Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0017979
Apply for DFOP0017979
- The Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2026 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES)" 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 2026-03-26.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-26. (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 $10,000,000.00 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The FY 2026 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0017979) is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) discretionary grant that will fund one organization to run the YES high school exchange program through a cooperative agreement. The program period for participants is expected to run roughly from January through June 2027, and the project is designed to bring international high school students to the United States for a semester-long academic and cultural exchange built around homestays, U.S. high school enrollment, structured enrichment, and ongoing participant support. ECA anticipates making a single award, with an award ceiling of up to $10,000,000.
At its core, the YES program is intended to advance U.S. foreign policy and national security goals through people-to-people exchange and long-term relationship building with youth from key countries. The program’s stated emphasis is on developing a pipeline of young leaders who are familiar with and supportive of U.S. principles and priorities, particularly in areas like entrepreneurship, innovation, civic engagement, and leadership. By immersing participants in American communities and institutions, the program aims to build durable cross-cultural ties and expand networks that align with the National Security Strategy’s focus on strengthening alliances and reducing adversarial influence. In parallel, the program positions U.S. youth (through an optional outbound component) to gain language proficiency and cross-cultural skills considered valuable for international business, diplomacy, and security-related careers.
The main required deliverable is the inbound exchange: up to 270 foreign high school students will come to the United States for an academic semester. The selected awardee is expected to manage the full operational lifecycle of the exchange, starting overseas with recruitment and selection of participants, then continuing through travel arrangements and centralized coordination. The recipient must also maintain core program infrastructure, including database and website management for all inbound participants, and ensure overall program coordination across countries, placements, and timelines. Because this is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, applicants should expect substantial involvement from ECA in shaping, overseeing, or coordinating key aspects of implementation during the award period.
Once participants arrive in the United States, the awardee must run the placement and support model that is central to YES. This includes recruiting and managing host family and school placements, ensuring each student is appropriately matched to a U.S. community and enrolled in a high school environment that meets program expectations. The recipient must also provide ongoing monitoring and support throughout the semester, which typically includes routine check-ins, issue resolution, participant safety and welfare oversight, and coordination with local partners as needed. In addition to academics and homestay life, the program requires students to complete community service and participate in structured enrichment known as “American Excellence” enhancement activities, which are meant to deepen understanding of U.S. society and reinforce themes such as civic responsibility, leadership, and community engagement.
Applicants may also propose an optional YES Abroad component. If included, this outbound track would send up to 30 American high school students overseas to attend high school and live with host families abroad, with the implementing organization responsible for recruiting, placing, monitoring, and supporting those students. This optional element is not required to compete for the award, but it can be included as part of a broader program design that connects inbound and outbound exchange goals and expands the two-way benefits of cultural and language immersion.
Eligibility is open to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions), as well as other entities as specified in the announcement. The program is listed under CFDA 19.415. The opportunity was posted on March 26, 2026, and the application deadline is May 26, 2026. The agency expects to issue one award, so proposals will likely be evaluated with an emphasis on demonstrated capacity to deliver large-scale exchange operations, strong safeguarding and participant support systems, reliable data and reporting infrastructure, and an ability to execute nationwide host family and school placements while meeting ECA’s programmatic and foreign policy objectives.
FY 2026 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program - FAQs
What is this funding opportunity?
This is the FY 2026 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) opportunity, a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) discretionary grant that will fund one organization to implement the YES high school exchange program through a cooperative agreement.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DFOP0017979.
Which federal agency is offering this award?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
Is this a standard grant or a cooperative agreement?
This award will be issued as a cooperative agreement, not a standard grant. That means applicants should expect substantial involvement from ECA in shaping, overseeing, or coordinating key aspects of implementation during the award period.
How many awards does ECA expect to make?
ECA anticipates making a single award.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is up to $10,000,000.
What is the main purpose of the YES program?
The YES program is intended to advance U.S. foreign policy and national security goals through people-to-people exchange and long-term relationship building with youth from key countries.
What themes or outcomes does the program emphasize?
The program emphasizes developing a pipeline of young leaders who are familiar with and supportive of U.S. principles and priorities, including areas such as entrepreneurship, innovation, civic engagement, and leadership.
How does the program connect to U.S. national security priorities?
By immersing participants in American communities and institutions, the program aims to build durable cross-cultural ties and expand networks aligned with the National Security Strategy's focus on strengthening alliances and reducing adversarial influence.
What is the required program component?
The main required deliverable is the inbound exchange: bringing up to 270 foreign high school students to the United States for a semester-long academic and cultural exchange.
How many inbound participants can be supported?
Up to 270 foreign high school students are expected to come to the United States under the inbound exchange component.
What is the expected participant program timeframe?
The program period for participants is expected to run roughly from January through June 2027.
What does the semester-long exchange include for inbound students?
The exchange is built around homestays, enrollment in U.S. high schools, structured enrichment activities, and ongoing participant support.
What responsibilities does the awardee have before participants arrive in the U.S.?
The awardee is expected to manage the full operational lifecycle starting overseas, including recruitment and selection of participants, travel arrangements, and centralized coordination across countries, placements, and timelines.
What ongoing infrastructure is the awardee required to maintain?
The recipient must maintain core program infrastructure, including database and website management for all inbound participants, and ensure overall program coordination across countries, placements, and timelines.
What responsibilities does the awardee have after participants arrive in the U.S.?
Once participants arrive, the awardee must recruit and manage host family and school placements, ensure appropriate matching to U.S. communities, support high school enrollment consistent with program expectations, and provide ongoing monitoring and support throughout the semester.
What kind of monitoring and support is expected during the semester?
Ongoing monitoring and support typically includes routine check-ins, issue resolution, participant safety and welfare oversight, and coordination with local partners as needed.
Are homestays required for inbound YES participants?
Yes. Homestays are a central feature of the program model described, and the awardee is expected to recruit, manage, and oversee host family placements.
Are U.S. high school placements required?
Yes. The program requires U.S. high school enrollment, and the awardee must ensure each student is enrolled in a high school environment that meets program expectations.
Do inbound participants have required activities beyond school and homestay?
Yes. Students are required to complete community service and participate in structured enrichment known as "American Excellence" enhancement activities.
What are "American Excellence" enhancement activities?
They are structured enrichment activities intended to deepen participants' understanding of U.S. society and reinforce themes such as civic responsibility, leadership, and community engagement.
Is a YES Abroad component required?
No. Applicants may propose an optional YES Abroad component, but it is not required to compete for the award.
What is the optional YES Abroad component?
If proposed, YES Abroad would send up to 30 American high school students overseas to attend high school and live with host families abroad, with the implementing organization responsible for recruiting, placing, monitoring, and supporting those students.
How many U.S. students could participate in the optional YES Abroad component?
Up to 30 American high school students could be supported under the optional outbound track, if included in the proposal.
What is the stated value of the optional outbound component?
The optional outbound component positions U.S. youth to gain language proficiency and cross-cultural skills considered valuable for international business, diplomacy, and security-related careers, while expanding two-way exchange benefits.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is open to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions), as well as other entities as specified in the announcement.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 19.415.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on March 26, 2026.
What is the application deadline?
The application deadline is May 26, 2026.
What scale of operations is the selected awardee expected to handle?
The awardee is expected to operate a large-scale, multi-country inbound high school exchange (up to 270 students) with nationwide host family and school placements, plus centralized coordination, travel, data systems, and ongoing participant support.
What capabilities are likely to be important for a competitive proposal?
Based on the description, proposals will likely be evaluated with an emphasis on demonstrated capacity to deliver large-scale exchange operations, strong safeguarding and participant support systems, reliable data and reporting infrastructure, and the ability to execute nationwide host family and school placements while meeting ECA's programmatic and foreign policy objectives.
Does ECA involvement affect program implementation decisions?
Yes. Because it is a cooperative agreement, substantial ECA involvement should be expected in shaping, overseeing, or coordinating key aspects of implementation during the award period.
What is the core exchange model described for inbound participants?
The core model combines U.S. high school enrollment, community-based homestays, structured enrichment activities, community service requirements, and continuous monitoring and welfare support.
What is the primary deliverable the recipient must produce?
The primary required deliverable is the inbound semester exchange in the United States for up to 270 international high school students, including recruitment, selection, travel, placement, programming, monitoring, and support.
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