The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Sports Diplomacy Division, of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for the FY 2021 International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI) to use sports to help underserved youth around the world develop important leadership skills, achieve academic success, promote tolerance and respect for diversity, and positively contribute to their home and host communities. Project Goals Demonstrate how organized sports, through the principles of leadership, responsibility, teamwork, healthy living, and self-discipline, can encourage youth to stay in school, prevent substance abuse and violence, and mitigate extremist voices. Demonstrate the use of sport as a tool to promote tolerance and understanding through organized activities that appeal to youth and youth influencers and that focus on conflict prevention/resolution. Demonstrate how sports can improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities by providing affordable, inclusive sports experiences that build self-esteem and confidence, enhance active participation in community life, and make a significant contribution to the physical and psychological health of people with disabilities. Enable local youth sports organizations in the United States and their counterparts overseas to share best practices, emphasizing the importance of grassroots community-based sports programs in a community’s development and sustainability. Share local community-based practices globally while learning from counterparts in another community outside of the United States. Emphasize the responsibility of the broader community to support healthy behaviors and teach young people how to prevent and manage non-communicable diseases through sports programs. Funding Information Approximate Total Funding: $2,100,000 Approximate Number of Awards: One Eligibility Criteria Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by U.S. public and private nonprofit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). Applicants must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application. All applicants must also have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number and be registered in SAM.gov. Other eligibility requirements: Experience in Conducting International Exchanges: Bureau grant guidelines require that organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting international exchanges be limited to $130,000 in Bureau funding. Technical Eligibility: It is imperative that all proposals follow the requirements outlined in the Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI) technical format and instructions document. Additionally, all proposals must comply with the following or they will result in applicants’ proposal being declared technically ineligible and will not receive further consideration in the review process: Eligible applicants may not submit more than one (1) proposal for this competition. Proposals that address themes outside of the Sport for Social Change theme listed in the NOFO, will be deemed technically ineligible. All proposals must contain an executive summary (one page), proposal narrative (not to exceed twenty pages), detailed timeline and detailed budget (which includes a line item budget and a budget narrative); this is in addition to the required SF-424, 424A, and 424-B Forms, if applicable (see guidance in POGI), and SF-LLL form, if applicable). Failure to submit all required elements will cause your proposal to be declared technically ineligible. The Office of Citizen Exchanges does not support proposals limited to conferences or seminars (i.e., one- to fourteen- day programs with plenary sessions, main speakers, panels, and a passive audience). The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs does not fund programs that involve building structures of any kind, including playing fields, recreation centers, or stadiums. The pursuit of academic degrees from U.S. institutions is not an acceptable focus of this program. Programs designed to train elite athletes or coaches are ineligible. If applicants’ organization is a private nonprofit which has not received a grant or cooperative agreement from ECA in the past three years, or if applicant organization received nonprofit status from the IRS within the past four years, they must submit the necessary documentation to verify nonprofit status as directed in the PSI document. For more information, visit 2021 ISPI.