Deadline: 15-May-23

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Office of Citizen Exchanges (CE), Youth Programs Division announces an open competition for the FY 2023 TechGirls program.

U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to implement the program, which includes one four-week, U.S.-based exchange focused on the in-depth exploration of applied technology and STEM topics to be conducted in summer 2024 for a total of approximately 111 foreign young women (ages 15-17) from select countries in the six world regions, and approximately 20-25 competitively selected American peers.

Purpose

• Launched in 2012, the TechGirls program is an intensive, educational youth exchange program that directly supports development in the field of technology by equipping young women from the United States and all world regions with the knowledge and professional/technical skills to pursue higher education and careers in STEM, contribute to their home economies, and build and sustain networks and connections in STEM fields.
• The program builds on the U.S. global commitment to advance the rights of women and girls around the world and promote STEM education, as well as aligns with ECA’s Functional Bureau Strategy goals of further advancing administration priorities by empowering youth to address global challenges, collaborate with peers globally, and become active members of their home communities and the global arena. Additionally, the program is designed to foster sustained connections/networks and mutual understanding among the youth of the United States and participating countries around the globe.
• The TechGirls program will provide participants who have a demonstrated aptitude and strong interest in STEM fields the opportunity for an in-depth exploration of applied technology through a four-week summer exchange in the United States. Following the exchange, the participants will implement required follow-on service projects in their home communities to further the impact of the program. Follow-on projects should be participant-driven.

Goals

The goals of the program are to:

• Provide a program for in-depth exploration applied technology for young women (ages 15- 17) who already have a demonstrated aptitude and strong interest in STEM.
• Empower and encourage participants to pursue higher education and careers in STEM fields.
• Build participants’ understanding of technology’s integral relationship with the professional world.
• Develop participants’ technical skills in current technologies that are relevant and adaptable to the participants’ home countries.
• Connect and support the next generation of women who share interests and abilities.
• Promote problem-solving and critical thinking.
• Build participants’ self-confidence.
• Equip participants with leadership skills to influence positive change in their communities.
• Encourage and support the development of meaningful cross-regional relationships and friendships.
• Foster connections and deepen trust and mutual understanding among the youth of the United States and participating countries around the world, creating greater potential for future collaboration and networks between Americans and overseas counterparts.

Objectives

The objectives of the program are for participants to:

• Enhance their understanding of various technological tools and their specific uses and applications in their countries, as well as how technology is used on a global scale.
• Develop a specific process and step-by-step action plan for designing and implementing follow-on projects in their home communities, utilizing available technologies.
• Explain and present their community follow-on projects and exchange experiences to broader audiences, such as classmates, community members, among others, in their home communities.

Funding Information

• Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2023 base year funding amount – $1,660,000; FY 2024 NCC year one funding amount – $1,660,000, pending successful performance and the availability of funds; FY 2025 NCC year two funding amount – $1,660,000, pending successful performance and the availability of funds.
• Approximate Total Funding: $4,980,000. This figure represents a base year plus two NCC years, pending successful performance and the availability of funds.
• Approximate Number of Awards: One.
• Approximate Average Award: $1,660,000, pending the availability of funds.
• Floor of Award Range: None.
• Ceiling of Award Range: $1,660,000, pending the availability of funds.
• Anticipated Award Date: September 15, 2023.

Eligible Countries

• The Bureau anticipates that the TechGirls participants will be competitively recruited and selected from the following regions/countries and territories (approximately 3 participants per country/territory):
  • Sub-Saharan Africa (AF) – Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zambia
  • East Asia and Pacific (EAP) – Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Mongolia, Taiwan, and Vietnam
  • Europe and Eurasia (EUR) – Albania, Cyprus, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Türkiye
  • Middle East and North Africa (NEA) – Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, and Tunisia
  • South and Central Asia (SCA) – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
  • Western Hemisphere (WHA) – Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Suriname
• The award recipient will take the lead in recruiting eligible, English-speaking foreign participants for the exchange, in cooperation and collaboration with participating U.S. embassies.

Eligibility Criteria

• U.S. public and private academic and cultural institutions, exchange-of-persons, and other notfor-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit applications for this competition. Applicants must have nonprofit status with the IRS at the time of application.
• The following additional eligibility requirements apply to this NOFO announcement:
  • ECA’s grant guidelines require that organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting international exchanges be limited to $130,000 in ECA funding. ECA anticipates making one cooperative agreement, in an amount of $1,660,000 to support all costs required to implement this exchange program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition.
  • All proposals must comply with the requirements stated in the NOFO, POGI, and the PSI; non-compliance will result in your proposal being declared technically ineligible and given no further consideration in the review process.
  • Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization.

For more information, visit Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).