Closed · DFOP0017864 · CFDA 19.012 · Discretionary

FY 2026 Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program

Federal grant opportunity posted by Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs, cataloged on Grants.gov.

$325K-$750K
Award range
Closed
Status
May 1, 2026
Close date
2
Expected awards

The verdict

FY 2026 Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program is a closed discretionary listing from Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs that offered $325,000 -- $750,000 across 2 expected awards. Future funding cycles may be published under the same CFDA number.

$325K-$750K
award range
Closed
application status
2
expected awards
19.012
CFDA program

Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement - FY 2026 Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program - is cataloged under number DFOP0017864 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 19.012, posted by Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as closed, first posted on March 3, 2026. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a cooperative agreement.

Award economics. The award range on file is $325,000 -- $750,000. It expects to issue 2 awards. Cost sharing is not required, so applicants do not need to commit matching funds to be competitive on this opportunity. Federal award ranges are often upper bounds; actual allocations reflect program appropriations, the strength of the applicant pool, and the evaluation committee's scoring.

Deadline and action path. This opportunity closed on May 1, 2026. Future funding cycles may be published under the same CFDA number, so monitoring the parent program page is the most reliable way to catch re-announcements. Every Grants.gov submission requires an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID. Review the Eligibility section below carefully, federal eligibility categories (nonprofit, state or local government, tribal, individual, educational institution, small business) have distinct registration and reporting requirements. Pre-application outreach to the listed agency contact is permitted and often welcomed, it helps clarify scope and scoring priorities. Before acting on the deadline or award figures above, verify them directly on the official Grants.gov listing, amendments can change dates and amounts after this page was last refreshed.

Award Range

$325,000 -- $750,000

Close Date

May 1, 2026

Posted

March 3, 2026

Expected Awards

2

Instrument

Cooperative Agreement

Description

The Global Leaders Division in the Office of Citizen Exchanges at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is seeking proposal submissions for one to two cooperative agreements to design, implement, and oversee the FY 2026 Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program. Launched in 1997, the Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program is a two-way economic exchange program designed to enhance leadership and professional skills and build lasting partnerships between emerging entrepreneurs from Tibetan communities in China, India, Nepal and Bhutan, and the United States. The defining element of the program is a minimum four-week U.S.-based exchange which will provide Fellows with opportunities to discuss and share best practices for initiating and supporting business and/or community initiatives. The award recipient will be responsible for planning and administering all components of the Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program. The non-U.S. Fellow component will feature a series of virtual engagement opportunities leading up to a minimum four-week U.S.-based exchange for up to 25 participants. This component will consist of professional and leadership development activities which may include, but shall not be limited to: trainings, workshops, site visits, job shadowing, team building exercises, panel discussions, case studies, resource-sharing, and networking events. The U.S. Fellows component will enable up to 10 U.S. professionals, who engaged with the non-U.S. Fellows during the course of their program, to travel to India, Nepal or Bhutan for approximately two weeks to assist the non-U.S. Fellows’ follow-on plans and conduct alumni engagement activities. Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional information.

Eligibility

Grants.gov lists this opportunity under eligibility category codes 06, 12, 20, 25. These codes correspond to applicant types (state/local government, tribal organization, nonprofit, educational institution, individual, small business, etc.) defined in Grants.gov's own eligibility reference. See the current Grants.gov eligibility categories or check the official listing below for this opportunity's exact eligibility statement.

Official Listing on Grants.gov

View full details, application forms, and submission instructions.

View on Grants.gov

Agency Contact

Susannah Wood

Key Dates

Posted March 3, 2026
Close Date May 1, 2026
Archive Date May 31, 2026
Last Updated March 3, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this grant opportunity?
This is a federal funding opportunity titled "FY 2026 Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program", offered by Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is associated with CFDA program 19.012. The Global Leaders Division in the Office of Citizen Exchanges at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is seeking proposal submissions for one to two coopera...
Is this opportunity still open?
No, this opportunity is closed. It closed on May 1, 2026. Check the parent program page for future funding cycles.
How much funding is available?
The award range for this opportunity is $325,000 -- $750,000. Expected number of awards: 2.
How do I apply?
Applications for federal grant opportunities are typically submitted through Grants.gov. Visit the official listing at grants.gov for application instructions, required documents, and submission deadlines.

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from Grants.gov and SAM.gov and is for informational purposes only. Opportunity details, deadlines, and eligibility requirements change frequently. Always verify current information directly on Grants.gov before applying. PlainGrants is not affiliated with any federal agency.

Data sourced from the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainGrants Editorial