FY 2026 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellows Program

The Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Academic Fellows Program is a federal funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of State through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Academic Exchange Programs. The funding opportunity supports the U.S. government’s public diplomacy goals in Southeast Asia by strengthening educational and cultural ties between the United States and ASEAN member countries. The program is authorized under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act, which promotes mutual understanding and peaceful international relations through educational and cultural exchanges. The funding opportunity seeks one recipient organization to design, administer, and implement the YSEALI Academic Fellows Program through a cooperative agreement with substantial involvement from the Department of State. The opportunity anticipates one award with approximately $6,500,000 in total funding and a period of performance of 18 to 24 months. Pending successful implementation and availability of future appropriations, the Department intends to renew the award for two additional consecutive fiscal years before recompeting the program. The program will support approximately 16 academic institutes during 2027, with eight institutes occurring in the spring and eight in the fall. Approximately 285 undergraduate students and recent graduates between the ages of 18 and 25 from ASEAN member countries will participate. Institutes will focus on four thematic areas: Economic Prosperity, Liberty and Freedom, Natural Resources, and Peace and Security. Each institute will be approximately five weeks long and will include a four-week academic residency at a U.S. college or university campus followed by a one-week academic field experience concluding in Washington, DC. The recipient organization will also coordinate two YSEALI Fellows Forums in Washington, DC, where all participants from the institutes can network, share experiences, and meet with Department of State officials. Applicants may directly implement up to two institutes while administering subawards for the remaining institutes, but no institution may implement more than two institutes in a calendar year. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofit organizations, think tanks, civil society organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and nonprofit public or private educational institutions. All applicants must possess nonprofit status, maintain active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity Identifier, and demonstrate at least four years of experience conducting international exchange programs due to the award amount exceeding $130,000. Applicants may submit only one proposal under the competition, and organizations submitting multiple proposals will be disqualified. The solicitation requires applicants to submit a complete package including the SF-424 form, executive summary, proposal narrative, SF-424A budget form, detailed line-item budget, and budget narrative. Applications must comply fully with the Notice of Funding Opportunity, Proposal Submission Instructions, and Project Objectives, Goals, and Instructions documents in order to remain eligible for review. The recipient organization will be responsible for overseeing a complex set of administrative and programmatic duties. Responsibilities include assisting with recruitment and selection processes in partnership with U.S. embassies and consulates throughout Southeast Asia; developing outreach and promotional materials; administering application systems and fellowship portals; overseeing subaward partners; organizing alumni programming and follow-on activities; and implementing a reciprocal exchange component for up to 35 U.S. citizens to engage with YSEALI alumni in ASEAN countries. The solicitation encourages proposals that include alumni engagement opportunities such as seed grants, regional workshops, and collaborative initiatives. Applicants are also encouraged to propose virtual exchange components that could supplement or temporarily replace in-person programming when necessary due to political, health, or environmental conditions. The funding announcement includes extensive requirements related to monitoring and evaluation. Applicants must incorporate the Bureau’s Monitoring Data for ECA framework into their proposals and develop measurable objectives, indicators, and performance monitoring plans. Required indicators focus on cross-cultural understanding, civic engagement, leadership development, alumni networking, professional skills development, and participant engagement with the United States. Applicants may use the Department’s Qualtrics MODE Survey Builder or another approved survey platform to collect required participant data. Award recipients will also be required to report data through the Department of State’s MyGrants system and comply with federal reporting requirements including annual or quarterly program reports, federal financial reports, and participant tracking data. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than May 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The anticipated award date is August 28, 2026. The funding opportunity is currently open and accepting applications. Applicants are strongly encouraged to begin registration and submission processes early because SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration may take several weeks. Questions regarding the funding opportunity may be directed to Sarah McLewin at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs by email at mclewinsj@state.gov or by phone at 202-655-1596. Proposals will be evaluated based on program quality, institutional capacity, follow-on activities, monitoring and evaluation plans, and cost effectiveness. The Department of State retains final authority over funding decisions and substantial involvement throughout implementation, including participant selection, recruitment materials, and program oversight.

Emphasize institutional experience administering international exchange programs, demonstrate strong monitoring and evaluation capacity using the MODE framework, provide detailed recruitment and outreach plans, maximize cost effectiveness and cost share where possible, and clearly demonstrate the ability to oversee subaward partners and complex program logistics.