Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) BridgeUSA Grant for Global STEM Scholarships with Climate Focus

The Office of Private Sector Exchange (BridgeUSA) of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for the administration of the FY 2023 BridgeUSA Global Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Scholarship Fund. The Office plans to issue one cooperative agreement of approximately $360,000, pending the availability of funds, to implement the BridgeUSA STEM Scholarship Fund in the academic and/or professional categories. U.S. accredited colleges/ universities, U.S. consortia of accredited colleges and universities including consortia of community colleges, or U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) who are interested in collaborating with ECA to promote STEM education and career STEM initiatives in the United States, may submit proposals to provide between 20 and 30 STEM scholarships to foreign university students, scholars, and professionals evenly distributed across eligible countries in Africa (AF), East Asia and Pacific (EAP), and Western Hemisphere (WHA) regions. Exchange visitors will be recruited from any of the following eligible academic and professional J-1 visa categories: College/University Students, Interns, Research Scholars, and Trainees. U.S. consortiums representing universities/colleges are encouraged to apply. Proposals must include a focus on climate change and should include U.S. partnership collaboration with institutions that focus on various STEM fields shared across continents, including improving understanding of climate systems, developing precision agricultural capabilities, enhancing risk assessment tools, and increasing societal resilience in the face of catastrophic natural or human induced disasters. Please see the full announcement for additional information.