The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Global Educational Programs, Study Abroad Branch (ECA/A/S/Q) has announced an open competition for proposals to administer the FY 2024 Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) Program.
The IDEAS Program aims to support mutual understanding between the United States and other countries by enhancing the institutional capacity of U.S. higher education institutions to expand and diversify study abroad opportunities for U.S. students, in alignment with U.S. foreign policy goals. The program seeks to achieve this by:
Expanding study abroad opportunities offered by higher education institutions, including community colleges, Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), and institutions in states with traditionally lower study abroad participation.
Increasing participation in study abroad programs by students from underrepresented groups, such as first-generation students, racial/ethnic minorities, students with disabilities, and those from underrepresented academic disciplines.
Exploring new, safe study abroad destinations, particularly those less commonly chosen by students.
The IDEAS Program is designed to prepare U.S. students with the global skills necessary for success in an interconnected world while fostering mutual understanding between the United States and other countries. It benefits U.S. communities by equipping students with cultural competencies, language skills, personal and professional networks abroad, and academic knowledge. Additionally, it promotes U.S. culture and values internationally by sending U.S. students to serve as cultural ambassadors.
The FY 2024 IDEAS Program consists of two main components:
Administration of Small Grants: The recipient of the award will conduct a merit-based competition to distribute approximately 32 subawards to accredited U.S. colleges and universities. These subawards will support the creation, expansion, and diversification of study abroad programs. The recipient will provide programmatic support and guidance to subaward recipients and monitor their progress.
Implementation of Capacity Building Initiatives: The recipient will design and execute initiatives to enhance the capacity of the wider U.S. higher education community to promote study abroad opportunities. These initiatives may include workshops, seminars, trainings, and other mechanisms to facilitate knowledge sharing among higher education staff and faculty.
The total funding available for the FY 2024 IDEAS Program is approximately $2,100,000, with one anticipated award. The program aims to support U.S. colleges and universities in increasing study abroad participation, particularly among historically underrepresented groups, and expanding study abroad to new destinations.
Eligible applicants include U.S. public and private academic and cultural institutions, exchange-of-persons organizations, and other nonprofit organizations meeting the requirements outlined in the Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). Applicants must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application.
Organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply. All proposals must comply with the guidelines outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI). Additionally, applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number to be eligible for an award. Only one proposal will be considered from each applicant organization.
