Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) 2026: Exchange Alumni Advancing Freedom250

The Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) 2026: Exchange Alumni Advancing Freedom250 is a discretionary cooperative agreement program offered by the U.S. Department of State through the U.S. Mission to Niger. This initiative is part of the Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs Appropriation Overseas Grants, cataloged under CFDA 19.022. For the 2026 cycle, the program aligns with the U.S. Embassy in Niamey's efforts to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. The Embassy seeks to convene an Alumni Summit under the AEIF 2026 umbrella to foster exchange alumni collaboration around the theme of freedom and democratic values. The primary objective of the grant is to promote alumni-led initiatives that uphold freedom of expression and related democratic principles. This is closely tied to broader U.S. foreign policy goals, including advancing security, prosperity, and democratic governance. The summit is envisioned as a dynamic event bringing together diverse alumni from various professional sectors and countries, united by shared experiences in U.S.-sponsored exchange programs. The event will serve both celebratory and strategic purposes: highlighting past successes while setting the stage for new, alumni-driven collaborations that extend beyond the immediate event. AEIF 2026 will fund up to two projects with a total program budget of $40,000. Each award will range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $40,000. This funding must be used in support of initiatives that emerge from the summit’s engagements, reinforcing the project's themes and goals. Notably, cost sharing or matching is not required, allowing greater flexibility for applicants. The funding will be administered as a cooperative agreement, indicating a closer level of involvement from the grantor in implementing funded projects. Eligibility for this grant is specifically restricted to alumni of U.S. government-funded or sponsored exchange programs. The lead applicant must be a non-U.S. citizen exchange alumnus or alumna, and project teams must include at least two eligible exchange alumni, one of whom must be based in Niger. While U.S. citizen alumni may participate in project teams, they cannot serve as primary applicants or project leads. Applications must be submitted either by individual alumni or alumni associations. Other types of organizations are not eligible to apply directly, though partnerships with external organizations are permitted for project implementation. The application process is conducted through Grants.gov, and submissions must be completed by April 30, 2026. There is no pre-application requirement such as a letter of intent or concept note. Applications must include project proposals that align with the summit’s themes and demonstrate a plan for impact beyond the event itself. Evaluation criteria are not explicitly outlined in the summary, but due to the nature of cooperative agreements, applicants should expect a collaborative planning and oversight process once awarded. Applicants with questions or technical difficulties in accessing the announcement or submission portal can contact the U.S. Mission to Niger via email at [email protected]. Although the total number of awards is limited to two, the program's strategic alignment with the U.S. government’s Freedom250 initiative and focus on engaging international exchange alumni offers a high-impact opportunity for civic engagement and transnational collaboration. There is no indication of whether the opportunity will recur in future years.