Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0017860
Apply for DFOP0017860
- The Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2026 Leaders Lead On-Demand" 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 2026-03-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-05. (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 $1,000,000.00 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:
FY 2026 Leaders Lead On-Demand (LLOD) is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Office of Citizen Exchanges funding opportunity that supports fast, flexible, customized two-way professional exchange projects. The central purpose is to take priority ideas from across the Department of State and turn them into tailored exchange activities that build durable professional relationships and self-sustaining networks among practitioners at the global, regional, and country levels. Rather than a single, fixed curriculum, LLOD is structured to respond quickly to emerging needs and policy-relevant themes by designing exchanges around specific fields and communities of practice.
Under this opportunity, one recipient organization will be selected to design and implement a series of exchange projects aimed at emerging leaders and mid-level professionals drawn from government, business, and civil society. The program anticipates running approximately four to six distinct exchange projects, serving around 75 total participants. Of those, roughly 55 are expected to be international (foreign) participants and about 20 are expected to be U.S. participants. Participants are expected to have relevant experience or demonstrated expertise connected to the topic of each project, so the exchanges are practitioner-focused and oriented toward real-world collaboration rather than introductory exposure.
Each individual project will bring a cohort of foreign participants to the United States for an intensive, customized agenda that may include workshops, structured meetings, site visits, roundtables, trainings, and/or public or professional events. A key program requirement is that every U.S.-based exchange must also include at least one overseas segment, and that overseas component should involve U.S. participants traveling and engaging alongside foreign counterparts. In other words, the model is explicitly two-way: U.S. participants are not only hosts or speakers, but are expected to work with foreign participants during both the U.S. portion and the overseas portion, reinforcing collaboration, reciprocity, and sustained network-building.
The award is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, which typically means the federal agency will have an active role in shaping or overseeing elements of implementation during the period of performance. The opportunity number is DFOP0017860 and the assistance listing (CFDA) number is 19.415. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (including those other than institutions of higher education), as well as other eligible entities as specified in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity.
The application deadline listed is May 5, 2026. ECA expects to make one award under this competition, with an award ceiling of $1,000,000. Applicants should review the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for the detailed program requirements, allowable activities and costs, monitoring and evaluation expectations, compliance obligations, and the specific selection criteria ECA will use to assess proposals.
FY 2026 Leaders Lead On-Demand (LLOD) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FY 2026 Leaders Lead On-Demand (LLOD) opportunity?
FY 2026 Leaders Lead On-Demand (LLOD) is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Office of Citizen Exchanges. It supports fast, flexible, customized two-way professional exchange projects designed to address emerging needs and policy-relevant themes.
What is the main purpose of LLOD?
The central purpose is to take priority ideas from across the Department of State and turn them into tailored exchange activities that build durable professional relationships and self-sustaining networks among practitioners at global, regional, and country levels.
How is LLOD different from a traditional exchange program?
Rather than using a single, fixed curriculum, LLOD is structured to respond quickly to emerging needs and policy-relevant themes. Exchanges are designed around specific fields and communities of practice, with agendas customized to the topic of each project.
How many awards does ECA expect to make under this competition?
ECA expects to make one award under this competition.
What type of award is LLOD?
The award is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, which typically means the federal agency will have an active role in shaping and/or overseeing elements of implementation during the period of performance.
What is the funding amount for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $1,000,000.
What is the opportunity number and Assistance Listing (CFDA) number?
The opportunity number is DFOP0017860, and the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number is 19.415.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include U.S.-based public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (including those other than institutions of higher education), as well as other eligible entities as specified in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
When is the application deadline?
The application deadline is May 5, 2026.
How many exchange projects are anticipated under the award?
The program anticipates running approximately four to six distinct exchange projects.
About how many total participants are expected to be served?
Approximately 75 total participants are expected across the series of exchange projects.
How many participants are expected to be international versus U.S. participants?
Roughly 55 participants are expected to be international (foreign) participants and about 20 are expected to be U.S. participants.
Who are the intended participants?
The projects are aimed at emerging leaders and mid-level professionals drawn from government, business, and civil society.
Do participants need a certain level of experience?
Yes. Participants are expected to have relevant experience or demonstrated expertise connected to the topic of each project. The exchanges are practitioner-focused and oriented toward real-world collaboration rather than introductory exposure.
What does each individual exchange project include?
Each project brings a cohort of foreign participants to the United States for an intensive, customized agenda that may include workshops, structured meetings, site visits, roundtables, trainings, and/or public or professional events.
Is an overseas component required for each exchange?
Yes. A key program requirement is that every U.S.-based exchange must include at least one overseas segment.
What is required for the overseas segment?
The overseas component should involve U.S. participants traveling and engaging alongside foreign counterparts. The model is explicitly two-way: U.S. participants are expected to work with foreign participants during both the U.S. portion and the overseas portion.
What does "two-way" mean in the context of this program?
Two-way means the program is designed for mutual engagement and reciprocity. U.S. participants are not only hosts or speakers; they actively collaborate with foreign participants in the United States and during the overseas segment to reinforce sustained network-building.
What kinds of themes or topics will the exchange projects focus on?
LLOD is designed to respond to emerging needs and policy-relevant themes and to translate priority ideas from across the Department of State into customized exchange activities. Specific topics are designed around particular fields and communities of practice.
What should applicants review before applying?
Applicants should review the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for detailed program requirements, allowable activities and costs, monitoring and evaluation expectations, compliance obligations, and the specific selection criteria ECA will use to assess proposals.
What does the recipient organization do under this award?
The selected recipient organization will design and implement the series of exchange projects, including tailoring exchange activities to the specific topic of each project and ensuring the required two-way structure with a U.S. segment and at least one overseas segment.
How is the program intended to create lasting impact?
The program is intended to build durable professional relationships and self-sustaining networks among practitioners at multiple levels (global, regional, and country), using practitioner-focused exchanges designed for real-world collaboration.
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