Closed · DFOP0018335 · CFDA 19.009 · Discretionary
FY 2026 Strengthening Talent, Research, Innovation and Vital Engagement (STRIVE) Program
Federal grant opportunity posted by Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs, cataloged on Grants.gov.
- $2M-$2M
- Award range
- Closed
- Status
- June 10, 2026
- Close date
- 1
- Expected awards
The verdict
FY 2026 Strengthening Talent, Research, Innovation and Vital Engagement (STRIVE) Program is a closed discretionary listing from Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs that offered $2,000,000 -- $2,000,000 across 1 expected award. Future funding cycles may be published under the same CFDA number.
- $2M-$2M
- award range
- Closed
- application status
- 1
- expected award
- 19.009
- CFDA program
Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement - FY 2026 Strengthening Talent, Research, Innovation and Vital Engagement (STRIVE) Program - is cataloged under number DFOP0018335 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 19.009, posted by Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as closed, first posted on May 12, 2026. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a cooperative agreement.
Award economics. The award range on file is $2,000,000 -- $2,000,000. 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 June 10, 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
$2,000,000 -- $2,000,000
Close Date
June 10, 2026
Posted
May 12, 2026
Expected Awards
1
Instrument
Cooperative Agreement
Description
The STRIVE Program’s goal is to strengthen U.S. global leadership by supporting U.S. higher education institutions to equip the next generation of American leaders with the vital knowledge, skills, and relationships needed to advance U.S. commercial and security interests. ECA previously engaged U.S. higher education institutions in similar activities through the IDEAS Program. The STRIVE Program increases the U.S. institutions and students engaging overseas while aligning activities to better support U.S. prosperity and security. The STRIVE Program provides competitively selected subawards and resources to U.S. colleges and universities to establish international partnerships and programming that prepare U.S. undergraduate and graduate students for careers in industries critical to U.S. prosperity and security. The STRIVE Program has three main objectives:· Increase the number of U.S. higher education institutions developing international partnerships to maintain U.S. global leadership and influence in higher education, counter malign influence of other actors in foreign higher education systems, and align global academic innovation with U.S. priorities. · Increase the number of U.S. undergraduate and graduate students studying, interning, apprenticing, and/or researching abroad on programs that prepare them to fulfill domestic labor needs, ensuring a skilled U.S. workforce that can effectively advance U.S. commercial and security interests.· Increase the strategic locations where U.S. undergraduate and graduate students study, intern, apprentice, and/or research abroad. Growing foreign public’s interactions with U.S. students, culture, and business practices helps lay the foundation for strengthened diplomatic, security, economic, and trade ties. Pending availability of funds, the recipient will work in close consultation with ECA to implement two main components to achieve the STRIVE Program goal and objectives under this award:1. Small Grants Competition and Oversight: The award recipient will implement at least one open, merit-based competition that will result in at least 25 subawards to accredited U.S. colleges and universities to develop international academic programs that equip U.S. students to meet domestic labor needs in industries critical to U.S. commercial and security interests. The developed programs can include credit-bearing study, internship, apprenticeship, and/or research abroad activities and be open to U.S. undergraduate and/or graduate students. The award recipient should look for efficiencies to maximize the amount of funding dedicated to subawards. The award recipient will monitor and support subaward recipients as they implement project activities and build institutional capacity to develop international programs aligned with U.S. economic and security needs. 2. Higher Education Partnerships Initiative: The award recipient will develop and implement a cohesive series of engagements to foster partnerships between U.S. and global higher education institutions that will lead to study, internship, apprenticeship, and/or research exchanges in one or more fields critical to U.S. commercial and security interests. The field(s) of focus will be determined in consultation with ECA but could include artificial intelligence / supercomputing, critical minerals, emerging technologies and innovations, and energy, among others. This initiative should include virtual and/or in-person seminars open to all U.S. and foreign higher education institutions, as well as an in-person forum held in conjunction with a major industry conference that will bring together approximately 40 total U.S. and foreign higher education leaders to explore partnership opportunities. 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.
Parent Grant Program
Academic Exchange Programs
U.S. Department of State
Agency Contact
Heidi Manley
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.
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| Sources | the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov |