FY 2025 International Sports Programming Initiative

The FY 2025 International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI) is a federally funded cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically through the Office of Citizen Exchanges' Sports Diplomacy Division (ECA/PE/C/SD). The initiative aims to foster mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries by supporting sports-based exchange programs that align with U.S. foreign policy objectives. ISPI is grounded in the authority of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 and is designed to enhance cross-cultural dialogue through the power of sports. The primary objective of ISPI is to advance U.S. foreign policy goals, promote American values such as fair play and open competition, and prepare young global leaders to contribute to stable and inclusive communities. Through structured sports exchanges, ISPI enhances mutual understanding, builds bilateral relationships, and contributes to youth development both domestically and internationally. Themes may include diversity and inclusion, gender equity, disability rights, and health and wellness, with all programming expected to promote landmark events such as America250, the FIFA World Cup, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. The cooperative agreement will fund one award totaling approximately $1,400,000 for a 12- to 36-month period. The awardee will be responsible for designing and implementing up to 14 inbound or outbound exchanges, each lasting a minimum of 10 days. These exchanges will engage around 45 international and 95 U.S.-based participants including youth development professionals, coaches, and sports administrators. The lead recipient will manage up to 10 exchanges directly and oversee at least two subaward recipients for the remaining exchanges. All subawards must be issued through a competitive selection process approved by ECA after the grant is awarded. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofit organizations and accredited educational institutions with at least four years of experience conducting international exchanges. Proposals must demonstrate thematic and regional expertise, include a detailed plan for soliciting subaward partners, and provide a robust performance monitoring plan using the ECA’s MODE Framework. Required documents include SF-424 and SF-424A forms, an executive summary, a proposal narrative, a detailed line-item budget with narrative, and demonstration of eligibility credentials through SAM.gov and MyGrants registration. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time on August 11, 2025. Late applications will be rejected automatically by the Grants.gov system. The anticipated award date is September 30, 2025. Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Nicholas Hirsch at HirschNW@state.gov, the designated point of contact in the Sports Diplomacy Division. Once the deadline has passed, applicants may not correspond with ECA staff regarding the competition until the review process is complete. Review criteria include the quality and feasibility of the program idea, institutional capacity, cost-effectiveness, plans for monitoring and evaluation, and potential for sustainable impact. Proposals must also reflect compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws and should be prepared to accommodate virtual delivery formats if necessary due to changing global conditions. Performance reporting is required throughout the life of the award and will be conducted via the MyGrants system. Successful implementation will require coordination with U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, and all J-1 visa requirements must be met for international participants.

Proposals must comply with all requirements in the NOFO, POGI, and PSI to be considered. Only one proposal per applicant will be reviewed, based on the most recent submission.