Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0006611
The FY 2020 Community Solutions Program (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0006611) is a U.S. Department of State initiative run through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically the Office of Citizen Exchanges. It is offered as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement, which typically means the recipient implements the program while working closely with ECA on key elements such as program design, oversight, and compliance. The opportunity was posted March 10, 2020, with an original application deadline of May 8, 2020, and it falls under CFDA (now Assistance Listing) 19.415.
The program’s purpose is to strengthen the skills, networks, and practical impact of emerging community leaders around the world. Launched in 2010, Community Solutions focuses on participants who are generally in the 25 to 38 age range and who are actively working on real community challenges. Those challenges can be economic, environmental, political, or social in nature, with an emphasis on practical, community-level problem solving rather than purely academic study. The geographic scope is broad and explicitly includes Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, the Middle East and North Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere, reflecting an intent to build a globally diverse cohort.
At the core of the program is a four- to six-month fellowship experience based in the United States. Fellows are placed in professional settings that can include public institutions, government offices, state legislatures, social incubators, businesses, or nonprofit organizations. The placements are meant to be substantive and hands-on, pairing Fellows with experienced practitioners and community leaders while Fellows work on predefined issue areas that align with both the host organization’s expertise and the Fellow’s community priorities. In practice, this design aims to create two-way value: Fellows gain applied experience, tools, and mentorship, and host organizations benefit from the Fellow’s perspective and contributions on shared topics.
Beyond the in-person fellowship, the program includes a robust online and blended leadership training component. This suggests a structured curriculum that combines virtual learning with in-person experiential learning, reinforcing leadership development, collaboration, and applied project planning throughout the fellowship period. A major expected outcome is that participants return home better equipped not only with new skills and professional connections, but also with clearer, implementable plans for community-based initiatives. The opportunity also emphasizes follow-on support for the design and implementation of post-fellowship projects in Fellows’ home countries, which indicates the program is judged heavily on sustained impact after the U.S. portion ends, not just on the quality of the exchange experience itself.
An additional element is international engagement after or around the fellowship cycle through overseas travel support for approximately 10 to 15 American hosts and program alumni. The intent is for these U.S.-based partners and alumni to travel to work directly with Community Solutions participants on community engagement projects. This component reinforces continuity and accountability by extending mentorship and collaboration into local contexts, helping Fellows adapt lessons learned in the U.S. to on-the-ground realities at home while also deepening institutional relationships across borders.
Eligibility to apply is limited to U.S. entities, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement). The agency anticipated making one award, with a stated award ceiling of $2,500,000. In other words, the selected applicant would be responsible for operating the full international program cycle at scale, including recruitment and selection support, host site development, training delivery, participant services for the U.S.-based fellowship period, alumni engagement, and mechanisms that help Fellows carry projects forward when they return home.Apply for SFOP0006611
- The Department of State, Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2020 Community Solutions Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.415.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 10, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 08, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the FY 2020 Community Solutions Program grant opportunity?
The FY 2020 Community Solutions Program is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0006611) administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Office of Citizen Exchanges. It supports an international leadership and exchange program designed to strengthen the skills, networks, and practical community impact of emerging leaders from around the world.
2) Which U.S. government office is running this opportunity?
The opportunity is a U.S. Department of State initiative run through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically the Office of Citizen Exchanges.
3) What type of award is this?
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement. In a cooperative agreement, the recipient typically implements the program while working closely with ECA on key elements such as program design, oversight, and compliance.
4) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SFOP0006611.
5) What is the CFDA / Assistance Listing number for this program?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA (now called the Assistance Listing) 19.415.
6) When was the opportunity posted, and what was the original application deadline?
The opportunity was posted on March 10, 2020. The original application deadline was May 8, 2020.
7) What is the overall purpose of the Community Solutions Program?
The purpose is to strengthen the skills, networks, and practical impact of emerging community leaders globally. The program is oriented toward real-world community problem solving and producing sustained impact after participants return home.
8) When was Community Solutions launched?
Community Solutions was launched in 2010.
9) Who is the program intended to serve (participant profile)?
The program focuses on emerging community leaders who are generally in the 25 to 38 age range and who are actively working on real community challenges.
10) What kinds of community challenges does the program focus on?
The program supports leaders working on economic, environmental, political, or social challenges. The emphasis is on practical, community-level problem solving rather than purely academic study.
11) What regions are included in the program’s geographic scope?
The geographic scope is global and explicitly includes Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, the Middle East and North Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere.
12) What is the core program experience for participants?
The core experience is a four- to six-month fellowship based in the United States.
13) How long is the U.S.-based fellowship?
The fellowship is designed to last four to six months.
14) Where are Fellows placed during the fellowship?
Fellows are placed in professional settings in the United States that can include public institutions, government offices, state legislatures, social incubators, businesses, or nonprofit organizations.
15) What is the nature of the fellowship placement (hands-on vs. academic)?
Placements are meant to be substantive and hands-on. Fellows are paired with experienced practitioners and community leaders and work within predefined issue areas that align with the host organization’s expertise and the Fellow’s community priorities.
16) How are issue areas for placements determined?
Issue areas are intended to align with both the host organization’s expertise and the Fellow’s community priorities, with work organized around predefined issue areas.
17) What value do host organizations receive from hosting Fellows?
Host organizations benefit from the Fellow’s perspective and contributions on shared topics, creating two-way value alongside the Fellow’s professional growth and learning.
18) Does the program include training in addition to the fellowship placement?
Yes. The program includes a robust online and blended leadership training component, suggesting a structured curriculum combining virtual learning and in-person experiential learning.
19) What is meant by “online and blended leadership training” in this opportunity?
Based on the description, it refers to a structured curriculum that combines virtual learning with in-person experiential learning to reinforce leadership development, collaboration, and applied project planning throughout the fellowship period.
20) What outcomes are expected for Fellows after the program?
A major expected outcome is that participants return home with stronger skills, expanded professional connections, and clearer, implementable plans for community-based initiatives.
21) Is post-fellowship support expected as part of the program design?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes follow-on support for the design and implementation of post-fellowship projects in Fellows’ home countries, indicating that sustained impact after the U.S. portion is a key focus.
22) How is the program’s success likely judged based on the description?
The description suggests the program is judged heavily on sustained impact after the U.S.-based exchange, not only on the quality of the fellowship experience itself.
23) Does the opportunity include international engagement involving U.S. partners or alumni?
Yes. An additional element includes overseas travel support for approximately 10 to 15 American hosts and program alumni to work directly with participants on community engagement projects.
24) How many American hosts and alumni are expected to travel overseas under this program element?
Approximately 10 to 15 American hosts and program alumni are expected to receive overseas travel support.
25) What is the purpose of the overseas travel support component?
The intent is to extend mentorship and collaboration into local contexts, help Fellows adapt lessons learned in the U.S. to on-the-ground realities at home, and deepen institutional relationships across borders.
26) Who is eligible to apply for this funding opportunity?
Eligibility is limited to U.S. entities, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement).
27) Are non-U.S. organizations eligible to apply directly?
No. Based on the information provided, eligibility is limited to U.S. entities.
28) How many awards did the agency anticipate making?
The agency anticipated making one award.
29) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The stated award ceiling is $2,500,000.
30) What would the selected applicant be responsible for delivering?
The selected applicant would be responsible for operating the full international program cycle at scale. This includes recruitment and selection support, host site development, training delivery, participant services for the U.S.-based fellowship period, alumni engagement, and mechanisms to help Fellows carry projects forward when they return home.
31) What does “cooperative agreement” imply about the relationship with ECA during implementation?
It implies the recipient implements the program while working closely with ECA on key elements such as program design, oversight, and compliance.
32) Is the program focused on academic study or applied practice?
The program is described as emphasizing practical, community-level problem solving rather than purely academic study.
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