Cooperative agreement to a USA nonprofit organization or IHE to orchestrate a study exchange program for high school students from predominantly Muslim backgrounds. Required registrations may take several weeks to complete. This cooperative agreement will fund the recruitment, selection, orientation, travel, liaison activities with natural parents, and alumni support. This award will also fund the placement and support of American participants abroad.

The YES inbound program advances U.S. foreign policy goals and provides scholarships for approximately 800 high school students from countries with significant Muslim populations to the United States to spend an academic year (with the exception of students from Malaysia who participate only in the spring semester due to the school year cycle in their home country) in the United States. Students live with host families, attend high school, engage in activities to learn about American society and values, acquire leadership skills, and educate Americans about their countries and cultures.

The YES Abroad program provides scholarships for approximately 65 American high school students and recent graduates from the United States to study abroad in select YES countries for an academic year.

Under the terms of the FY 2022 Cooperative Agreement, the recipient organization will be responsible for administering full study abroad scholarships during academic year 2023-2024. The proposal should demonstrate flexibility and creativity in program administration given the ongoing global crisis presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis may create significant challenges to normal or routine program administration in all areas, including recruitment, selection, logistical arrangements, on-program activities, and alumni activities. When appropriate, applicants should discuss areas of possible impact and present alternatives to normal program operations to mitigate further program disruption. Applicant organizations should include in the proposal submission provisions for virtual activities for all participants, if conditions warrant. The proposal should include tentative dates and topics for virtual activities.

The overall goals of the YES programs are to:

1. Promote better understanding by participating youth from the United States and selected countries about host society, people, institutions, values, and culture;
2. Foster lasting personal and professional ties;
3. Advance mutual understanding, respect for diversity, leadership skills, and understanding of civil society during the exchange experience and beyond; and,
4. Enhance understanding of other countries and cultures among American host communities and improve realistic understanding of American values in host and alumni communities abroad.

Recipient Responsibilities: https://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/fy22_yes_overseas_components_nofo.pdf#page=6

Allowable Costs: https://eca.state.gov/files/bureau/fy22_yes_overseas_components_nofo.pdf#page=71