AUTHORIZATION:

The Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, Public Law 87-256.

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, while building international knowledge and capacity among Americans The purpose of the Teacher Exchange Program is to improve mutual understanding among teachers, school administrators, and their schools and communities in the U.S. and abroad through professional development and exchange. Teacher exchanges support the internationalization and increased quality of schools and classrooms, increase the knowledge of students and communities about global issues and cultures, and improve knowledge of foreign languages.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Cooperative Agreements Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Funding is provided to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions to implement exchange and professional development programs for teachers and other educators from the U.S. and approximately fifty countries around the world. Organizations are responsible for the following broad categories: program planning and management; placement; orientation; enrichment activities; participant supervision and support services; fiscal management and budgeting; and program reporting and evaluation. The goal of the programs is to create mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Please refer to the grants.gov or Federal Register announcement for further information.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   (a) Hold at least a Bachelor's degree; (b) be a U.S. citizen fluent in English at the time of application; (c) have a current full-time teaching or administrative assignment in the U.S. or one of its territories; (d) be in at least the third year of full-time teaching or administration (teachers applying to the Classics Seminar only need to be in their second full-year; (e) have not participated in a Fulbright Teacher Exchange longer than 8 weeks in the last 2 years (there is no required waiting period for teachers who have participated in exchanges of 8 weeks or less).

Beneficiary Eligibility:   U.S. and foreign teachers and administrators who want to live and study in a foreign country for 6 weeks, a semester, or an academic year.

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. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Pre-application 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:   OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. 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.

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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.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:  

19-0201-0-1-154.

Obligations:   (Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $12,954,143; FY 09 est $12,955,000; FY 10 est $0 - FY 2010 estimate not available.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  

No Data Available.

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