Closed · DFOP0017930 · CFDA 19.408 · Discretionary
FY 2026 U.S. Leadership in Education, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Skills (U.S. LEADS) Program
Federal grant opportunity posted by Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs, cataloged on Grants.gov.
- $2.5M-$2.5M
- Award range
- Closed
- Status
- May 18, 2026
- Close date
- 1
- Expected awards
The verdict
FY 2026 U.S. Leadership in Education, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Skills (U.S. LEADS) Program is a closed discretionary listing from Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs that offered $2,500,000 -- $2,500,000 across 1 expected award. Future funding cycles may be published under the same CFDA number.
- $2.5M-$2.5M
- award range
- Closed
- application status
- 1
- expected award
- 19.408
- CFDA program
Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement - FY 2026 U.S. Leadership in Education, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Skills (U.S. LEADS) Program - is cataloged under number DFOP0017930 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 19.408, posted by Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as closed, first posted on March 13, 2026. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a cooperative agreement.
Award economics. The award range on file is $2,500,000 -- $2,500,000. It expects to issue 1 award. 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 18, 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
$2,500,000 -- $2,500,000
Close Date
May 18, 2026
Posted
March 13, 2026
Expected Awards
1
Instrument
Cooperative Agreement
Description
The United States Leadership in Education, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Skills (U.S. LEADS) Program celebrates America's 250th anniversary by showcasing U.S. leadership from the Industrial Revolution to the Digital Revolution, focusing on revitalizing manufacturing, advancing AI, and strengthening supply chains. This Freedom 250 initiative will spark collaboration between U.S. community colleges, international vocational leaders, and U.S. industry partners to address emerging labor market demands that advance U.S. interests and drive economic development. The program will launch with a summit in Washington, D.C. to highlight America’s industrial heritage, current leadership in manufacturing and AI, and the role of U.S. community colleges in preparing the workforce of tomorrow. The program will also include a U.S. exchange for approximately 100 higher education officials, commerce leaders, and policymakers from countries strategically important to U.S. industry. The group should be divided into four cohorts comprised of approximately 25 representatives from approximately 3-4 countries, determined based on U.S. foreign policy priorities in consultation with ECA, U.S. embassies, and regional bureau input. These two-week regional programs will take place in approximately four U.S. cities with strong higher education-industry partnerships. Through site visits, hands-on learning, and industry engagement, international participants will gain knowledge of U.S. best practices in manufacturing and technology training, enabling them to adopt similar approaches and establish partnerships that advantage U.S. companies. The summit should occur between December 2026 and March 2027 and be followed immediately by the in-person regional exchanges. The successful applicant will provide responsive and flexible programming with activities tailored to U.S. priorities for vocational-technical education and commercial diplomacy that will lead to measurable positive policy change. 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.
Agency Contact
Matt Sacco
Key Dates
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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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
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| Sources | the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov |