Deadline: 12-Jun-23
The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs’ Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to enhance and expand leadership training opportunities for students from MENA (Middle East and North Africa).
The Tomorrow’s Leaders program (TL) is for capable and highly motivated high school seniors in the Middle East and North Africa who are from underserved backgrounds. Over a period of five years, the program will support approximately 80 scholarships for underserved and qualified students at select U.S.-accredited universities in the MENA region.
Through this solicitation, NEA/AC seeks to support a nine-year program supporting the selection and enrollment of up to four separate student cohorts, one cohort each year during the first four years of implementation. Each cohort cycle should include the first year for preparatory studies, if needed, and up to four academic years depending on the major of enrollment. Recruitment of students will be coordinated by a third-party implementer. Eligible students include individuals who represent the region’s cultural, religious, ethnic, and geographic diversity. Participants should come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and have the qualifications to gain admission to an American-accredited university in the MENA region but are otherwise unable to afford four years of college.
Objectives
- A successful project will result in:
- Socioeconomically disadvantaged and geographically diverse students completing undergraduate level degrees from American-style, independent, not-for-profit, higher educational institutions based in the MENA region and accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-approved/accredited regional institution.
- Participants receiving professional mentoring and completing internships with civil society organizations, research institutes, business, and/or non-governmental organizations.
- Participants increasing their understanding of how to be effective civic and/or business leaders.
- Undergraduates developing soft skills to help them compete in the workforce.
- Academically qualified students completing a U.S.-based study abroad semester.
- Students becoming engaged citizens who participate and lead civic engagement and social entrepreneurial activities.
- Students increasing their awareness of gender issues in the MENA region.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $46,800,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling: 3,900,000
- Estimated Award Floor: $500,000
- Estimated Length of Project Period: 9 Years.
Eligible Countries and Territories
- In this announcement, they seek to support participants from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza. Please note: Applications that focus on activities in countries and territories other than those listed will NOT considered.
Eligibility Criteria
- The recruitment for the TLU program will be managed by a third-party implementer.
- The applicant should outline ways in which it plans to assist and coordinate with the recruitment partner.
- For the first cohort, NEA/AC intends to recruit residents living in the following countries/territories: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza. Citizens or nationals who hold citizenship in participating countries and the United States are ineligible for this program. Similarly, asylum seekers in the U.S. and green card holders are not eligible. If there are changes to participating countries/territories for future cohorts, NEA/AC will notify the university in writing prior to the start of the following recruitment phase.
- The applicant should coordinate with the recruitment partner to ensure it admits students who meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:
- Be a citizen or resident of one of the participating countries or territories.
- Be a current high school senior or have graduated the year prior to the cohort start for applicants coming from conflict countries/territories.
- Current high school seniors must maintain their high academic achievement and pass their leaving exam.
- Demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English and meet university specific TOEFL iBT scores.
- Demonstrate financial need. Applicants should be underrepresented or economically deserving students and provide supporting financial documentation.
- Ability to travel and start their undergraduate program.
- Possess strong academic credentials.
- Demonstrate maturity, adaptability, and leadership potential.
- The applicant should provide a comprehensive methodology for the selection of shortlisted candidates, including addressing genderbalance and diversity needs during nselection and implementation of the program.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.