Deadline: 17-Feb-23
The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Tomorrow’s Leaders (TL) Study Abroad Oversight, Monitoring, and Support.
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) manages the Tomorrow’s Leaders (TL) Program, a leadership development program that provides scholarships for students from countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to attend American-style, nonprofit, independent higher education institutions based in the MENA region, and accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized regional accreditation body.
The scholarship program targets students from around the region who are academically qualified but otherwise unable to afford American-style higher education. Students are civic- minded and given additional leadership and community action activities to advance their knowledge, skills, and abilities to be MENA-based community and national leaders after graduation.
Purpose
- The Tomorrow’s Leaders Undergraduate (TLU) Program provides approximately 60 qualified students with the opportunity to conduct one semester of study at an U.S. university each fall and spring semester. This solicitation will enhance TL Study Abroad Oversight, Monitoring, and Support by: a) providing oversight, monitoring, and support to students studying in the United States; b) providing financial support and travel coordination; c) analyzing, assessing, and making recommendations for improvements to the study abroad component of the TLU program; d) liaising with MENA-based universities and U.S. host universities; and e) recruiting and selecting new qualified U.S. host universities.
- The TL program provides scholarships for students at the American University of Beirut (AUB), the Lebanese American University (LAU), the American University in Cairo (AUC), and any additional qualifying American universities that NEA/AC may add to the program. The primary objective of the TL scholarship program is to build a cadre of university-age leaders who are civic-minded, intellectually able, and professionally skilled, who will become the community, business, and national leaders of the future. The program intends to nurture leadership skills and the spirit of civic engagement and volunteerism among outstanding students at American-style, nonprofit, independent higher education institutions based in the MENA region.
Objectives
A successful project will result in TLU students that:
- Safely and successfully complete their study abroad semester in the United States;
- Advance their knowledge, understanding, and experience of civic leadership and community action in the United States; and
- Gain experiences that prepare them to become action-oriented citizens in their home countries.
Funding Information
- Estimated Number of Awards: 1
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $1,250,000
- Estimated Award Ceiling: $6,250,000
- Estimated Award Floor: $1,000,000
- Estimated Length of Project Period: 12 Months
Results
- Applicants shall provide a logic model or a theory of change statement to demonstrate how the proposed project will achieve the stated objectives, with particular attention to ensure your approach will reach individuals of diverse backgrounds relevant to your specific context.
- Successful applicants will work with the NEA/AC program and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) teams to create a Results Monitoring Plan (RMP) based on the proposed logic model/theory of change to measure qualitative and quantitative indicators as part of the award negotiations process. The successful applicants will be responsible for collecting data against these indicators — which will be monitored throughout the period of performance of the award to gauge necessary modifications to the project’s design — and assess the results of the project’s success in meeting expected outcomes.
- Selected applicants are required to have project information available for up to three years after the project closeout for the NEA/AC team to evaluate long-term outcomes.
Eligible Activities
- NEA/AC seeks to support projects that will provide TL Study Abroad Oversight, Monitoring, and Support and expand student knowledge, understanding, and experience of civic leadership and community action in the United States.
- Funds are available to support projects with potential to promote this objective through activities that provide oversight, monitoring, and support for TL students studying abroad in the United States. The first cohort of students for this project will study abroad beginning in Fall 2023.
- Currently, summer study abroad is not permitted due to the short summer time-frame for adjustment and classes and the decreased presence of American faculty/students on campus during summer sessions. Additionally, TLU students are not permitted to undertake an internship during their semester in the United States in order to encourage a focus on academics and civic engagement activities.
- Project activities should include:
- Liaising with TLU program implementers
- Providing oversight, monitoring, and support to onboarding students to study in the United States
- Liaising with U.S. host university program coordinators
- Fostering students’ civic engagement
- Monitoring students’ progress during their study abroad experience
- Analyzing, assessing, and making recommendations for improvements to the study abroad component of the TL program
- Recruitment and Selection of U.S.-based Host Institutions
- Orientation and Closing Conference
- Provide financial support
Ineligible Activities
- Exchange activities with other countries or territories;
- Social welfare projects;
- Paying to complete activities begun with other funds;
- Activities that appear partisan or that support individual or party electoral campaigns;
- Academic or analytical research (if not necessary as part of a larger project);
- One-time events, such as stand-alone conferences and one-off round tables;
- Medical and psychological research and clinical studies;
- Projects of a commercial or profit-making nature;
- Cultural presentations, cultural research, cultural clubs, or festivals, etc.; and
- Entertainment costs
NEA/AC Responsibilities
Examples of NEA/AC responsibilities for a cooperative agreement may include:
- Collaboration in establishing annual program objectives and approval of an annual work plan;
- Approval of key personnel and any subsequent changes in the positions during the life of the award;
- Collaboration in development of program policies and procedures;
- Collaboration in designing surveys, research methods, or other tools;
- Collaboration in design of enhanced civic action opportunities for students;
- Collaboration in determining corrective actions, when necessary;
- Collaboration in addressing gender and incorporating gender in activities;
- Collaboration in the creation of any training materials;
- Collaboration in establishing new partnerships with U.S. host institutions;
- Collaboration in coordination with TL university partners.
Eligible Countries and Territories
- In this announcement, they seek to support Middle East and North Africa students selected as part of the Tomorrow’s Leaders Undergraduate program as they participate in a semester of academic training and civic engagement in the United States.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants include:
- U.S. or foreign
- Non-profit organizations;
- For-profit organizations;
- Public international organizations; and
- Small businesses with functional and regional experience in MENA.
- To be considered for funding under this opportunity, applicants SHALL:
- Have demonstrable previous experience working in managing study abroad programs.
- Meet ALL of the registration requirements.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.