Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0017496
The FY 2025 America250 U.S. Speaker Program (Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0017496) is a U.S. Department of State opportunity run through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to support public diplomacy programming tied to the U.S. Semiquincentennial, branded as America250. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the recipient will not only implement the project but will also work closely with ECA in planning, coordination, and oversight as the program is delivered. The government is seeking one primary awardee to provide the operational backbone for the program, including administrative management and programmatic support.
At its core, the program funds and organizes short-term, high-impact exchanges that send U.S. citizen experts overseas (or connect them virtually) to engage foreign audiences. ECA describes the U.S. Speaker Program as a long-running, rapid-response tool that has been in use for more than 40 years to build durable relationships between American professionals and key foreign stakeholders. In the America250 context, the speaker engagements are intended to advance themes associated with the 250th anniversary of the United States and to create substantive dialogue that strengthens international ties while also generating practical benefits for Americans, including economic and educational opportunities that can flow from sustained institutional linkages.
The scale of activity is large: ECA anticipates supporting roughly 530 total programs worldwide, with about 310 conducted in person and about 220 delivered virtually. In-person programs typically run from three days up to three weeks, depending on the embassy or consulate objectives and the format required. Virtual programs can be single events scheduled for a specific date and time, or they can be designed as part of an ongoing series. The delivery formats are flexible and can include lectures, workshops, seminars, and training series, giving the implementer room to tailor engagements to local needs while still aligning with America250 goals.
The successful applicant will function as the central implementer that helps recruit and support a roster of dynamic American experts, coordinates with U.S. embassies and consulates around the world, and ensures programs are executed smoothly and consistently. That includes end-to-end management tasks such as speaker identification and vetting, logistical planning for travel and events (for in-person programs), virtual event production support (for online programs), scheduling, coordination with posts, and program tracking and reporting. Because this is a cooperative agreement, the recipient should be prepared for ongoing collaboration with ECA, including meeting ECA requirements, responding to evolving public diplomacy priorities, and maintaining the agility needed for quick turnaround requests from overseas posts.
Eligibility is open to U.S. organizations including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and U.S. nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The activity is listed under CFDA (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing) 19.440. The opportunity category is discretionary, and ECA expects to make a single award with an award ceiling of $2,236,259. The application deadline listed is August 26, 2025, and the opportunity was created on July 28, 2025.
In practical terms, this grant is aimed at an organization that can operate at global scale, manage a high volume of simultaneous engagements, and maintain strong systems for speaker recruitment, program design support, logistics, monitoring, and compliance. The work is meant to produce repeatable, embassy-driven programs that connect American expertise with priority audiences abroad, using America250 as the unifying frame for exchange topics and relationship-building outcomes.Apply for DFOP0017496
- The Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2025 America250 U.S. Speaker Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.440.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-07-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-08-26. (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 $2,236,259.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- 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 2025 America250 U.S. Speaker Program (DFOP0017496)
What is the FY 2025 America250 U.S. Speaker Program?
The FY 2025 America250 U.S. Speaker Program is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity administered through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to support public diplomacy programming connected to the U.S. Semiquincentennial, branded as America250.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DFOP0017496.
Which agency runs this opportunity?
This opportunity is run by the U.S. Department of State through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
What type of award is being offered?
The award is structured as a cooperative agreement. This means the recipient is expected to implement the project while working closely with ECA on planning, coordination, and oversight as the program is delivered.
How many awards does ECA expect to make?
ECA expects to make a single award and is seeking one primary awardee to provide the operational backbone for the program.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling is $2,236,259.
What is the application deadline?
The application deadline listed is August 26, 2025.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on July 28, 2025.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this program?
The activity is listed under Assistance Listing 19.440.
What is the opportunity category?
The opportunity category is discretionary.
What does the program fund and organize?
The program funds and organizes short-term, high-impact exchanges that send U.S. citizen experts overseas or connect them virtually to engage foreign audiences through public diplomacy programming.
What is the main purpose of the U.S. Speaker Program in the America250 context?
In the America250 context, speaker engagements are intended to advance themes associated with the 250th anniversary of the United States, create substantive dialogue that strengthens international ties, and generate practical benefits for Americans through sustained institutional linkages that can support economic and educational opportunities.
How large is the expected program workload?
ECA anticipates supporting roughly 530 total programs worldwide, with about 310 conducted in person and about 220 delivered virtually.
How long do in-person programs typically last?
In-person programs typically run from three days up to three weeks, depending on the objectives of the embassy or consulate and the format required.
What types of virtual programs are expected?
Virtual programs may be single events scheduled for a specific date and time, or they may be designed as part of an ongoing series.
What formats can speaker engagements take?
Formats are flexible and can include lectures, workshops, seminars, and training series. The implementer can tailor engagements to local needs while aligning with America250 goals.
Who is the intended implementer of the program?
The successful applicant will serve as the central implementer, providing administrative management and programmatic support at global scale, and helping ensure programs are executed smoothly and consistently.
What are the core responsibilities of the awardee?
Based on the opportunity description, responsibilities include recruiting and supporting a roster of U.S. citizen experts, coordinating with U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, and managing end-to-end implementation tasks such as speaker identification and vetting, logistics for travel and events (for in-person programs), virtual event production support (for online programs), scheduling, coordination with posts, and program tracking and reporting.
Does the awardee need to coordinate with U.S. embassies and consulates?
Yes. The program is described as embassy- and consulate-driven, and the implementer is expected to coordinate closely with posts around the world and respond to quick-turnaround requests.
What does it mean that the U.S. Speaker Program is a "rapid-response tool"?
ECA describes the U.S. Speaker Program as a long-running, rapid-response mechanism that can be used to meet evolving public diplomacy needs, including quick turnaround requests from overseas posts.
How long has the U.S. Speaker Program been in use?
ECA describes it as having been in use for more than 40 years.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is open to U.S. organizations, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and U.S. nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).
Is this grant intended for an organization that can operate internationally?
Yes. The description emphasizes global scale operations, the ability to manage a high volume of simultaneous engagements, and strong systems for recruitment, program support, logistics, monitoring, and compliance.
Are programs only conducted in person, or can they be virtual?
Both. ECA anticipates a mix of in-person and virtual programming, with a substantial number of engagements in each format.
What makes this opportunity different from a standard grant?
The program is offered as a cooperative agreement, which is described as involving ongoing collaboration with ECA in planning, coordination, and oversight as the program is delivered, along with responsiveness to evolving public diplomacy priorities.
What does ECA want the awardee to provide beyond individual events?
ECA is seeking a primary awardee to provide the operational backbone for the overall program, including administrative management, programmatic support, consistency across engagements, and systems to track and report on program delivery.
What is the unifying theme across the programming?
America250 is described as the unifying frame for exchange topics and relationship-building outcomes tied to the 250th anniversary of the United States.
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