Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Fulbright Hays Group Projects Abroad Program Short Term Projects CFDA Number 84.021A | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program - Short Term Projects (CFDA 84.021A)?

It is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE). It funds overseas group activities tied to modern foreign languages and area studies. The program supports projects in which participants follow a common plan of work abroad, with the aim of strengthening U.S. capacity in language learning, regional expertise, research, and curriculum development.

2) What kinds of projects does this short-term GPA competition typically fund?

Short-term projects typically take the form of structured seminars overseas, collaborative curriculum development efforts informed by on-the-ground experience, or group research, study, and training activities. A key expectation is that the project produces usable knowledge and instructional materials that can be brought back to U.S. classrooms and campuses.

3) What is the overall purpose of the program?

The program is designed to strengthen language learning and area studies in the United States by supporting organized group-based overseas activities. The emphasis is on building long-term academic and instructional capacity (for example, stronger curricula, deeper regional expertise, and expanded research capacity), rather than direct service delivery.

4) Who can apply for this grant?

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education (both public/state-controlled and private), state departments of education, private nonprofit educational organizations, and consortia made up of these entities.

5) Are consortia allowed to apply?

Yes. Consortia composed of eligible entities (institutions of higher education, state departments of education, and/or private nonprofit educational organizations) are eligible applicants.

6) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching funds, which may reduce barriers for organizations that have limited ability to contribute non-federal dollars.

7) What is the funding instrument and program area?

The funding instrument is a grant. The funding activity category is education, reflecting a focus on professional development and academic capacity building.

8) How much funding is available, and what is the maximum award size?

For the FY 2013 cycle referenced in the notice, the Department anticipated making about 16 awards with an estimated total funding amount of $1,388,330. Individual awards were capped at $125,000 (the award ceiling).

9) How many awards were expected to be made in the referenced cycle?

For FY 2013, the Department anticipated making about 16 awards.

10) What were the key dates for the FY 2013 cycle?

The application availability date was April 18, 2013, and the submission deadline (deadline for transmittal of applications) was June 13, 2013. The opportunity later moved into archive status after that cycle ended.

11) Is this opportunity still open?

The information provided indicates the FY 2013 cycle later moved into archive status after the cycle ended. The dates listed are specific to that year and illustrate a typical federal competition structure (posting date, limited application window, and a fixed deadline).

12) How must applications be submitted?

Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov using the downloadable application package associated with the program.

13) Can an application be submitted by emailing an electronic copy to the Department?

No. The notice specifies that applications cannot be submitted by emailing an electronic copy to the Department. Grants.gov is the required submission route.

14) How do applicants find the correct application package on Grants.gov?

A specific procedural detail in the notice is that applicants must search by the CFDA number without the alpha suffix when locating the package. In other words, search for 84.021 rather than 84.021A.

15) What should applicants rely on for authoritative requirements and instructions?

Applicants are repeatedly advised to rely on the official Federal Register application notice for the authoritative requirements. This includes eligibility details, application and pre-application instructions, submission rules, performance measures, priorities, and agency contact information.

16) What goals should a proposed project support?

Based on the synopsis, proposed projects should support strengthening language learning, regional expertise, research capacity, and curriculum development in the United States through a coherent short-term, group-based overseas plan of work.

17) Who should be contacted for Grants.gov technical access issues?

The notice lists a Grants.gov systems administrator, Julius Cotton, as a contact for technical access issues.

18) Who should be contacted for programmatic questions about the GPA Program?

The notice lists Pamela Maimer as the program manager contact for programmatic questions about the Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program.

19) What is the main expectation for project design and participant activities abroad?

The program is intended for projects where participants share a common plan of work abroad. The activities are group-based and overseas, and are oriented toward producing outcomes that strengthen U.S. foreign language and area studies capacity, including knowledge and instructional materials that can be used back home.

20) What should applicants keep in mind about compliance and expectations?

The synopsis indicates applicants should be able to meet federal application and reporting expectations as laid out in the Federal Register notice, and should follow the required submission method and procedures (including the Grants.gov submission requirement and the CFDA search detail).