Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0004997
The FY 2018 J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (Stevens Initiative) is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) discretionary grant opportunity designed to expand and strengthen people-to-people engagement between young people in the United States and their peers across the Middle East and North Africa (NEA). Created as a tribute to Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and developed in partnership with the Stevens Family Foundation, the program centers on the idea that meaningful international exchange does not always require travel. Instead, it uses technology and online collaboration tools to create structured educational exchanges that connect participants across borders in sustained, guided learning experiences.
At its core, the opportunity supports “virtual exchange” programs, meaning intensive, organized online engagements where youth at different education levels work together over time. The emphasis is not on one-off video calls, but on planned, facilitated interactions that are educational in nature and built to deepen mutual understanding. By bringing students and other youth into regular contact with one another, the initiative aims to reduce stereotypes, build cross-cultural competence, and develop practical skills that are increasingly essential in modern education and the global workforce. The broader long-term ambition described in the opportunity is scale: equipping more than one million young people with the skills and aptitudes needed to succeed in the 21st century, such as communication, collaboration, digital literacy, and the ability to work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds.
The announcement situates the FY 2018 competition within an ongoing effort launched in 2015. By the time of this solicitation, the Stevens Initiative had already supported more than 20 projects and reached over 28,000 participants. Those projects spanned 40 U.S. states and 18 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, which signals both geographic reach and a tested program model. The 2018 grant opportunity is therefore framed as a continuation and expansion mechanism for an established initiative rather than a brand-new pilot.
From an administrative standpoint, the funding instrument type is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates that the federal agency expects to have substantial involvement in the project’s implementation compared with a standard grant. The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 19.415 and falls under the funding activity category labeled “Other,” with further clarification referenced in the original posting. The award ceiling is $5,000,000, indicating the maximum possible award size under this competition. The posting lists “ExpectedAwards: 0,” which can appear in some federal listings for technical or planning reasons and does not necessarily mean no awards will be made, but it does signal that applicants should review the full official solicitation for the agency’s award intentions and structure.
Eligibility is broad and includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions where applicable under that category). The opportunity also includes an “Others” category, with the note that additional eligibility details are provided elsewhere in the solicitation. In practical terms, this points to universities and nonprofit program operators as primary applicants, with potential room for other qualified entities depending on the State Department’s specific eligibility language.
Key dates included in the listing show the opportunity was created on April 30, 2018, with an original closing date of June 8, 2018. The program is managed by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which is the bureau that typically oversees educational exchange and cultural diplomacy programs. Overall, the grant opportunity is aimed at supporting scalable, well-structured virtual exchange programming that connects U.S. youth with peers in NEA, strengthens mutual understanding, and builds durable skills through sustained online collaboration.Apply for SFOP0004997
- 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 2018 J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (Stevens Initiative)" 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 Apr 30, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 08, 2018. (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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- 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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