FY 2026 International Visitor Leadership Program Collaborative Services

The U.S. Department of State, through its Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), is offering funding for the FY 2026 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) Collaborative Services under a cooperative agreement. The IVLP is the State Department’s premier professional exchange initiative, launched in 1940 to strengthen diplomatic ties and foster mutual understanding between the United States and emerging global leaders. This program enables international participants, who are nominated by U.S. embassies, to engage in customized, short-term visits that align with U.S. foreign policy goals and showcase the nation's institutions, values, and communities. The IVLP Collaborative Services award is structured to provide operational and logistical support for the IVLP's programming and infrastructure. This includes services such as managing hotel procurement in Washington, DC, coordinating travel and accommodations for participants, processing per diem payments, and supporting the implementation of "in-house" IVLP On Demand projects. The selected recipient organization will play a critical role in enhancing the efficiency, scalability, and quality of IVLP projects by supporting project logistics, managing infrastructure needs, and coordinating training and capacity-building initiatives across the program network. The recipient will also be responsible for executing components like federalism briefings, Capitol tours, and home hospitality programming for participants. This cooperative agreement provides a total of approximately $1,197,000 over a 36-month performance period, distributed across a base year and two anticipated non-competitive continuation (NCC) years. Each year is funded at approximately $399,000, pending the availability of appropriated funds and satisfactory program performance. Funding is intended solely for staff salaries, overhead costs, and other administrative expenditures—direct participant-related travel and lodging costs will be handled via a separate mechanism. Organizations are also expected to support the Department's virtual programming goals by demonstrating the ability to pivot to virtual or hybrid exchange models if necessary. Eligible applicants must be U.S.-based nonprofit organizations or public/private educational institutions with a minimum of four years' experience conducting international exchanges. All applicants must be registered in SAM.gov and have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Additionally, organizations must demonstrate or plan to establish a physical office presence in the Washington, DC metropolitan area by January 1, 2026. Only one proposal will be accepted per organization, and all required documents must be submitted through Grants.gov by the application deadline. Applications must include a SF-424, executive summary, detailed project narrative, SF-424A budget, line-item budget, and a budget narrative. Proposals will be evaluated based on institutional record, program design, personnel capacity, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and cost-effectiveness. While cost sharing is not required, it is encouraged and should be well-documented. Final selection will be based on a competitive review and subject to funding availability and ECA’s determination of alignment with program priorities. The application deadline for this opportunity is September 8, 2025, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The anticipated award start date is January 1, 2026. For questions or clarifications, applicants may contact Benjamin Olsen at OlsenBC@state.gov or call (202) 256-3024. Detailed application instructions, including formatting and registration requirements, are available at https://www.grants.gov and https://eca.state.gov/organizational-funding.

Proposals should include an M&E plan, demonstrate fiscal responsibility, and align with ECA goals. Register in SAM.gov and Grants.gov early.