Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) 2020

Are you a U.S. exchange alumni with a great idea?

If you are a U.S. government-sponsored international exchange program alumni*, you can team up with other #ExchangeAlumni (team leaders must be non-U.S. citizen alumni) to apply for an Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) grant!

AEIF supports teams of alumni with grants from USD $5,000 up to USD $25,000 for public service projects that promote shared values and innovative solutions to global challenges.

2020 Theme:

Women, Peace, and Security.

AEIF will prioritize funding projects that:

  • Strengthen the role of women in peace, security, and governance;
  • Promote protection of women and girls from violence, abuse, and exploitation;
  • Support women’s political, economic, and civic participation; or,
  • Engage women as partners in preventing terrorism and countering radicalization and recruitment;

Deadline:

 February 25, 2020 at 10:00 p.m. Uruguay local time

 Eligibility Requirements:

  • Applicants must be alumni of U.S. government-funded or sponsored exchange programs, and form teams of at least two (2) alumni. This includes J-1 Exchange Visitor Program alumni as well as USG-funded exchange alumni.
  • Alumni who are U.S. citizens may not submit proposals, but U.S. citizen alumni may participate as team members in a project.
  • Alumni teams may be comprised of alumni from different exchange programs and different countries.
  • Proposals must address women in peace, security, and governance. Proposals that do not address the theme as outlined in the program objectives will be deemed ineligible.
  • All project activities must take place outside of the United States and its territories.

Allowable Activities and Costs:

AEIF 2020 can support the following costs and activities:

  • Intra-regional or in-country transportation
  • Rental of venues for project activities
  • Trainer or speaker expenses
  • Reasonable equipment and materials
  • Meals or refreshments integral to the project goals (i.e. working lunch during a meeting)
  • Communications and publicity materials, such as manuals or project advertisements

Ineligible Activities and Unallowable Costs:

AEIF 2020 does not support the following activities or costs, and the selection committee will deem applications involving any of these activities or costs ineligible:

  • Airfare to or from the United States and its territories
  • Activities that take place in the United States and its territories
  • Sustained staff salaries, office space, and overhead/operational expenses
  • Large items of durable equipment or construction programs
  • Alcohol, excessive meals, refreshments, or entertainment
  • Academic or scientific research
  • Charitable or development activities or the provision of direct social services to a population
  • Support or opposition of partisan political activity or lobbying for specific legislation or programs
  • Programs that support specific religious activities
  • Fund-raising campaigns
  • Programs intended primarily for the growth or institutional development of the organization
  • Venture capital, for-profit endeavors, or charging a fee for participation in the project
  • Individual scholarships
  • Personal development
  • Social travel/visits
  • Gifts or prizes
  • Programs that duplicate existing programs

Timeline:

 

Date Phase
January 15 – February 25 AEIF is open! Send us your proposal. mvdcultural@state.gov
February 26 – March 13 Embassy Montevideo’s Public Affairs Section will evaluate the proposals and select programs that will be presented to the global AEIF.

Deadline and Application Forms:

Download the application form and the budget form.

Send these two documents to mvdcultural@state.gov before February 25 at 10:00 p.m. Uruguay local time.

In the subject of your email you must follow this format AEIF2020 URUGUAY PROPOSAL NAME. Example: AEIF2020 URUGUAY EMPOWERING EMERGING WOMEN.

PROPOSAL AND BUDGET GUIDANCE FOR EXCHANGE ALUMNI HERE.

If you have any questions, contact Álvaro Fernández at fernandezam@state.gov. (Final proposals sent to this email account instead of mvdcultural@state.gov will be not taken into consideration for the selection process.)