FY 2026 J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI) Program

Background
The FY 2026 J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI) Program is administered by the Global Leaders Division, Office of Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State. This initiative aims to advance U.S. foreign policy priorities by promoting American scientific excellence, technological leadership, and innovation while upholding core U.S. principles such as freedom of speech, individual liberty, and the rule of law.

The program connects young leaders in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) with their peers in the United States through American-led virtual exchanges.

Grant Details
The JCSVEI will utilize various virtual exchange formats including live dialogues, collaborative digital projects, online trainings, and virtual workshops to engage approximately 8,000 participants annually. Participants will explore U.S. global leadership in science, technology, business, and civic life while developing digital storytelling projects that illustrate American values.

The initiative also includes an Alumni Leadership Academy for participants demonstrating strong leadership potential to serve as ambassadors of U.S. values. Organizations applying must demonstrate capacity to recruit and manage up to six partner organizations as sub-award recipients under the JCSVEI umbrella.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include U.S. not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations) and public/private educational institutions with at least four years of experience in conducting international exchange programs. All organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM.gov.

Period of Performance
The period of performance for this cooperative agreement is approximately 24 months, beginning on or about September 15, 2026.

Grant Value
The total anticipated award amount for this grant is approximately $4,000,000.

Place of Performance
Activities must be conducted in the United States and one or more countries in the MENA region including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.