Opportunity Information: Apply for NEAPI 09 CA 018 MENA 102809
Apply for NEAPI 09 CA 018 MENA 102809
- The Middle East Partnership Initiative in the community development education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Tomorrows Leaders II Scholarship Program and Recruitment" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.500 Middle East Partnership Initiative.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 25, 2010 and posted on Oct 28, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 10, 2010 Per a Grants.gov alert, applicants to the Tomorrows Leaders Scholarship II Program should note that Grants.gov will be unavailable from February 6 9, 2010. Applicants should make every effort to submit their applications by 235959 Eastern Standard Time (EST) on February 5, 2010. Applicants who intend to submit but cannot do so by February 5th, should alert NEA/PI of this intent no later than 500 pm EST on February 5, 2010. This will help us to track any problems that may occur with the system on February 10, 2010. NEA/PI will not be extending the deadline for submissions. Any application without proof of an attempt to submit prior to the announcement deadline of 235959 EST on February 10th will be considered late and not subject to review.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $7,250,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,400,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have 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) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education.
- Eligible applicants for Priority Area A are institutions of higher learning that have an undergraduate program. Applicants are based in one of the eligible countries listed in this RFA and are registered and accredited in the United States. Applicants must be able to provide a minimum of three of the four to five years of the proposed program in the Middle East or North Africa. Eligible institutions must have demonstrated capacity and experience to 1) design and offer all of the essential components of the Tomorrow s Leaders program, 2) the institutional capacity to place and monitor scholarship recipients in internships and study abroad programs, and 3) to administer an Exchange Visitor (J visa) Program within full government regulations as set forth in 22 CFR 6Z. Eligible applicants for Priority Area B include any registered U.S. or foreign non profit organization.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Tomorrows Leaders II Scholarship Program and Recruitment grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NEAPI 09 CA 018 MENA 102809) is a U.S. government-funded competition run through the Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (NEA/PI) to broaden access to higher education for students in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The central goal is to strengthen educational and people-to-people ties by expanding degree-granting scholarship opportunities, paired with practical components like internships and exchange experiences. It is positioned as an expansion of the original Tomorrow's Leaders Scholarship program that began in 2007 and has been hosted by the American University in Cairo, Lebanese American University, and the American University of Beirut. Under this second iteration, the selected awardees are expected to be ready to host the first cohort of scholarship recipients starting in the 2011/2012 academic year.
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement, which typically means the government anticipates active involvement in the program's implementation rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The activity focus is listed under community development and education, reflecting that the scholarships are meant to do more than cover tuition; they are intended to build leadership, professional readiness, and cross-cultural exposure through structured programming. The competition anticipated making about three awards, with an estimated total funding pool of $7,250,000. Individual awards were expected to range from a floor of $300,000 up to a ceiling of $3,400,000. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of eligibility.
Eligibility is split into priority areas. For Priority Area A, eligible applicants are institutions of higher learning with undergraduate programs that are based in one of the eligible countries identified in the full RFA, but that are registered and accredited in the United States. These institutions also must be able to deliver at least three years of a four-to-five-year proposed program within the Middle East or North Africa, which signals a strong preference for sustained, in-region academic delivery rather than brief or purely U.S.-based programming. Priority Area A applicants must show they can design and run all core components of the Tomorrow's Leaders model, place and monitor students in internships and study abroad opportunities, and administer an Exchange Visitor (J visa) program in compliance with U.S. government regulations (cited as 22 CFR). For Priority Area B, eligibility is broader: any registered U.S. or foreign nonprofit organization may apply, which suggests Priority Area B may be geared more toward recruitment, outreach, or program support functions rather than serving as the scholarship-hosting university itself. The general eligibility categories listed also include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (with the specific constraints depending on the priority area).
The application timeline is notable because the original closing date was January 5, 2010, but the final deadline was set to February 10, 2010. Applicants were warned that Grants.gov would be unavailable from February 6 through 9, 2010, and were strongly urged to submit by 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time on February 5, 2010 to avoid last-minute technical issues. If an applicant expected to be affected by that outage, they were instructed to notify NEA/PI of their intent to submit no later than 5:00 PM Eastern on February 5. The notice also emphasized that the deadline would not be extended and that late applications would not be reviewed without proof of an attempt to submit before the deadline, reinforcing that timing and documentation of submission attempts were critical.
Overall, the grant is designed to scale up a regional scholarship pipeline that combines undergraduate education with professional development and international exposure, managed by capable institutions and organizations that can handle both academic programming and the compliance-heavy components of exchanges and internships. For administrative or access issues related to the full announcement, the contact listed is Jessica Baker at Quality Support, Inc. (a contractor), with a phone number provided, and an NEA Grants emailbox referenced for support.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Tomorrow's Leaders II Scholarship Program and Recruitment grant opportunity?
Tomorrow's Leaders II is a U.S. government-funded competition run through the Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (NEA/PI). It is designed to broaden access to degree-granting higher education for students in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), while also strengthening educational and people-to-people ties through added practical components such as internships and exchange experiences.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NEAPI 09 CA 018 MENA 102809.
What is the main goal of this opportunity?
The central goal is to expand undergraduate scholarship opportunities and pair them with structured programming that supports leadership development, professional readiness, and cross-cultural exposure (including internships and exchange experiences).
How does Tomorrow's Leaders II relate to the original Tomorrow's Leaders Scholarship program?
Tomorrow's Leaders II is positioned as an expansion of the original Tomorrow's Leaders Scholarship program that began in 2007 and has been hosted by the American University in Cairo, Lebanese American University, and the American University of Beirut.
When were awardees expected to begin hosting scholarship recipients?
The selected awardees were expected to be ready to host the first cohort of scholarship recipients starting in the 2011/2012 academic year.
What type of federal award is expected under this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
Based on the description provided, a cooperative agreement typically indicates the U.S. government anticipates active involvement in the program's implementation rather than simply providing funding without ongoing engagement.
What activity areas does this grant focus on?
The activity focus is listed under community development and education, reflecting that the scholarships are intended to include structured leadership and professional development elements in addition to academic support.
How many awards were anticipated?
The competition anticipated making about three awards.
What was the estimated total funding amount for this competition?
The estimated total funding pool was $7,250,000.
What was the expected range for individual award amounts?
Individual awards were expected to range from $300,000 (floor) up to $3,400,000 (ceiling).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of eligibility.
Who is eligible to apply under Priority Area A?
Under Priority Area A, eligible applicants are institutions of higher learning with undergraduate programs that are based in one of the eligible countries identified in the full RFA, but that are registered and accredited in the United States.
What geographic and program-delivery expectations apply to Priority Area A applicants?
Priority Area A applicants must be able to deliver at least three years of a four-to-five-year proposed program within the Middle East or North Africa, indicating a preference for sustained in-region academic delivery.
What core program capabilities must Priority Area A applicants demonstrate?
Priority Area A applicants must demonstrate the ability to design and run the core components of the Tomorrow's Leaders model, place and monitor students in internships and study abroad opportunities, and administer an Exchange Visitor (J visa) program in compliance with U.S. government regulations (cited as 22 CFR).
Who is eligible to apply under Priority Area B?
Under Priority Area B, eligibility is broader: any registered U.S. or foreign nonprofit organization may apply.
What do the priority areas suggest about the roles of applicants?
Based on the eligibility descriptions, Priority Area A appears oriented toward scholarship-hosting higher education institutions that can deliver the academic program and associated exchanges, while Priority Area B appears oriented toward nonprofits that may support recruitment, outreach, or other program support functions.
What general types of organizations are mentioned as eligible categories?
The general eligibility categories listed include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status (with specific constraints depending on the priority area).
What were the application deadlines for this opportunity?
The original closing date was January 5, 2010, but the final deadline was set to February 10, 2010.
Was there a Grants.gov outage that applicants had to plan around?
Yes. Applicants were warned that Grants.gov would be unavailable from February 6 through 9, 2010.
What submission timing was recommended due to the Grants.gov outage?
Applicants were strongly urged to submit by 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time on February 5, 2010 to avoid last-minute technical issues related to the outage.
What if an applicant expected to be affected by the Grants.gov outage?
If an applicant expected to be affected by the outage, they were instructed to notify NEA/PI of their intent to submit no later than 5:00 PM Eastern on February 5, 2010.
Would the submission deadline be extended due to technical issues?
No. The notice emphasized that the deadline would not be extended.
How were late applications handled?
Late applications would not be reviewed without proof of an attempt to submit before the deadline, emphasizing the importance of documenting submission attempts.
What are the expected program components beyond scholarships?
The program is described as combining undergraduate degree-granting scholarships with practical components like internships and exchange experiences, as well as structured programming intended to build leadership, professional readiness, and cross-cultural exposure.
Who is the contact for administrative or access issues related to the full announcement?
The contact listed is Jessica Baker at Quality Support, Inc. (a contractor), with a phone number provided in the announcement. An NEA Grants emailbox is also referenced for support.
Which office is running this competition?
The competition is run through the Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (NEA/PI).
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