FY 2021 J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (Stevens Initiative)

Background
The J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (Stevens Initiative) is a multilateral public-private partnership developed in partnership with the Stevens Family Foundation. It aims to strengthen engagement between young people in the Middle East and North Africa (NEA) and in the United States as a lasting tribute to the legacy of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. The initiative will use technology and online tools to facilitate educational exchanges between the United States and the Middle East and North Africa, increasing mutual understanding and equipping more than one million youth with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.

Grant Details
The grant recipient will manage and coordinate all aspects of the Initiative, develop transparent, merit-based subaward competitions for U.S. and NEA-based organizations to administer virtual and blended exchange projects between youth in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa, facilitate ongoing collaboration among partners, conduct research and evaluations of activities, but will not directly implement exchanges.

The recipient will also be responsible for hiring staff, exercising financial oversight, supporting programmatic activities, issuing subawards, monitoring progress of awarded projects, documenting best practices, expanding partnerships with private sector, civil society, academia, and foundations, managing a governance structure for collaboration among stakeholders, conducting communications, outreach, marketing activities to promote the Initiative.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants are U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting 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.

Organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition. Eligible applicants may submit only one proposal under this competition.

Period of Performance
The cooperative agreement will be awarded for a period of 60 months (FY 2021 base year) with overlapping Non-Competitive Continuations for 48- and 36-month periods (non-competitive continuation FY 2022 and FY 2023).

All subaward competitions, issuance of subawards, and projects must be completed within the 60-month award period.

Grant Value
$5,000,000 for FY 2021 base year funding; $5,000,000 for FY 2022 non-competitive continuation year one; $5,000,000 for FY 2023 non-competitive continuation year two. Approximate Total Funding: $15,000,000.