Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund - FY25

The Office of Sudan Affairs announces an open competition for past participants (“alumni”) of U.S. government-funded and U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs to submit applications to the 2025 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2025). We seek proposals from teams of at least two alumni that meet all program eligibility requirements below. Exchange alumni interested in participating in AEIF 2025 should submit proposals to [email protected] by January 31, 2025.

AEIF provides alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs the opportunity to expand on skills gained during their exchange experiences and develop innovative public service-oriented projects that address U.S. foreign policy themes such as building civic participation; promoting good governance and resilient communities; fostering economic prosperity; empowering women and girls; advancing science, technology, health, and innovation; and promoting inclusion and educational opportunity.

Program Objectives:

Through this notice of funding, we are seeking proposals from exchange alumni, and we expect proposals to cover or to fall under one of the following objectives:

·       Promoting human rights awareness and advocacy

·       Promoting civic education and engagement

·       Promoting media capacity building

·       Promoting women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, and STEM

·       Promoting societal inclusion 

·       Promoting peace through the arts

·        Promoting English language learning

The Office of Sudan Affairs will accept public service projects proposed and managed by teams of at least two alumni that support goals in line with the objectives above. Proposals for projects inside Sudan will be accepted, as long as they provide a clear risk assessment and a monitoring plan that address security risks and contingencies given the instability of the situation in Sudan. Proposals for projects outside Sudan should provide a clear description of the beneficiaries and how the project aims to engage with them.

A.   FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Announcement posted: December 3, 2025

Closing date for applications: January 31, 2025

Award amounts: $5,000 to $35,000 per project

Funding type: Overall grant making authority for this program is contained in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, Public Law 87-256, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act.

Decision date: no later than May 15, 2025

Anticipated program start date: Between August and October 2025

This notice is subject to availability of funding.

Funding Instrument Type: Grant, fixed amount award

Program Performance Period:  Proposed programs should be completed in one year or less. 

B.     ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION

1.    Eligible Applicants

The following individuals are eligible to apply:

·        Applicants must be alumni of a U.S. government-funded or U.S. government-sponsored exchange program (https://alumni.state.gov/list-exchange-programs).

·       Projects teams must include at least two alumni.

·       Alumni who are U.S. citizens may not submit proposals, but U.S. citizen alumni may participate as team members in a project.

·       Alumni teams may include alumni from different exchange programs and different countries.

·        Applications must be submitted by exchange alumni or associations of USG exchange alumni. No other organizations are eligible to apply. Exchange alumni may partner with not-for-profit or non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and academic institutions to implement project activities. Grants may be issued to individual alumni or partner organizations.

2.    Cost Sharing

Inclusion of a cost sharing component in the proposal is not required.

3.    Grant Program Area 

Proposals must address one of the objectives above. Proposals that do not address one of those themes as outlined in the program objectives will be deemed ineligible. All project activities must take place outside of the United States and its territories. 

4.    Other Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to receive an award, organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov, as well as a valid registration in www.SAM.gov. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.

C.     APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

*  Kindly see attached Application Package