared democratic values and American innovation.