The Professional Fellows Division in the Office of Citizen Exchanges at the U. S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposals for the FY 2018 Professional Fellows On-Demand Program.
The Professional Fellows On-Demand Program will build upon the
foundation of the current Professional Fellows Program and prior Professional Fellows On-Demand Program exchanges.
This exchange program supports U. S. foreign policy goals by enabling the U. S. Department of State to respond in a timely manner to emerging foreign policy priorities.
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 provide a series of two-way exchange projects ranging in size and scope, each involving current or potential government, business, and civil society leaders.
It is anticipated that the cooperative agreement would support approximately six to eight distinct exchange projects for approximately 140 participants pending the availability of FY 2018 funds:
approximately 85 foreign participants and approximately 55 American participants.
The focus, size, and nature of each project will be identified and developed by ECA, in consultation with Department of State stakeholders and the award recipient during the course of the cooperative agreement period.
Each exchange should include multiple components or activities designed around the achievement of the specific project goal.
A central component of each project will be a group of foreign participants who will travel to the United States for an intensive, tailored program.
The foreign group component will be followed or preceded by reciprocal overseas programs, as conditions permit, for smaller groups of American participants.
The American participants should have experience or expertise in the field of the exchange project, and an established connection or linkage with the foreign participants.
The award recipient will work closely with U. S. Embassies and in-country or regionally-based partner organizations, as appropriate, to recruit, screen, and select the participants and develop program activities that best address the specific project goal.
The final list of participants should be approved by ECA prior to offers being extended.
American participants will be selected in close consultation with ECA.
Additional project components, such as regional gatherings of participants overseas, small grants competitions, local trainings, or other follow-on components should be developed, as appropriate, based on the scope and goals of the specific exchange.