Opportunity Information: Apply for ECA ECAPEC 18 102
The FY 2018 International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI) is a U.S. Department of State program run through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Sports Diplomacy Division. It funds international sports exchange projects that use sport as a practical tool for social development and diplomacy, with a clear emphasis on reaching underserved youth and the adults who support them, such as coaches and sports administrators who manage youth programs. The opportunity is structured as an open competition, meaning eligible organizations submit proposals describing how they would design and manage these exchanges.
At its core, ISPI supports reciprocal exchanges between the United States and selected partner countries. The exchanges are meant to advance a “Sport and Social Change” approach, where sport is not treated as the end goal, but as the vehicle for broader outcomes. Program activities are expected to help young people build leadership and life skills, strengthen academic engagement and success, promote tolerance, and increase respect for diversity. The exchanges are also designed to encourage participants to contribute positively in both their home communities and the U.S. communities that host them, reinforcing the idea that sports-based programming can generate lasting community ties and civic-minded action rather than short-term training experiences.
A major rationale behind ISPI is the role of sports diplomacy in advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives by creating points of contact with groups that are often difficult to engage through traditional diplomacy. The announcement highlights that these programs can be especially effective with at-risk youth, women, minorities, people with disabilities, and non-English speakers. In practice, that means proposals should show a credible plan for recruitment, access, and inclusion, and for creating an environment where participants from different backgrounds can interact safely and meaningfully through sport and related educational programming.
The program is intentionally not aimed at developing high-performance or professional sports talent. Proposals focused on training elite athletes or elite coaches are explicitly ineligible. Instead, the focus has to remain on youth development and community-level impact, and the program design needs to reflect that by integrating leadership development, mentoring, community service, education components, and dialogue on inclusion and mutual understanding. Another requirement emphasized in the summary is that programming must focus on both male and female youth and/or their coaches and sports administrators, so applicants should anticipate gender inclusion expectations and design activities accordingly.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this opportunity is a discretionary award offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically implies a more active partnership with the Department of State compared to a standard grant. The Funding Opportunity Number is ECA ECAPEC 18 102, the CFDA number is 19.415, and the original application closing date was April 30, 2018. The award ceiling listed is $700,000, and the notice indicates that multiple awards were expected (the exact number is not specified in the provided text).
Eligible applicants include U.S. public and private nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education, with an “Others” category also listed in the source data. While the summary notes that additional eligibility requirements apply, those details are contained in the full announcement. Overall, ISPI is positioned for organizations that can credibly run international exchange programming, demonstrate strong youth development and inclusion expertise, and use sport as a structured platform to advance leadership, educational outcomes, social cohesion, and cross-cultural understanding.Apply for ECA ECAPEC 18 102
- The Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2018 International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI)" 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 2018-02-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-04-30. (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 $700,000.00 in funding.
- 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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FAQs: FY 2018 International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI)
What is the FY 2018 International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI)?
ISPI is a U.S. Department of State program that funds international sports exchange projects. The program is administered through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Office of Citizen Exchanges, Sports Diplomacy Division, and supports exchanges that use sport as a tool for social development and diplomacy rather than as an end goal.
Which U.S. government office runs this opportunity?
The opportunity is run by the U.S. Department of State through ECA (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs), specifically the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Sports Diplomacy Division.
What is the main purpose of ISPI-funded projects?
The purpose is to advance a "Sport and Social Change" approach by using sport as a vehicle to build leadership and life skills, strengthen academic engagement and success, promote tolerance, and increase respect for diversity, while encouraging positive community contributions in both the United States and partner countries.
What types of exchanges does ISPI support?
ISPI supports reciprocal international exchanges between the United States and selected partner countries. The exchanges are intended to create meaningful interaction through sport and related educational programming and to help build longer-term community ties.
Who are the intended participants or beneficiaries?
The program emphasizes reaching underserved youth and the adults who support them, such as coaches and sports administrators who manage youth programs.
Does ISPI prioritize any specific populations?
Yes. The program highlights the value of engaging groups that may be harder to reach through traditional diplomacy, including at-risk youth, women, minorities, people with disabilities, and non-English speakers. Proposals are expected to demonstrate credible recruitment, access, and inclusion plans for diverse participants.
Is the program focused on elite or professional sports training?
No. ISPI is intentionally not aimed at developing high-performance or professional sports talent. Proposals focused on training elite athletes or elite coaches are explicitly ineligible.
What kinds of activities are expected in an ISPI program design?
Program designs are expected to integrate youth development and community-level impact elements such as leadership development, mentoring, community service, education components, and dialogue on inclusion and mutual understanding, with sport serving as the platform for these outcomes.
Are there gender inclusion expectations?
Yes. The summary emphasizes that programming must focus on both male and female youth and/or their coaches and sports administrators, so applicants should design activities with gender inclusion in mind.
How does ISPI relate to U.S. foreign policy?
The program frames sports diplomacy as a way to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives by creating points of contact with groups that can be difficult to engage through traditional diplomacy, using sport and exchange experiences to foster mutual understanding and civic-minded engagement.
How are awards competed and selected?
The opportunity is structured as an open competition. Eligible organizations submit proposals describing how they would design and manage the exchanges. (Additional selection details are indicated as being in the full announcement.)
What type of award instrument is used?
This opportunity is a discretionary award offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally implies a more active partnership with the Department of State than a standard grant.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $700,000.
Are multiple awards expected?
Yes. The notice indicates that multiple awards were expected, though the exact number is not specified in the provided information.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for ISPI FY 2018?
The Funding Opportunity Number is ECA ECAPEC 18 102.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number is 19.415.
What was the application closing date?
The original application closing date was April 30, 2018.
Which organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include U.S. public and private nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education. An "Others" category is also listed in the source data.
Are there additional eligibility requirements beyond organization type?
Yes. The summary notes that additional eligibility requirements apply, but those details are contained in the full announcement (not included in the provided information).
What should a competitive proposal emphasize?
Based on the summary, proposals should emphasize credible capacity to run international exchange programming; strong youth development and inclusion expertise; and a clear plan to use sport as a structured platform for leadership development, educational outcomes, social cohesion, and cross-cultural understanding, rather than elite athletic training.
What does "Sport and Social Change" mean in this context?
It means sport is treated as the vehicle for broader outcomes (leadership, life skills, academic engagement, tolerance, respect for diversity, and community contribution) rather than as the primary end goal of the program.
Is community impact a required focus?
Yes. The exchanges are designed to encourage participants to contribute positively in both their home communities and the U.S. communities that host them, reinforcing the idea of lasting community ties and civic-minded action.
What are the expectations around safety and meaningful interaction among diverse participants?
The summary indicates proposals should reflect a credible plan for access, recruitment, and inclusion, and for creating an environment where participants from different backgrounds can interact safely and meaningfully through sport and related programming.
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