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Tomorrow's Leaders Scholarships III (TLIII) - FAQs

1) What is the Tomorrow's Leaders Scholarship Program (TLIII)?

Tomorrow's Leaders Scholarships III (TLIII) is a U.S. Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) grant opportunity designed to expand university access for academically strong but financially disadvantaged students from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The model supports students studying at U.S.-accredited universities located within the MENA region and combines degree funding with structured civic, leadership, and career-oriented development.

2) Does TLIII fund study in the United States?

No. The core model supports students at regional institutions in the MENA region that meet U.S. accreditation standards, rather than funding study in the United States.

3) What is the overall goal of TLIII?

The program aims to build mutual understanding through practical, career-oriented higher education experiences and to help develop future community, civic, and business leaders by pairing undergraduate scholarships with civic education and professional development components.

4) Who are the intended scholarship recipients?

Scholarship recipients are expected to be students from the MENA region who are academically prepared and meet university admissions expectations (including English skills and other admissions qualifications), but who are financially disadvantaged and lack the means to enroll and persist through a four-year undergraduate degree.

5) What are the two priority areas in this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is organized into two distinct tracks:

• Priority Area A: Funding for host universities to implement and deliver the scholarship program and co-curricular components.
• Priority Area B: Funding for an organization to run recruitment and screening for TLIII at a regional scale.

6) What types of organizations can apply (in general)?

The announcement broadly allows:

• Public and private institutions of higher education, and
• Nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), as long as they are not institutions of higher education.

In practice, eligibility and fit depend on whether the applicant is proposing Priority Area A or Priority Area B.

7) Who is Priority Area A intended for?

Priority Area A is aimed at U.S.-accredited institutions of higher education based in the MENA region that can support scholarship students through a full four-year undergraduate pathway and can implement the program's academic, civic, and career development expectations.

8) What does Priority Area A fund, beyond tuition support?

Under Priority Area A, MEPI expects scholarship programs to embed defined co-curricular requirements, including:

• Interactive and practical civic education
• Mentorship opportunities with civic leaders
• Internships (especially in the public sector)
• Career counseling

9) Are universities expected to integrate scholarship students into campus life?

Yes. A major emphasis is fully integrating scholarship students into the broader university community rather than isolating them in a separate cohort experience.

10) What is MEPI's expectation regarding civic education courses over time?

Universities are expected to describe how they will institutionalize civic education courses connected to Tomorrow's Leaders within the university over time, so the civic learning component is not treated as a temporary add-on tied only to external funding.

11) What does MEPI require for tracking outcomes and alumni engagement?

Applicants are asked to explain how they will follow students after the scholarship period ends, including how graduates remain engaged in their communities and how they connect to university alumni structures and/or the MEPI alumni network.

12) What if a scholarship recipient withdraws before finishing?

The solicitation notes that not every student completes the program, based on prior phases. Applicants must explain how project goals would still be achieved if one or more scholars withdraw before finishing, which requires contingency planning for attrition and a strategy to protect overall results.

13) Who is Priority Area B intended for?

Priority Area B is geared toward an organization capable of running large-scale, regionally scaled recruitment and compliance screening for TLIII, while leaving final award decisions to the host universities.

14) Does MEPI prefer multiple recruitment partners under Priority Area B?

No. MEPI indicates a preference for a single implementing partner to manage recruitment across the entire program.

15) What activities are expected under Priority Area B?

Priority Area B applicants are expected to manage recruitment and screening functions such as regionally scaled outreach, advertising, application intake, and screening processes, with a likely annual selection pool ranging from roughly 50 to 150 students.

16) What does the recruitment partner need to demonstrate about candidate identification?

The recruitment partner must demonstrate the ability to identify candidates who are academically qualified and economically disadvantaged, while also ensuring diversity among selected applicants.

17) What vetting and compliance screening is explicitly required under Priority Area B?

Applicants must explain how they will screen prospective scholarship recipients against the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) and/or the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization list.

18) What non-academic factors must be assessed during screening under Priority Area B?

Applicants must describe how they will evaluate candidates for readiness and fit, including leadership potential, seriousness of commitment, and the ability to handle the academic and civic demands of the program.

19) Do recruitment methods need to align with host universities' expectations?

Yes. The recruitment methodology must align with the core requirements and expectations of the universities implementing TLIII.

20) What type of award is this funding opportunity?

The award is structured as a discretionary cooperative agreement.

21) How many awards does MEPI anticipate?

MEPI anticipates multiple awards, and the announcement lists an expected 20 awards.

22) How much total funding is estimated for the opportunity?

Total estimated funding is about $14,000,000.

23) What is the range of individual award amounts?

Individual awards are expected to range from $250,000 (floor) to $4,500,000 (ceiling).

24) Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?

Yes. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applies, and applicants are encouraged to present cost-effective designs that stretch scholarship dollars while strengthening program quality.

25) How does MEPI view cost-effectiveness and cost per student?

MEPI signals that proposals demonstrating the lowest cost per student will be viewed more favorably. The announcement also encourages cost sharing to enhance value-added components such as internships, mentorship, civic activities, leadership training, and civic curriculum development.

26) Can the scholarship support majors that take longer than four years?

MEPI funding is limited to four years per degree. However, applicants may propose support for majors that take longer than four years if the additional time is covered through cost share.

27) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this posting?

The Funding Opportunity Number is MEPI MEPICA 12 001.

28) What CFDA program is this opportunity associated with?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 19.500 (Middle East Partnership Initiative).

29) When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on June 22, 2012, with a closing date of July 11, 2012.

30) Is this opportunity still active?

No. The listing indicates it was later archived on August 10, 2012.

31) Where can applicants find more information or help with access issues?

The listing provides a MEPI website link for further information and names a contact point for access issues: Jessica Baker, Senior Competition Specialist, at 202-776-8524.