Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0018391
The FY 2026 Youth Ambassadors Programs funding opportunity is a U.S. Department of State exchange initiative administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically its Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division. It is offered as an open, competitive solicitation for organizations to design and implement youth leadership exchanges that bring together participants from select countries and the United States for an intensive, three-week program. The central purpose is to build youth leadership skills, strengthen cross-cultural understanding, and support longer-term civic engagement by requiring participants to take what they learn and carry it back home through follow-on community projects.
The program is structured around eight separate program options described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applicants are allowed to pursue one or multiple options, but each option requires its own standalone proposal. If an organization chooses to apply for more than one option, it cannot combine them into a single submission; it must submit a different proposal for each and clearly label which program option the proposal addresses early in the Executive Summary. That structure matters because each option may differ in geographic focus, participant design, thematic emphasis, or implementation details, and ECA wants proposals that are clearly tailored to the chosen option rather than broadly written.
At its core, the Youth Ambassadors model is an exchange experience built around youth leadership development. The program includes groups of youth participants and, in some program options, adult mentors. The geographic scope is broad and covers multiple world regions: Sub-Saharan Africa (AF), East Asia and Pacific (EAP), Europe and Eurasia (EUR), Middle East and North Africa (NEA), South Central Asia (SCA), and the Western Hemisphere (WHA), along with participation connected to the United States (USA). The exchange design also emphasizes peer-to-peer engagement with U.S. youth and adult mentors, including U.S.-based exchanges where U.S. participants take part as peers rather than only hosting or observing. In practical terms, this means applicants should expect to build programming that supports meaningful interaction, joint problem-solving, and collaborative leadership activities between international and U.S. participants.
A notable feature in this FY 2026 competition is the encouragement to incorporate artificial intelligence in a thoughtful, constructive way. While leadership remains the main theme, applicants are specifically encouraged to showcase creative and transformative applications of AI concepts, resources, strategies, and tools within the leadership framework. This does not read like a requirement to build a technical AI training program; rather, it signals ECA interest in modern, relevant leadership approaches that could include responsible use of AI for civic projects, community problem analysis, communications, education, entrepreneurship, or other youth-led initiatives, while ideally addressing real-world considerations like ethics, safety, transparency, and equitable access.
The award instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates an active partnership relationship with the federal agency during implementation rather than a more hands-off grant. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, and the funding activity category is listed as "Other." The assistance listing (CFDA) number associated with this program is 19.415, which corresponds to ECA exchange programming. The agency expects to make up to eight awards under this competition, aligning with the eight program options referenced in the solicitation.
In terms of applicant eligibility, the competition is open to several common categories of exchange-implementing institutions. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category listing). The eligibility list also includes an "Others" category, which typically means additional entity types may be allowable if permitted by the full Notice of Funding Opportunity and federal assistance rules, so applicants should confirm any edge cases directly against the full announcement language.
Key dates and funding parameters are straightforward. The opportunity was created on May 19, 2026, and the original closing date is July 17, 2026. The award ceiling is listed as $2,100,000, which indicates the maximum federal funding level for an award under this announcement (often per award, though applicants should confirm the exact interpretation in the full NOFO, especially if ceilings vary by program option). With eight expected awards, the competition is designed to fund multiple implementers, potentially one per program option or multiple awards distributed across the options, depending on ECA program design and the quality of submissions.
Overall, this opportunity is aimed at experienced exchange and youth development implementers that can run a high-touch, short-term but intensive international exchange, facilitate deep peer engagement with U.S. youth, and ensure the program has a durable impact through structured follow-on projects in participants home communities. Competitive proposals will generally need to demonstrate strong participant support and safeguarding, high-quality leadership programming, credible plans for cross-cultural engagement, and a practical approach to integrating AI in ways that are responsible, relevant, and genuinely useful to youth-led community change. For the full set of requirements, deliverables, and the details of the eight program options, applicants are directed to the complete Notice of Funding Opportunity.Apply for DFOP0018391
- The Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2026 Youth Ambassadors Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.415.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-19.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.
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FY 2026 Youth Ambassadors Programs - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the FY 2026 Youth Ambassadors Programs funding opportunity?
This opportunity is a U.S. Department of State exchange initiative for organizations to design and implement youth leadership exchanges. It brings together participants from select countries and the United States for an intensive, three-week program focused on leadership development, cross-cultural understanding, and longer-term civic engagement through follow-on community projects.
2) Which U.S. Department of State office administers this program?
The program is administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division.
3) What type of funding opportunity is this?
It is offered as an open, competitive solicitation for discretionary funding. The funding activity category is listed as "Other."
4) What is the award instrument?
The award instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means the federal agency expects to be actively involved as a partner during implementation rather than taking a hands-off approach.
5) What is the primary purpose of the Youth Ambassadors exchange?
The central purpose is to build youth leadership skills, strengthen cross-cultural understanding, and support ongoing civic engagement. A required element is that participants take what they learn and apply it through follow-on community projects in their home communities.
6) How long is the exchange program?
The program is designed as an intensive, three-week exchange experience.
7) How is the opportunity structured (program options)?
The Notice of Funding Opportunity describes eight separate program options. Each option may differ in geographic focus, participant design, thematic emphasis, or implementation details.
8) Can an organization apply for more than one program option?
Yes. Applicants may pursue one or multiple program options, but each option requires its own standalone proposal.
9) Can multiple program options be combined into one application?
No. If applying to more than one option, an organization cannot combine options into a single submission. A separate proposal must be submitted for each option.
10) How should applicants indicate which program option they are applying for?
Each proposal should be clearly labeled with the specific program option it addresses early in the Executive Summary.
11) Who typically participates in the Youth Ambassadors model?
The model includes groups of youth participants and, in some program options, adult mentors.
12) What regions are included in the program's geographic scope?
The geographic scope spans multiple world regions: Sub-Saharan Africa (AF), East Asia and Pacific (EAP), Europe and Eurasia (EUR), Middle East and North Africa (NEA), South Central Asia (SCA), and the Western Hemisphere (WHA), along with participation connected to the United States (USA).
13) What does "peer-to-peer engagement" mean in this program?
The exchange design emphasizes meaningful interaction between international youth participants and U.S. youth (and adult mentors). It is intended to be more than hosting or observation, and should include joint problem-solving, collaborative leadership activities, and substantive cross-cultural engagement.
14) Are U.S. youth expected to participate as peers in the exchange?
Yes. The program description emphasizes U.S.-based exchanges where U.S. participants take part as peers, not only as hosts or observers.
15) Is artificial intelligence (AI) required as part of the program design?
The FY 2026 competition encourages applicants to incorporate AI in a thoughtful, constructive way, but it is framed as encouragement rather than a strict requirement in the provided information.
16) What kinds of AI integration is ECA looking for?
ECA signals interest in creative and transformative applications of AI concepts, resources, strategies, and tools within a youth leadership framework. Examples referenced in the description include responsible AI use for civic projects, community problem analysis, communications, education, entrepreneurship, or other youth-led initiatives.
17) Does incorporating AI mean the program must be a technical AI training course?
No. The description suggests leadership remains the main theme, and AI is positioned as a modern, relevant leadership toolset rather than the core purpose of the exchange.
18) Are there expectations around responsible AI use?
Yes. The description highlights real-world considerations such as ethics, safety, transparency, and equitable access as relevant to AI integration.
19) How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The agency expects to make up to eight awards under this competition, aligning with the eight program options in the solicitation.
20) What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling is listed as $2,100,000, meaning the maximum federal funding level for an award under this announcement. The description notes applicants should confirm the exact interpretation in the full NOFO, particularly if ceilings vary by program option.
21) When was this opportunity created and when does it close?
The opportunity was created on May 19, 2026. The original closing date is July 17, 2026.
22) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education under that nonprofit category listing). The eligibility list also includes an "Others" category, which suggests additional entity types may be allowable depending on the full Notice of Funding Opportunity and federal assistance rules.
23) What is the assistance listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The assistance listing (CFDA) number associated with this program is 19.415, which corresponds to ECA exchange programming.
24) What should a competitive proposal generally demonstrate?
Based on the description provided, competitive proposals should generally show the ability to run a high-touch, short-term but intensive international exchange; facilitate deep peer engagement with U.S. youth; and ensure durable impact through structured follow-on community projects. The description also indicates the value of strong participant support and safeguarding, high-quality leadership programming, credible cross-cultural engagement plans, and a practical, responsible approach to integrating AI.
25) Where can applicants find the full requirements and the details of the eight program options?
Applicants are directed to the complete Notice of Funding Opportunity for the full set of requirements, deliverables, and detailed descriptions of all eight program options.
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