The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is offering a grant for the FY 2023 Sports Visitor and Sports Envoy Programs.

The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Sports Diplomacy Division, of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for implementation of two exchange programs under a single cooperative agreement: the FY 2023 Sports Visitor and Sports Envoy Programs. U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to implement Sports Visitor and Sports Envoy international exchanges. The Sports Visitor and Sports Envoy Programs support U.S. foreign policy goals and promote key U.S. values, on and off the field, and an understanding of the political, economic, social, and cultural contexts from which they arise. These programs are an effective way to engage priority audiences, including at-risk youth, women, minorities, people with disabilities, and non-English speakers. Sports Visitor Programs designed for elite athlete on-the-field training are ineligible under C.2. “Other Eligibility Requirements” in the NOFO.

ECA plans to issue one Cooperative Agreement for a total of $3,640,000 ($2,250,000 for the Sports Visitor Program, $650,000 for the Sports Envoy Program, and $740,000 in one-time funds to support Ukraine activities) to a U.S. public or private non-profit organization for the implementation and oversight of the FY 2023 Sports Visitor and Sports Envoy Programs.

The Bureau anticipates that the single award recipient will manage the comprehensive organizational and administrative responsibilities of these programs, and will identify qualified sub-award recipients to implement programming for at least two outbound student-athlete exchanges under the Sports Visitor Program. ECA encourages applicants to detail how sub-awards will be administered and managed.

The award will provide funding for approximately 160 Sports Visitor Program participants (100 foreign and 60 U.S.) and 40-50 Sports Envoy Program participants. The applicant is highly encouraged to go beyond these numbers should their expertise lead to cost-efficiencies. 

Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant. 

Please see the full announcement for additional information.