ECA Individual Grants

To provide individual assistance awards by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to experts and other influential or distinguished persons in the United States, including U.S. academics and professionals, athletes and coaches and creative and performing artists, with funds appropriated to and authorized by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. These individual grants support interchanges between the United States and other countries that address issues of mutual interest consistent with the Fulbright-Hays Act. As authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act, ECA seeks to “increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the United States and other nations, and the contributions being made toward a peaceful and more fruitful life for people throughout the world; to promote international cooperation for educational and cultural advancement; and thus to assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations between the United States and other countries of the world.”

Individuals in fields of specialized knowledge or skill, and other influential or distinguished persons.

Specific processes vary from program to program activities. However, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs uses the Department’s Form DS-1909 (Federal Assistance Award) to award individual grants to successful applicants. All awards are signed by a warranted Grants Officer and administered through the U.S. Department of State's MyGrants (formerly SAMS Domestic). The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs DOES NOT accept unsolicited grant proposals for individual grant awards. Grant awards are made based on specific needs of the program office.