Deadline: 30-Jun-25
The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for the FY 2025 Youth Ambassadors Africa (YA – AF) Program.
Purpose
- Youth Ambassadors programs offer youth (typically between the ages of 15-18) and adult mentors the opportunity to examine civic engagement and leadership development through short-term exchanges in the United States.
- YA-AF should offer participants from countries in sub–Saharan Africa the opportunity to engage in a variety of activities such as, but not limited to, workshops on civic education, community site visits related to the program themes, and homestays with American families.
- Upon return home, participants should apply what they have learned to implement projects that serve their communities. Multiple opportunities for participants to interact meaningfully with their U.S. peers must be included.
Goals
- The program goals are to:
- Prepare youth leaders to become responsible citizens and contributing members of their communities;
- Empower participants to be actively engaged in addressing issues of concern in their communities upon their return home;
- Build mutual understanding, tolerance, and respect between U.S. citizens and the citizens of other countries; and
- Foster relationships among youth from across sub-Saharan Africa and their U.S. counterparts.
Objectives
- The objectives of the program are for participants to:
- Demonstrate a better understanding of the elements of participatory democracy in action;
- Deepen critical thinking, problem-solving, and empathetic leadership skills; and
- Develop program planning and implementation skills to strengthen local communities.
Themes
- The primary program themes are:
- Civic Engagement (such as citizen participation, community service, participatory democracy, rule of law, volunteerism, etc.); and
- Leadership Development (such as ethical leadership, team building, public speaking, negotiation, goal setting, and project planning).
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $1,000,000
- Award Floor: $1,000,000
Duration
- Length of Performance Period: 24 months
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- U.S. not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations
- U.S. public and private educational institutions
- All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
