FY 2027 International Visitor Leadership Programs National Program Agencies

The International Visitor Leadership Program National Program Agencies funding opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of State through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. This program represents one of the federal government’s longstanding diplomatic exchange initiatives, with origins dating back to 1940. The program is designed to foster mutual understanding between the United States and other nations by facilitating professional exchanges for current and emerging international leaders. Through these exchanges, participants gain exposure to U.S. society, institutions, and policy priorities, while American communities benefit from direct engagement with global counterparts. The funding opportunity supports organizations that will administer and implement these exchanges at a national level. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support National Program Agencies in designing and executing customized short term professional exchange visits to the United States. These visits typically range from two to twenty one days and are tailored to align with U.S. foreign policy objectives and participant professional interests. Award recipients are responsible for developing comprehensive project itineraries, coordinating logistics, and ensuring that participants engage with a broad cross section of American society. Projects may address a wide range of themes, including economic development, cybersecurity, agriculture, governance, and science and technology, reflecting evolving foreign policy priorities. Funding under this opportunity is provided through cooperative agreements, indicating substantial involvement by the Department of State in program implementation. The total available funding is approximately 16215000 dollars, with individual awards ranging from about 1155000 dollars to 8875000 dollars. Approximately five awards are anticipated, each with a performance period of twelve months. The Department reserves the right to adjust funding levels based on program needs and availability of funds. Allowable costs include staff salaries, administrative expenses, communications, and indirect costs, while certain travel costs for participants are covered directly by the Department. Cost sharing is not required but is encouraged as a demonstration of organizational commitment. Eligibility is limited to U.S. based nonprofit organizations and educational institutions, both public and private. Applicants must demonstrate at least four years of experience in conducting international exchange programs due to the scale of anticipated awards. Additional requirements include maintaining a physical presence in the Washington DC metropolitan area and possessing the operational capacity to manage complex, multi site programming across the United States. Applicants must also comply with federal registration requirements, including obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier and maintaining active registration in SAM.gov. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes several mandatory components such as the SF 424 form, a detailed proposal narrative, budget documents, and supporting materials. Applicants must also provide resumes for key personnel and references demonstrating past performance. Only one application per organization will be considered. Applications are evaluated through a competitive review process based on criteria such as program design, institutional capacity, domestic impact, monitoring and evaluation plans, and cost effectiveness. Final award decisions are made by the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is August 24 2026 at 1159 pm Eastern Time. Awards are anticipated to be issued around January 1 2027. The program may be renewed for up to two additional years subject to performance and funding availability, indicating a potential recurring structure. Applicants are encouraged to prepare submissions well in advance due to registration and submission requirements that may take several weeks to complete. For inquiries, applicants may contact the designated program officer via email provided in the solicitation. Overall, this funding opportunity represents a significant federal investment in international exchange programming, requiring experienced organizations capable of managing large scale, high impact initiatives. Successful applicants will play a critical role in advancing U.S. foreign policy goals through people to people diplomacy and sustained international engagement.

Ensure strong demonstration of international exchange experience; align proposal with foreign policy objectives; provide detailed and realistic work plan; include robust monitoring and evaluation framework