Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0007872
The FY 2021 Leaders Lead On-Demand Program (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0007872) is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) opportunity run through the Office of Citizen Exchanges. It funds a flexible, fast-moving exchange mechanism designed to respond to emerging foreign policy priorities. The core idea is that U.S. Embassies and Consulates identify timely needs or promising ideas in the field, and the award recipient then turns those ideas into customized, two-way exchange projects. The program was previously known as Professional Fellows On-Demand, and it keeps the same emphasis on practical, professional, relationship-based exchanges rather than purely academic programming.
This opportunity will be made as a cooperative agreement, meaning ECA expects to remain actively involved in shaping and overseeing the work rather than simply issuing a grant and stepping back. The anticipated award ceiling is $1,000,000, with one expected award. Under that single award, the recipient is expected to implement multiple distinct projects rather than one uniform program. ECA anticipates four to six separate exchange projects serving about 50 total participants, typically around 40 international participants and 10 U.S. participants. These projects can vary in size and scope, but they should consistently target people positioned to influence change: current or rising leaders from government, business, and civil society.
A defining feature of each project is a tailored U.S.-based exchange for the foreign participants. Foreign participants travel to the United States for an intensive program built around their specific professional goals and the policy objective of the project. A key required element of the U.S. portion is an individually tailored professional “fellowship placement,” essentially a hands-on working placement with a host organization where participants gain practical experience, observe U.S. approaches, and build lasting professional ties. The projects are designed as two-way exchanges, so the U.S. program is paired with a reciprocal overseas component for American participants. That overseas travel can occur before or after the foreign participants come to the United States, but the intent is the same: mutual learning and sustained collaboration rather than a one-directional study tour.
Participant recruitment and selection are tightly coordinated with the U.S. government. The award recipient is expected to work closely with ECA, U.S. Embassies, and relevant in-country or regional partner organizations to recruit, screen, and select participants and to design the activities that best meet each project’s objective. The final list of selected participants must be approved by ECA before any offers are extended. American participants are also selected in close consultation with ECA, and they are expected to bring relevant experience or expertise in the project theme. Another important requirement is that American participants should have an established connection or linkage with the foreign participants, reinforcing the program’s emphasis on durable networks and practical collaboration rather than one-off meetings.
Beyond the core travel exchanges, the announcement encourages applicants to build in follow-on components when they fit the project’s goals and scale. Examples named in the notice include regional gatherings of participants overseas, small grants competitions, local trainings, and other post-program activities that help participants apply what they learned, collaborate across borders, and extend impact in their home communities. In practice, this means the winning applicant is not only organizing itineraries and placements, but also building a structured pipeline from embassy-identified priorities to program design, participant matching, implementation, and alumni-driven continuation activities.
Eligibility is open to U.S. public and private nonprofit organizations that meet 501(c)(3) requirements, as well as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education (with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement). The opportunity is listed under CFDA 19.415. The funding opportunity was created March 30, 2021, with an original application closing date of June 1, 2021. Overall, the program is best understood as a rapid-response, customized exchange platform that uses professional fellowships and reciprocal travel to connect U.S. and international leaders and advance U.S. foreign policy objectives through sustained people-to-people partnerships.Apply for SFOP0007872
- 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 2021 Leaders Lead On-Demand Program" 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 Mar 30, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 01, 2021. (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 $1,000,000.00 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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