U.S. Department of State Grant: 2025 Brazil Youth Ambassadors Program

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 

The U.S. Embassy Brasília, Brazil / Bureau of WHA of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to implement the 2025 Brazil Youth Ambassadors program. Please follow all instructions below. 

Priority Region: WHA / Brazil 

Program Objectives:  

Mission Brazil seeks for institutional assistance to support the development and implementation of the Brazil portion of the 2025 Youth Ambassadors program for up to 46 selected students and 2 adult program assistants. 

The Youth Ambassadors exchange program offers outstanding, yet underprivileged, high school students from the public education system a short-term full immersion in U.S. culture and society, as well as skill-building opportunities for the 21st Century work environment. Awarded students visit the capital of the United States, attend meetings with public and private institutions, visit schools and social projects, participate in training sessions to help improve communication skills, leadership, teamwork, entrepreneurship, and innovation, as well as to develop a creative action plan to help address a key issue in their respective communities. 

Since its inception in 2003, Mission Brazil’s Youth Ambassadors program (YAP) has evolved from a small exchange program for a dozen high school students to Brazil’s internationally recognized – and hemisphere-wide replicated – flagship youth engagement initiative. The YAP brand is easily recognizable throughout the country and reaches audiences from the dense urban centers of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to the most remote parts of rural Brazil. Beyond the exchange itself, this program has become the catalyst for the Mission to build on strategic and lasting partnerships with the government of Brazil by pursuing complementary policy goals in the areas of education, English language teaching, strengthening civil society, as well as by keeping the U.S. as the top destination for Brazilians interested in studying abroad. 

As a result of its positive impact, since 2010, State Department started funding the program throughout Latin America. Embassy Brazil complements the funding to provide this unique exchange opportunity for more Brazilian students. Our share of the program should allow the implementing organization to: 

• Implement and administer the online application process, 
• Assist the Embassy in the broad dissemination of information about the program, 
• Screen and pre-select Brazilian candidates for a final revision and selection by the Embassy, 
• Book and purchase participants’ in-country travel, 
• Book and purchase participants’ round-trip international tickets – everyone on the same flights both ways, 
• Purchase travel insurance during pre-departure orientation in Brazil, as well as for the day of the group’s return to Brazil and their return flights back home, 
• Provide travel allowance (in dollars) for participants to cover minor incidental expenses during the program, 
• Coordinate all logistical aspects related to the pre-departure orientation (venue set-up & equipment, promotional materials, ground transportation, lodging, meals and incidental expenses, transfer in-out, airport support, etc.), 
• In collaboration with the Embassy, develop and implement comprehensive content and assign specialists for the pre-departure orientation sessions, 
• Design and implement a three-month post-program initiative to assist participants in their reentry, and as they try to implement the action plans developed during the exchange program in the U.S. 

Participants and Audiences: 

This funding opportunity aims at supporting the full and positive participation of up to 46 Brazilian public high school students selected for the 2025 Youth Ambassadors program, as well as two (02) adult program assistants selected from the pool of Embassy’s Partner Institutions spread all over the country. 

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION 

Length of performance period: 1 year (including development, implementation, and post-program reentry and follow-on initiative) 

Number of awards anticipated: One award (dependent on amounts) 

Type of Funding: FY-2024 – Smith Mundt Public Diplomacy Funds  

Anticipated program start date: January 14, 2025 

IMPORTANT: This notice is subject to availability of funding. 

Funding Instrument Type: Grant 

Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in one year or less.  

NOTE: The Department of State will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under this award beyond the initial budget period on a non-competitive basis – for up to two (02) additional years – subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State. 

C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION 

• Eligible Applicants are U.S. and overseas-based Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Educational Institutions and other qualified organizations that have proven record of extensive experience working with Brazilian youth, familiarity with the Brazilian culture and society, and who can comprehensively respond to the NOFO and be able to mobilize in a short period of time. 

The following organizations are eligible to apply: 

• Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations, 

• Cost Sharing or Matching 

 Cost sharing possibilities when it helps increase community and stakeholder engagement in the project are welcome, however, it will not be considered a

deciding factor. 

• Other Eligibility Requirements 

To be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov, as well as a valid

registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information.   

IMPORTANT: Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all

proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding. 

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 

• Address to Request Application Package: 

Application forms required below are available at the U.S. Embassy website and grants.gov 

• Content and Form of Application Submission:  

Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible: 

Content of Application 

Please ensure: 

• The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity, 
• All documents are in English, 
• All budgets are in U.S. dollars, 
• All pages are numbered, 
• All documents are formatted to 8 ½ x 11 paper, and 
• All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins. 

The following documents are required:   

1. Mandatory application forms 

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance –individuals) at XXXX 
• SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at www.grants.gov

2.Summary Page:  

Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program.

3.Proposal (12 pages maximum): 

The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below.   

• Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact. 
• Introduction to the Organization applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies. 
• Problem Statement: Clear, concise, and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed. 
• Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable. 
• Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives. 
• Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate.  
• Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events. 
• Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles, and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program?   
• Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees. 
• Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant? 
• Future Funding or Sustainability Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable. 

4.Budget Justification Narrative:   

After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate file to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information. 

5. Attachments: 

• 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program. 
• Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner, 
• If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file.   
• Official permission letters, if required for program activities. 

6.Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

Required Registrations: 

All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration with the SAM.gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. 

Note: As of April 2022, a DUNS number is no longer required for federal assistance applications. 

The 2 CFR 200 requires that sub-grantees obtain a UEI number. Please note the UEI for sub-grantees is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a sub-grantee.  

7.Submission Dates and Times 

Applications are due no later than April 27, 2024 

8.Funding Restrictions 

The Embassy does not pay for the following: 

• Publication of materials for distribution within the U.S. 
• Administration of a project that will make a profit. 
• Expenses incurred before or after the specified dates of award period of performance (unless prior written approval received) 
• Projects designed to advocate policy views or positions of foreign governments or views of a particular political faction, 
• Alcoholic beverages, 
• Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities and any associated costs are unallowable, except where specific costs that might otherwise be considered entertainment have a programmatic purpose and are authorized either in the approved budget for the Federal award or with prior written approval of the Federal awarding agency, 
• Land, 
• Construction. 

The Embassy may make conditions and recommendations on proposals to enhance proposed programs. Conditions and recommendations are to be addressed by the applicant before approval of the award. To ensure effective use of U.S. Embassy Brasília-Brazil funds, conditions or recommendations may include requests to increase, decrease, clarify and/or justify costs.