Opportunity Information: Apply for ECA ECAALW 15 002

  • The 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 2015 E Teacher Scholarship Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.421 Academic Exchange Programs English Language Programs.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Mar 24, 2015 and posted on Mar 24, 2015.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by May 8, 2015 No Explanation. (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 $2,500,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
  • none
Apply for ECA ECAALW 15 002

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Opportunity Summary:

The FY 2015 E Teacher Scholarship Program was a discretionary U.S. Department of State grant opportunity run through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs (ECA/A/L). Its core purpose was to expand high-quality, U.S.-style English language teaching professional development by giving foreign English teachers access to structured virtual learning. Rather than focusing on in-person exchanges, the program emphasized online and distance formats, aiming to reach large numbers of teachers efficiently while still exposing them to current U.S. approaches to teaching English as a foreign or second language.

Under this cooperative agreement, the selected recipient organization would work closely with ECA/A/L to administer scholarships for online learning in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The learning options were intentionally broad and could include online university courses, MOOCs, webinars, communities of practice, digital libraries, and other virtual professional development models. A key operational feature was that participants would not self-select; they would be nominated by U.S. embassies overseas. Course offerings could be set up for a global cohort, organized by region, or tailored to particular countries depending on embassy needs and requests.

The program anticipated serving about 1,200 teachers worldwide through these online courses. The courses were required to be university-level and focused on English as a Foreign/Second Language professional development. The content had three main instructional goals: first, to familiarize participants with U.S. student-centered teaching methods; second, to introduce up-to-date methods and techniques in TESOL/TEFL; and third, to prepare participants to formally share what they learned with colleagues in their home contexts. That dissemination requirement is important because the program was designed for a multiplier effect, meaning the scholarship recipients were expected to function as local catalysts for broader instructional improvement rather than keeping the training to themselves.

A defining requirement of the opportunity was that all course materials developed or delivered under the award had to be openly licensed using Creative Commons Attribution, version 4.0 or later (CC BY). This open licensing condition was intended to make the investment more cost-effective and scalable by allowing others to reuse, adapt, and redistribute the materials with proper attribution. In practice, this also encouraged innovation and ongoing local use of the learning resources after the grant period, since embassies, teachers, and institutions could continue building on the materials without restrictive copyright barriers.

From an administrative and funding standpoint, the opportunity was issued as a cooperative agreement, signaling substantial involvement and collaboration from the U.S. government agency during implementation (as opposed to a more hands-off grant). The announcement projected one award, with a funding ceiling of $2,500,000 and no required cost sharing or matching. The CFDA listing associated with the opportunity was 19.421, Academic Exchange Programs, English Language Programs. Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, along with additional eligible entity types as indicated in the posting.

Key dates in the public notice were a posted date of March 24, 2015, and an application deadline of May 8, 2015, with the opportunity later archived on June 7, 2015. For technical access issues, the announcement directed applicants to the Grants.gov Contact Center (support@grants.gov, 1-800-518-4726). Overall, the opportunity was designed to use online education at scale to strengthen English teaching capacity internationally, while ensuring the resulting training materials remained openly available and reusable through CC BY licensing.

FY 2015 E Teacher Scholarship Program (U.S. Department of State) - FAQs

What is the FY 2015 E Teacher Scholarship Program?

The FY 2015 E Teacher Scholarship Program was a discretionary U.S. Department of State grant opportunity run by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs (ECA/A/L). It was designed to expand access to high-quality, U.S.-style English language teaching professional development through structured online and distance learning.

What was the main purpose of the program?

The core purpose was to reach large numbers of foreign English teachers efficiently through virtual professional development, while exposing them to current U.S. approaches to teaching English as a foreign or second language (TESOL/TEFL), rather than relying on in-person exchanges.

Which U.S. government office administered this opportunity?

The opportunity was administered through the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs (ECA/A/L).

What type of award was it?

It was issued as a cooperative agreement, meaning substantial involvement and collaboration from the U.S. government agency during implementation (as opposed to a more hands-off grant).

How many awards were expected?

The announcement projected one award.

What was the maximum funding amount?

The funding ceiling was $2,500,000.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity stated that there was no required cost sharing or matching.

What was the CFDA number associated with this program?

The CFDA listing associated with the opportunity was 19.421, Academic Exchange Programs, English Language Programs.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, along with additional eligible entity types as indicated in the posting.

Who were the intended participants or beneficiaries?

The intended participants were foreign English teachers worldwide who would receive scholarships for online, university-level professional development in teaching English as a foreign or second language.

How were teachers selected for participation?

Participants were not expected to self-select. Instead, they would be nominated by U.S. embassies overseas.

About how many teachers was the program expected to serve?

The program anticipated serving about 1,200 teachers worldwide through the online courses.

What kinds of learning activities could be supported?

The learning options were intentionally broad and could include online university courses, MOOCs, webinars, communities of practice, digital libraries, and other virtual professional development models.

Were the courses required to be university-level?

Yes. The courses were required to be university-level and focused on English as a Foreign/Second Language professional development.

What instructional goals did the course content need to address?

The content had three main instructional goals: (1) familiarize participants with U.S. student-centered teaching methods; (2) introduce up-to-date methods and techniques in TESOL/TEFL; and (3) prepare participants to formally share what they learned with colleagues in their home contexts.

Why was there an emphasis on sharing learning with colleagues?

The program was designed for a multiplier effect. Scholarship recipients were expected to function as local catalysts for broader instructional improvement by disseminating what they learned, rather than keeping the training to themselves.

How were course cohorts expected to be organized?

Course offerings could be set up for a global cohort, organized by region, or tailored to particular countries depending on U.S. embassy needs and requests.

What role would the recipient organization play?

Under the cooperative agreement, the selected recipient organization would work closely with ECA/A/L to administer scholarships for online learning in TESOL and to deliver or support the virtual professional development offerings described in the opportunity.

Was open licensing required for course materials?

Yes. A defining requirement was that all course materials developed or delivered under the award had to be openly licensed using Creative Commons Attribution, version 4.0 or later (CC BY).

What does the CC BY requirement mean in practical terms?

It means materials could be reused, adapted, and redistributed by others as long as proper attribution is given. The requirement was intended to make the investment more cost-effective and scalable and to encourage ongoing local use of the resources after the grant period.

What were the key dates listed in the public notice?

The posted date was March 24, 2015. The application deadline was May 8, 2015. The opportunity was later archived on June 7, 2015.

Where were applicants directed for technical help accessing the application system?

For technical access issues, applicants were directed to the Grants.gov Contact Center at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726.

Was the program focused on in-person exchanges?

No. The program emphasized online and distance formats rather than in-person exchanges, with the goal of reaching large numbers of teachers efficiently.

What was the overall intended impact of the opportunity?

The opportunity was designed to use online education at scale to strengthen English teaching capacity internationally, while ensuring that training materials remained openly available and reusable through CC BY licensing.

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