Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0017272
The FY 2025 Community College Initiative (CCI) Program is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) funding opportunity to select a single organization to run a national-level international exchange and workforce development program through a cooperative agreement. ECA is looking for one award recipient that can design, implement, and oversee the full CCI Program on the U.S. side, working closely with accredited U.S. community colleges. The overall purpose is to bring foreign students to the United States for targeted community college-based training and professional development, then support their return home so they can use those skills to strengthen local economies and stability in countries that matter to U.S. strategic interests. The opportunity is framed in terms of advancing U.S. security and prosperity by building practical technical capacity among participants, including individuals from regions described as vulnerable to radicalization or irregular/illegal migration.
At its core, the program focuses on equipping participants with technical skills tied to critical industries, along with professional and entrepreneurial skills that improve employability and business creation potential. The intended theory of change is straightforward: participants receive applied training and exposure to U.S. community college instruction and related workforce ecosystems, gain market-relevant competencies, and then return home positioned to contribute to economic growth, job creation, and social stability. The U.S. government emphasizes the return-home component as part of the program impact, since the expected outcome is not long-term U.S. retention of participants but rather capacity-building abroad that aligns with U.S. foreign policy goals.
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means the federal agency anticipates substantial involvement during implementation compared with a standard grant. In practice, an applicant should expect ongoing coordination, approvals, reporting, and programmatic collaboration with ECA throughout the project period, consistent with whatever level of involvement is detailed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The opportunity is categorized as discretionary, under CFDA number 19.009, and is listed under the funding activity category "Other."
Eligibility is limited to U.S. public and private nonprofit organizations that meet 26 USC 501(c)(3) requirements and that represent consortia or other combinations of accredited U.S. community colleges. The eligible applicant types also include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, as reflected in the source data, but the narrative emphasizes that applicants should be organizations representing consortia or combinations of accredited community colleges. A key submission rule is that each applicant organization may submit only one proposal. If an organization submits multiple applications in Grants.gov, ECA will review only the submission with the timestamp closest to the NOFO deadline, and that will be treated as the organization’s sole application for review.
Funding is structured as a single anticipated award (ExpectedAwards: 1) with an award ceiling of $3,937,500. The opportunity number is DFOP0017272. The posting (creation) date is June 4, 2025, and the original application closing date is August 4, 2025. Because only one award is expected, the competition is effectively to select one prime implementer that can handle end-to-end program management, coordinate across participating community colleges, and deliver the participant experience and outcomes at scale within the available budget cap.
The administering agency is the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, specifically the Office of Global Educational Programs. Interested applicants are directed to consult the full NOFO for complete requirements, required application components, program design expectations, allowable costs, performance measures, and any additional compliance or partnership expectations not captured in the brief synopsis.Apply for DFOP0017272
- The Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2025 Community College Initiative Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.009.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-06-04.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-08-04. (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 $3,937,500.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Other
Next opportunity: FY25 Bureau of Land Management Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management- Bureau wide
Previous opportunity: New Approaches for Measuring Brain Changes Across Longer Timespans (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for DFOP0017272
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (DFOP0017272) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Creating Opportunities through Market Development in Sports and Digital Skills Apply for DOS KAZ AST PDS 25 002 Funding Number: DOS KAZ AST PDS 25 002 Agency: U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan Category: Other Funding Amount: $40,000 |
| Kigali Public Diplomacy APS Apply for PDS KIGALI FY25 001 Funding Number: PDS KIGALI FY25 001 Agency: U.S. Mission to Rwanda Category: Other Funding Amount: $35,000 |
| Alumni Engagement and Outreach Apply for DOS KAZ AST PDS 25 003 Funding Number: DOS KAZ AST PDS 25 003 Agency: U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan Category: Other Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| U.S. - UA Sisters Cities Program: Strengthening Partnerships for Security, Innovation, and Prosperity Apply for PDS UKRAINE FY25 01 Funding Number: PDS UKRAINE FY25 01 Agency: U.S. Mission to Ukraine Category: Other Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| U.S. Mission to Libya Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program Annual Program Statement (APS) Apply for DOS LEO PD APS 2025 Funding Number: DOS LEO PD APS 2025 Agency: U.S. Mission to Libya Category: Other Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| FY 2025 Arts and Music Envoy Apply for DFOP0017280 Funding Number: DFOP0017280 Agency: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs Category: Other Funding Amount: $3,010,000 |
| FY 2025 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program: Placement Components Apply for DFOP0017289 Funding Number: DFOP0017289 Agency: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs Category: Other Funding Amount: $7,242,250 |
| FY 2025 Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program: Overseas Components Apply for DFOP0017284 Funding Number: DFOP0017284 Agency: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs Category: Other Funding Amount: $11,761,350 |
| Annual Program Statement_UAE_2025 Apply for APS 2025 01 Funding Number: APS 2025 01 Agency: U.S. Mission to United Arab Emirates Category: Other Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Annual Program Statement (APS) Apply for OFOP0002068 Funding Number: OFOP0002068 Agency: U.S. Mission to Ethiopia Category: Other Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| 2026 Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) Summit Apply for PD SEOUL FY25 04 Funding Number: PD SEOUL FY25 04 Agency: U.S. Mission to South Korea Category: Other Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Enhancing U.S.–Africa Ties through Trade and Investment for Economic Growth Apply for OFOP0002014 Funding Number: OFOP0002014 Agency: U.S. Mission to Ethiopia Category: Other Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| DoD Cyber Academic Engagement Office Senior Military Colleges (SMC) Apply for HQ003425NFOEASD07 Funding Number: HQ003425NFOEASD07 Agency: Washington Headquarters Services Category: Other Funding Amount: $15,500,000 |
| Engaging Exchange Alumni – finding avenues to better facilitate U.S. strategic priorities Apply for OFOP0002088 Funding Number: OFOP0002088 Agency: U.S. Mission to Paraguay Category: Other Funding Amount: $8,000 |
| U.S. Embassy Libreville PDS Annual Program Statement Apply for DOS LIBREVILLE PDS APS FY25 01 Funding Number: DOS LIBREVILLE PDS APS FY25 01 Agency: U.S. Mission to Gabon Category: Other Funding Amount: $15,000 |
| Parole Board Training Resource Development & Delivery Apply for 25CS11 Funding Number: 25CS11 Agency: National Institute of Corrections Category: Other Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| FY2025 - Historic Preservation Fund- Annual State Historic Preservation Office Grants Apply for P25AS00488 Funding Number: P25AS00488 Agency: National Park Service Category: Other Funding Amount: $2,200,000 |
| FY2025 - Historic Preservation Fund- Annual Tribal Historic Preservation Office Grants Apply for P25AS00490 Funding Number: P25AS00490 Agency: National Park Service Category: Other Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| OIA Maintenance Assistance Program (MAP) 2025 - reposted July 2, 2025 Apply for OIA MAP 2025 V2 Funding Number: OIA MAP 2025 V2 Agency: Department of the Interior Category: Other Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| Brown Treesnake Program 2025 funding announcement - updated July 2, 2025 Apply for OIA BTS 2025 V2 Funding Number: OIA BTS 2025 V2 Agency: Department of the Interior Category: Other Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "DFOP0017272", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.