Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0009179
The FY 2023 Ambassador Fund for Summer Work Travel (AFSWT) is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity run through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically its Office of Private Sector Exchange, branded as BridgeUSA. The grant is designed to support the administration of a scholarship program connected to the Summer Work Travel exchange category, with the goal of expanding access for foreign university students to participate in a U.S.-based cultural exchange experience.
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary award and will be issued as a single cooperative agreement, meaning the Department of State expects substantial involvement in the program’s implementation rather than simply providing funds with minimal oversight. The agency anticipates making one award with an estimated funding level up to about $465,000, contingent on the availability of FY 2022 recovery funds that are being carried over and obligated in FY 2023. In other words, the funding is planned, but it is tied to the government’s ability to access and apply those carryover funds.
The core program deliverable is the provision of approximately 150 Summer Work Travel scholarships for foreign university students. A key design feature is regional balance: scholarship recipients are expected to be evenly distributed across five world regions used by the Department of State for programming purposes: Africa (AF), Europe and Eurasia (EUR), East Asia and Pacific (EAP), Near East and North Africa (NEA), and the Western Hemisphere (WHA). The scholarship emphasis indicates the awardee would be responsible for managing a selection and placement pipeline that does not concentrate participants in only one geography, but instead maintains a deliberate distribution across regions.
Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based organizations that can administer an exchange-related scholarship initiative at scale. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (and, per the announcement’s eligibility field, potentially other applicants as clarified in the full notice). The listing aligns to CFDA (now commonly referenced as Assistance Listing) 19.451, which is associated with ECA exchange programming.
From an administrative standpoint, the announcement was created on September 2, 2022, with an original application deadline of October 31, 2022. The Department of State is seeking proposals that demonstrate an organization can run the operational side of a scholarship-backed Summer Work Travel effort, including the coordination and management functions that typically come with an exchange program (such as recruitment/selection processes, regional allocation planning, participant support structures, and compliance with the cooperative agreement framework), while meeting BridgeUSA’s program objectives. For full implementation requirements, budget rules, and evaluation criteria, applicants are directed to consult the complete official announcement tied to Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0009179.Apply for SFOP0009179
- The Department of State, Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2023 Ambassador Fund for Summer Work Travel" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.451.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 02, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 31, 2022. (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 $465,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FY 2023 Ambassador Fund for Summer Work Travel (AFSWT) - FAQs
What is the FY 2023 Ambassador Fund for Summer Work Travel (AFSWT) grant?
The FY 2023 Ambassador Fund for Summer Work Travel (AFSWT) is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity intended to support the administration of a scholarship program connected to the Summer Work Travel exchange category. Its purpose is to expand access for foreign university students to participate in a U.S.-based cultural exchange experience.
Which U.S. government office runs this opportunity?
This opportunity is run through the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically the Office of Private Sector Exchange. The program is branded as BridgeUSA.
What type of award is this?
This is described as a discretionary award and will be issued as a single cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement indicates the Department of State expects substantial involvement in the program's implementation, rather than simply providing funds with minimal oversight.
How many awards does the Department of State expect to make?
The agency anticipates making one award.
What is the estimated funding amount?
The estimated funding level is up to about $465,000. The actual award amount is contingent on the availability of FY 2022 recovery funds that are being carried over and obligated in FY 2023.
Is the funding guaranteed?
The planned funding is tied to the government's ability to access and apply FY 2022 recovery funds being carried over into FY 2023. That means the award is contingent upon the availability of those funds.
What is the main program deliverable funded by this grant?
The core deliverable is the provision of approximately 150 Summer Work Travel scholarships for foreign university students.
How are scholarship recipients expected to be distributed geographically?
The program emphasizes regional balance. Scholarship recipients are expected to be evenly distributed across five Department of State world regions: Africa (AF), Europe and Eurasia (EUR), East Asia and Pacific (EAP), Near East and North Africa (NEA), and the Western Hemisphere (WHA).
What does the regional balance requirement mean in practice?
Based on the description, the awardee is expected to manage a selection and placement pipeline that avoids concentrating participants in a single geography and instead maintains a deliberate, even distribution across the five regions listed in the announcement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based organizations that can administer an exchange-related scholarship initiative at scale. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status. The notice also suggests there may be other eligible applicants as clarified in the full announcement.
Do applicants need to be based in the United States?
Yes. The eligibility description limits applicants to U.S.-based organizations.
Is this grant for foreign university students to apply for directly?
No. The funding opportunity is for U.S.-based organizations to administer a scholarship program. The scholarships supported by the program are for foreign university students, but the applicant for the federal award is an eligible U.S. organization.
What exchange category is supported by this grant?
The grant supports a scholarship program connected to the Summer Work Travel exchange category, which is part of the BridgeUSA portfolio.
What kinds of responsibilities should the awardee be prepared to manage?
The Department of State is seeking proposals that demonstrate the organization can operate the scholarship-backed Summer Work Travel effort, including functions commonly associated with exchange programs. The description specifically references recruitment and selection processes, regional allocation planning, participant support structures, and compliance with the cooperative agreement framework.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity?
The listing aligns to CFDA (now commonly referenced as an Assistance Listing) 19.451, which is associated with ECA exchange programming.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for the full official announcement?
The full official announcement is tied to Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0009179.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The announcement was created on September 2, 2022.
What was the application deadline listed in the announcement?
The original application deadline was October 31, 2022.
Where should applicants look for full implementation requirements and evaluation criteria?
For complete implementation requirements, budget rules, and evaluation criteria, applicants are directed to consult the complete official announcement associated with Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0009179.
Why is the award structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant?
The announcement notes that a cooperative agreement is used when the Department of State expects substantial involvement in implementation. This suggests the federal agency will play an active role in overseeing or shaping program execution, rather than operating strictly at arm's length.
What is the overall goal of the scholarship program supported by this award?
The goal is to expand access for foreign university students to participate in a U.S.-based cultural exchange experience through the Summer Work Travel category.
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