Professional And Cultural Exchange Programs - Special Professional And Cultural Programs (19.012)

Program

19.012 Professional And Cultural Exchange Programs - Special Professional And Cultural Programs

Federal Agency

Agency: U.S. Department of State
Office: Bureau Of Educational And Cultural Affairs

Authorization

The Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, Public Law 87-256, as amended by The Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as amended, 22 U.S.C 2451.

Program Number

19.012

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

As authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) seeks to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange programs, including the exchange of scholars, researchers, professionals, students, and educators. ECA programs foster engagement and encourage dialogue with citizens around the world. Educational and cultural engagement is premised on the knowledge that mutual understanding, the development of future leaders, and the benefits of education programs influence societies and affect official decision-making almost everywhere in the world today. ECA programs inform, engage, and influence participants across strategic sectors of society � including young people, women, teachers, scholars, journalists, and other professionals � increasing the number of foreign individuals who have first-hand experience with Americans and with the values of freedom, representative government, rule of law, economic choice, and individual dignity. The purpose of the Special Professional and Cultural Programs is to carry out Congressionally-directed initiatives that support professional and youth exchanges between the United States and select countries through grants to American non-profit, non-governmental institutions and organizations, including community organizations, professional associations, and universities.

Types of Assistance

Project Grants

Uses and Use Restrictions

Funding is provided to eligible non-profit organizations, colleges and universities to support their work in designing and administering programs as well as coordinating program logistics. Funding to those organizations supports activities such as publicity and recruitment, screening of participant applications, communication with participants, domestic and international travel, payment of stipends and program benefits, and the provision of enrichment activities. Special Professional and Cultural Programs constitute a range of professional and youth exchange initiatives in which the U.S. Congress has particular interest. The programs are designed to promote U.S. interests in designated countries around the world by developing mutual understanding of key issues and promoting long-lasting ties between the United States and those countries. Programs are designed to promote good governance, civil society and civic responsibility, educational reform, conflict prevention and management, trade, leadership, cultural diversity and heritage, and educational reform, as well as other topics through people-to-people exchanges. Please refer to the grants.gov or Federal Register announcement for further information.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

None

Beneficiary Eligibility

None

Credentials/Documentation

Pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended (Fulbright-Hays Act) the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State awards grants and cooperative agreements to educational and cultural public or private nonprofit foundations or institutions. Applications may be submitted by public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). Organizations must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. Please refer to the grants.gov or Federal Register announcement for further eligibility criteria. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Announcements are made on the grants.gov website and in the Federal Register for organizations meeting eligibility requirements. Announcements are made throughout the fiscal year and are posted to the Department of State's website: http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html.
The application procedures are described in the grants.gov and Federal Register announcements.

Award Procedure

Final awards cannot be made until funds have been appropriated by Congress, allocated and committed through internal Bureau procedures. Successful applicants will receive a Federal Assistance Award (FAA) from the Bureau�s Grants Office. The FAA and the original proposal with subsequent modifications (if applicable) shall be the only binding authorizing document between the recipient and the U.S. Government. The FAA will be signed by an authorized Grants Officer, and mailed to the recipient�s responsible officer identified in the application.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 60 to 90 days.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

As stated in the Grants.gov and Federal Register announcements.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

This program has no matching requirements.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

As stated in the Grants.gov and Federal Register announcements. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Through the Department's central financial management database.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

As stated in the Grants.gov and Federal Register announcements. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. As stated in the Grants.gov and Federal Register announcements. As stated in the Grants.gov and Federal Register announcements.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. The Recipient must comply with the OMB audit requirements. For all DOS awards, regardless of business type, the Recipients are subject to the audit requirements found in OMB audit requirements. In addition, the Recipients are subject to the audit requirements found in the Single Audit Act of 1984, 31 U.S.C. 7501-7507. Please refer to the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions for Domestic Financial Assistance Awards (http://fa.statebuy.state.gov ) for additional guidance.

Records

The Recipients must maintain financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to an award for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. Please refer to the Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions for Domestic Financial Assistance Awards (http://fa.statebuy.state.gov ) for additional guidance.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: In FY 2008, Special Professional and Cultural Programs sponsored approximately 1,000 participants from 24 countries, including the United States. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

19-0201-0-1-154.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $12,715,000; FY 09 est $11,663,000; FY 10 est $0 - FY2010 estimate not available.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

No Data Available.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

As stated in the grants.gov and Federal Register announcements. In addition,
organizations should be familiar with OMB Circulars A-110 (Revised) (Uniform
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher
Education, Hospitals and Other Nonprofit Organizations), A-122/A-21 (Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations; Indirect Costs), and A-133/A-128 (Audits of Institutions of Higher Education and Other Nonprofit Organizations) on cost accounting principles.
For a copy of the OMB circulars cited, please contact Government Publications or download from http://www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Sheila Casey 301 4th Street, SW
SA-44, Washington, District of Columbia 20547 Email: caseysd@state.gov Phone: 202-453-8150

Web Site Address

http://exchanges.state.gov/citizens/index.html

Examples of Funded Projects

Not Applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

As stated in Grants.gov and Federal Register announcements.