FY 2017 Professional Fellows Congress | ECA ECAPEC 17 023

Opportunity Information: Apply for ECA ECAPEC 17 023

The FY 2017 Professional Fellows Congress funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number ECA ECAPEC 17 023) is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically through the Office of Citizen Exchanges. It seeks proposals from qualified U.S. organizations to plan and deliver the Professional Fellows Congress (PFC) in two separate convenings, one in spring 2018 and one in fall 2018. These congresses are described as the capstone or concluding element of the FY 2017 Professional Fellows Program (PFP), meaning they are meant to bring closure, synthesis, and forward momentum after participants complete their month-long U.S. professional placements.

The core purpose of the project is to organize and implement two three-day congress events that gather all non-U.S. Professional Fellows at the end of their fellowship experience. While the PFP itself places emerging leaders from civil society and government into professional assignments with U.S. host organizations across the country, the congress is designed to pull those dispersed experiences into a shared, higher-level context. In practice, the PFC functions like a structured wrap-up and networking summit: it helps participants compare what they observed in different U.S. communities and institutions, identify common themes across their placements, and translate individual learning into ideas for collaboration and continued engagement.

The opportunity is tightly tied to the goals of the Professional Fellows Program as a two-way exchange. For non-U.S. participants, the PFP aims to build practical knowledge of U.S. approaches, methods, and professional practices in their fields while also deepening their understanding of U.S. society, culture, and people. For U.S. participants and counterparts, the exchange is also intended to increase understanding of the visiting fellows societies, cultures, and professional norms. The congress advances these goals by creating a dedicated space at the end of the fellowship where fellows can reflect on what they learned, connect their experiences to broader civic and professional themes, and strengthen relationships that may lead to long-term professional ties.

A major emphasis of the congress is collaboration and sustained networks. The announcement highlights that the PFC should promote collaboration among fellows, introduce them to alumni and other resources, and reinforce the Professional Fellows Program as an ongoing public diplomacy tool. In other words, the congress is not only an event; it is meant to serve as a bridge from the short-term fellowship experience to longer-term alumni engagement, partnerships, and continued interaction with U.S. institutions and professional communities.

Eligible applicants include U.S. public and private nonprofit organizations that meet the requirements of 26 USC 501(c)(3). The eligibility list also explicitly includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and certain other eligible entities as defined in the full announcement. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates that the federal agency expects to have substantial involvement in the project during implementation, such as coordination on program content, approvals, or collaboration on participant-related and programmatic decisions.

The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 19.415 and was created on 2017-03-02, with an original application closing date of 2017-05-01. The award ceiling is $675,000. The posting notes expected awards but does not clearly state the number in the provided excerpt. Overall, the solicitation is focused on selecting an organization capable of designing and executing two high-quality, three-day capstone congresses that effectively conclude the FY 2017 Professional Fellows Program cohorts by consolidating learning, strengthening professional networks, and supporting the U.S. public diplomacy objectives of the exchange.

• The Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2017 Professional Fellows Congress" 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 2017-03-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-05-01. (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 $675,000.00 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.

Apply for ECA ECAPEC 17 023

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