FY 2026 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals and Congress-Bundestag/Bundesrat Staff Exchange
Can you apply?
This grant is for U.S. organizations selected to implement bilateral youth and staff exchange programs between the United States and Germany.
Eligible applicants are organizations with experience managing international youth exchanges, academic programs, and cultural diplomacy. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to recruit and place American participants ages 18.5-24 in German academic and professional settings. Organizations must also manage reciprocal German participant placement in U.S. institutions and coordinate congressional staff exchanges.
The program operates nationally and internationally. It supports year-long academic exchanges with language training, semester study abroad, and practical work experience placements. Organizations manage host family placement, participant support services, and logistics for bilateral exchange components.
The award is a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for the 2027-2028 academic year.
Program description
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposals for cooperative agreements to implement the FY 2026 (Academic Year 2027-2028) Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals program and outbound Congress-Bundestag/Bundesrat Staff Exchange (CBBSX) travel component. The CBYX for Young Professionals and CBBSX programs advance America’s national interests by building lasting personal and institutional relationships that promote prosperity and security between the United States and Germany.
Key Activities:
CBYX for Young Professionals:
· Approximately 65 American and approximately 65 German participants, ages 18.5-24, engage in year-long academic and professional exchanges.
· American participants complete two months of in-country German language training, study for one semester at a German university, technical, or professional school, and gain practical work experience.
· German participants study for one semester at a U.S. university, college, technical, or professional school and gain practical work experience.
· Both American and German participants live with host families throughout the program year.
CBBSX:
· Ten U.S. Congressional and 10 German parliamentary staffers participate in a short-term reciprocal exchange with each other’s legislatures.
· The U.S. recipient organization provides travel and administrative support for the outbound CBBSX exchange by coordinating round-trip airfare for the U.S. delegation.
Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity and POGI for additional information.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Notice of Funding Opportunity
- POGI (Program Opportunity Guidance for Institutes)
- Project narrative
- Budget and budget narrative
- Organizational capacity documentation
- Cooperative agreement terms
Program contact
- 👤 Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs
- 📧 BehAC@state.gov
- 📞 202-890-9795
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 19.415 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$20,570,000
-
$20,450,000
-
$19,800,000
-
$18,390,884
-
$17,980,767
-
$17,915,753
-
$17,903,753
-
$17,403,806
-
$16,896,050
-
$16,320,000
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 19.415). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $139,802,885 | |
| 2025 | $86,270,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $86,270,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Established organizations with proven experience managing international youth exchanges and academic programs. Organizations must show capacity to recruit, place, and support young professionals in bilateral U.S.-Germany exchanges.
What is the funding amount and timeline?
The award is fixed at $1,100,000 for the 2027-2028 academic year. The deadline is August 14, 2026.
What activities does this funding support?
The program funds year-long exchanges for approximately 65 American and 65 German young professionals ages 18.5-24. It also covers congressional staff exchange travel coordination for ten U.S. and ten German parliamentary staffers.
Can this award be renewed?
The program structure suggests annual selection cycles, but specific renewal eligibility should be confirmed in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity.
What costs are covered?
The cooperative agreement covers program administration, participant support, language training, placement coordination, and outbound travel for the congressional staff exchange component.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Review the full Notice of Funding Opportunity and POGI carefully for detailed eligibility requirements and evaluation criteria before drafting your proposal.
- Emphasize your organization's track record managing large-scale international exchanges and complex logistics across multiple countries.
- Demonstrate strong recruitment networks in both the United States and Germany to identify and select qualified young professional participants.
- Detail your host family recruitment, screening, and support systems for both American and German participants.
- Show clear experience coordinating with academic institutions, parliamentary offices, and government agencies in both countries.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Underestimating recruitment and participant support capacity. Many organizations fail to show sufficient infrastructure for managing 130+ young professionals simultaneously. Weak partnerships with German universities and parliamentary offices weaken competitiveness. Vague plans for host family coordination or participant services reduce likelihood of award.
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