2026 Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) Summit

The 2026 Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) Summit funding opportunity is issued by the U.S. Department of State through the Public Diplomacy Sections of the U.S. Embassies in Seoul and Tokyo. This initiative reflects the Department's commitment to advancing trilateral cooperation among the United States, Republic of Korea (ROK), and Japan by investing in the leadership development of emerging youth leaders. This particular announcement, PD-SEOUL-FY25-04, calls for applications to plan and execute the third annual YTL Summit in summer 2026, to be held in the United States. The summit location should be strategically accessible to participants from all three countries, with Hawaii noted as a preferred example. The YTL initiative is designed to support a cohort of approximately 50 youth leaders aged 18 to 35 from the U.S., ROK, and Japan. These individuals must demonstrate leadership experience, community involvement, and a strong interest in trilateral cooperation. The program aims to provide these participants with a robust policy background on security and economic challenges relevant to the trilateral relationship. It also emphasizes leadership, collaboration, and public engagement to help participants act as catalysts for deeper cooperation among the three nations. The total funding available for this cooperative agreement is $200,000, with only one award expected. The performance period is 12 months, with an anticipated start date of November 2025. Applicants must be U.S.-based nonprofit organizations or academic institutions with experience operating across the U.S., Japan, and South Korea. The funding comes from FY24/FY25 Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds and includes substantial involvement from the U.S. Embassies, particularly in program design, participant selection, speaker engagement, and promotional outreach. Eligible applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and active registration with SAM.gov. Applications are due by Monday, July 21, at 11:59 p.m. GMT+9, and should be submitted via email to SeoulPDGrants@state.gov. The proposal package must include standard forms SF-424, SF-424A, and potentially SF-424B, along with a 10-page narrative, budget justification, and supporting documents such as resumes, letters of support, and, if applicable, a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). Applicants are encouraged to ensure compliance with formatting, language, and budgeting requirements as specified in Section D. The summit must include a minimum four-week virtual engagement phase and a three-day in-person summit, followed by structured follow-on activities and mentorship. U.S. Embassy involvement in speaker selection, program structure, and evaluation is required throughout. Applications will be reviewed on the quality and feasibility of the proposed idea, organizational capacity, clarity of goals and objectives, budget soundness, and plans for monitoring, evaluation, and sustainability. Notifications for unsuccessful applicants will be sent by August 2025. The payment mechanism will follow SF-270 reimbursement procedures. This opportunity is contingent on funding availability, and continuation grants may be awarded non-competitively if justified.

Emphasis on clearly demonstrating trilateral programming experience, U.S. institutional connections, and inclusion of Embassy input across selection and implementation stages.