Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0017289
The FY 2025 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program: Placement Components opportunity is a U.S. Department of State funding competition run by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically through its Office of Citizen Exchanges. It seeks organizations to carry out key placement-related functions for the YES Program, which is a long-running, merit-based international exchange that brings roughly 450 high school-age emerging leaders to the United States each year from countries the U.S. considers strategically important. The core idea is full academic-year immersion: students live with volunteer American host families across all 50 states, attend U.S. high schools, participate in community service, and build leadership skills through structured programming and everyday life in their host communities.
The placement emphasis signals that funded partners are expected to make the exchange experience work on the ground in the United States, where outcomes depend heavily on effective matching, oversight, and community support. In practical terms, that typically includes recruiting and vetting volunteer host families, placing participants in appropriate U.S. secondary schools, supporting participants and families throughout the year, coordinating local orientations and ongoing check-ins, ensuring student welfare and compliance expectations are met, and helping create meaningful opportunities for service and leadership development. Because YES participants are distributed nationwide, including many small and rural communities, strong local networks and the capacity to manage placements at scale are central to this component.
ECA frames the program as serving broader U.S. interests, particularly national security and people-to-people diplomacy, by building mutual understanding and long-term relationships with future leaders. A notable feature of the announcement is that it also highlights benefits to Americans, not just visiting students: host families, schools, and communities gain stronger global competencies and direct exposure to other cultures and perspectives. The exchange model is designed to produce ripple effects in communities that might otherwise have limited international engagement, especially outside major metropolitan areas.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary grant competition using a cooperative agreement instrument, meaning the federal agency expects to have substantial involvement during implementation rather than simply issuing a grant and stepping back. The opportunity is listed under CFDA (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing) 19.415 and is offered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, as well as other eligible entities as allowed in the full notice.
The opportunity number is DFOP0017289, and the application deadline is August 15, 2025. ECA anticipates making about 8 awards, with an award ceiling of $7,242,250. The funding level and the expected number of awards suggest ECA may support multiple implementing organizations that each manage a portion of placements, regions, or specific operational responsibilities, though the exact division of labor would be spelled out in the full announcement. The notice was created on June 17, 2025, and applicants should rely on the full announcement for detailed scope, required activities, performance measures, compliance requirements, and submission instructions.Apply for DFOP0017289
- The Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2025 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program: Placement Components" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.415.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-06-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-08-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $7,242,250.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.
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FY 2025 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program: Placement Components - FAQs
1) What is the FY 2025 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program: Placement Components opportunity?
This is a U.S. Department of State funding competition to support the placement-related functions of the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program. The YES Program is a merit-based international exchange that brings roughly 450 high school-age emerging leaders to the United States each year for a full academic-year experience.
2) Which U.S. government office is running this competition?
The competition is run by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), through its Office of Citizen Exchanges.
3) What is the main purpose of the YES Program?
The core idea is full academic-year immersion in the United States. Students live with volunteer American host families, attend U.S. high schools, participate in community service, and build leadership skills through structured programming and everyday life in host communities.
4) What does "Placement Components" mean in this funding opportunity?
"Placement Components" refers to the on-the-ground work in the United States that makes the exchange function effectively. The opportunity emphasizes matching, oversight, and community support so students can be successfully hosted and supported across the academic year.
5) What kinds of activities are typically included in placement-related functions for the YES Program?
Based on the opportunity description, typical placement functions can include recruiting and vetting volunteer host families, placing participants in appropriate U.S. secondary schools, supporting participants and host families throughout the year, coordinating local orientations and ongoing check-ins, ensuring student welfare and compliance expectations are met, and helping create meaningful opportunities for community service and leadership development.
6) How many students does the YES Program bring to the United States each year?
The announcement describes the YES Program as bringing roughly 450 high school-age emerging leaders to the United States each year.
7) Where in the United States are YES students placed?
Students are placed with volunteer host families across all 50 states. The description also notes that participants are distributed nationwide, including many small and rural communities.
8) Why is local capacity and community networking important for this opportunity?
Because placements occur nationwide and often include small and rural communities, the ability to maintain strong local networks and manage placements at scale is described as central to successful implementation of this component.
9) What broader goals does ECA connect to the YES Program?
ECA frames the program as advancing broader U.S. interests, including national security and people-to-people diplomacy, by building mutual understanding and long-term relationships with future leaders from countries the United States considers strategically important.
10) Does the program description mention benefits to Americans and U.S. communities?
Yes. The announcement highlights that host families, schools, and communities can gain stronger global competencies and direct exposure to other cultures and perspectives. It also notes intended "ripple effects" in communities that may have limited international engagement, especially outside major metropolitan areas.
11) What type of federal funding instrument is expected for this opportunity?
The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement instrument.
12) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
It means the federal agency (ECA/Department of State) expects to have substantial involvement during implementation, rather than issuing funding and stepping back.
13) Is this a discretionary grant competition?
Yes. The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant competition using a cooperative agreement instrument.
14) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing) 19.415.
15) What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number is DFOP0017289.
16) What is the application deadline?
The application deadline is August 15, 2025.
17) When was this opportunity created?
The notice was created on June 17, 2025.
18) How many awards does ECA anticipate making?
ECA anticipates making about 8 awards.
19) What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling is $7,242,250.
20) Does the announcement indicate how work might be divided among awardees?
The description suggests ECA may support multiple implementing organizations that each manage a portion of placements, regions, or specific operational responsibilities. The exact division of labor would be spelled out in the full announcement.
21) Who is eligible to apply for this funding opportunity?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, as well as other eligible entities as allowed in the full notice.
22) Where should applicants look for detailed requirements like scope, performance measures, and submission instructions?
Applicants should rely on the full announcement for detailed scope, required activities, performance measures, compliance requirements, and submission instructions.
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