Opportunity Information: Apply for ECA ECAPEC 18 106
The FY 2018 Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP) is a U.S. Department of State exchange and professional development grant opportunity administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), specifically through the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Sports Diplomacy Division. It is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning the selected recipient would be expected to work closely with the U.S. government during program implementation rather than operating completely independently. The program sits under CFDA number 19.415 and is framed as a sports diplomacy initiative that uses sport as a practical tool to build relationships, strengthen communities, and advance broader U.S. foreign policy goals.
At its core, the opportunity funds an organization to run two separate, month-long mentorship programs in the United States, along with a reciprocal exchange overseas. The two U.S.-based components are the Sport for Community GSMP and the espnW GSMP. Together with the overseas reciprocal element, the full effort is designed to involve roughly 80 international and American participants in total. While the announcement does not list every operational detail in the excerpt, the structure clearly emphasizes hands-on, professional mentorship: international sports leaders are paired with American sports executives and practitioners for intensive learning, observation, and collaboration, with the expectation that participants take what they learn and translate it into concrete initiatives when they return home.
The program is explicitly focused on inclusion and the advancement of groups that are often marginalized in sports systems and in society more broadly. The GSMP highlights empowering women and people with disabilities as central aims, positioning sport as a platform for social inclusion and for elevating the status and visibility of underserved populations. In practice, that means the mentorships and exchanges are not only about improving athletic programs or organizational management, but also about helping participants develop inclusive approaches, accessible programming, and leadership pathways that open doors for people who have historically been excluded or underrepresented.
A major theme of the GSMP is relationship-building that lasts beyond the exchange itself. The opportunity describes an intent to foster mutually beneficial, ongoing connections between U.S. sports professionals and leaders in the international sports sector. It also emphasizes sustained alumni engagement, including continued ties through U.S. Embassy relationships, potential follow-on individual grants, and structured monitoring and evaluation. This signals that the program is designed as a multi-stage pipeline: recruit and mentor participants, support them as they implement ideas, and keep them connected to a broader network so the impact continues after the month-long experiences end.
Another defining feature is the emphasis on public-private partnerships and participant-led business plans. Rather than being only a training tour, the GSMP is framed as an applied program where participants develop practical, participant-driven plans that can be implemented in real communities. The intent is for these plans and partnerships to translate into measurable community benefits both in the United States and abroad, using sport to encourage civic engagement, inclusion, and stronger community structures. The announcement summarizes this as helping create a more secure and democratic global playing field, which reflects the program's larger diplomatic purpose: strengthening international ties and promoting shared values through the universal appeal and organizing power of sport.
In terms of eligibility and logistics, the competition was open to U.S. organizations, with the narrative emphasizing U.S. public and private non-profit organizations that meet the requirements of 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3). The source data also lists additional eligible applicant categories, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), indicating a broader eligibility framing in the listing. The funding opportunity number is ECA ECAPEC 18 106, the original application closing date was June 1, 2018, and the listed award ceiling was $1,130,000.Apply for ECA ECAPEC 18 106
- The Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2018 Global Sports Mentoring Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.415.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-04-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-06-01. (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 $1,130,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.
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FY 2018 Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP) - FAQs
What is the FY 2018 Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP)?
The FY 2018 Global Sports Mentoring Program (GSMP) is a U.S. Department of State exchange and professional development grant opportunity that supports sports diplomacy programming. It funds an organization to run structured mentorship-based exchanges that use sport to build relationships, strengthen communities, and advance broader U.S. foreign policy goals.
Which U.S. government office is responsible for this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), through the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Sports Diplomacy Division.
What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA number?
The funding opportunity number is ECA ECAPEC 18 106, and the program is listed under CFDA number 19.415.
What type of award is this?
This is a discretionary cooperative agreement. That means the selected recipient is expected to work closely with the U.S. government during program implementation rather than operating completely independently.
What does "cooperative agreement" imply for the recipient?
Based on the description provided, the cooperative agreement structure indicates active collaboration with the U.S. government during implementation, with the recipient coordinating closely rather than managing the program in a fully independent manner.
What is the main purpose of the GSMP?
The GSMP is framed as a sports diplomacy initiative that uses sport as a practical tool to build relationships, strengthen communities, and promote broader diplomatic goals. It is designed to create mutually beneficial connections between U.S. sports professionals and international sports leaders.
What activities does the grant fund?
The opportunity funds an organization to run two separate, month-long mentorship programs in the United States, plus a reciprocal exchange overseas.
What are the two U.S.-based components of the program?
The two U.S.-based components are the Sport for Community GSMP and the espnW GSMP.
How long are the U.S.-based mentorship programs?
Each U.S.-based mentorship program is described as month-long.
Is there an overseas component?
Yes. In addition to the two month-long U.S. mentorship components, the program includes a reciprocal exchange overseas.
About how many people does the full program intend to involve?
Together, the two U.S.-based components and the reciprocal overseas element are designed to involve roughly 80 international and American participants in total.
Who are the participants meant to be?
The program centers on international sports leaders and American sports executives and practitioners, pairing them for intensive professional mentorship, learning, observation, and collaboration.
What is the mentorship model described in the opportunity?
The structure emphasizes hands-on professional mentorship: international sports leaders are paired with American sports executives and practitioners for intensive learning, observation, and collaboration.
What outcomes are expected for participants after the exchange?
Participants are expected to take what they learn during the mentorship and translate it into concrete initiatives when they return home.
What key themes does GSMP emphasize?
The opportunity emphasizes inclusion, hands-on mentorship, long-term relationship-building beyond the exchange, alumni engagement, and applied projects such as participant-led business plans and public-private partnerships.
How does the program address inclusion?
Inclusion is central to the GSMP. The program highlights empowering women and people with disabilities, using sport as a platform for social inclusion and for elevating the status and visibility of underserved populations.
Which populations are specifically highlighted as priorities?
The opportunity specifically highlights women and people with disabilities as central aims for empowerment and inclusion through sport.
Is GSMP only about improving athletic performance or sports management?
No. The description indicates that while professional development and organizational learning are important, the program also focuses on inclusive approaches, accessible programming, and leadership pathways for groups that have historically been excluded or underrepresented.
What does the opportunity say about relationship-building and alumni engagement?
A major theme is sustaining relationships beyond the exchange. The opportunity describes ongoing connections between U.S. sports professionals and international sports leaders, with sustained alumni engagement through U.S. Embassy relationships, potential follow-on individual grants, and structured monitoring and evaluation.
Does the program mention monitoring and evaluation?
Yes. The opportunity references structured monitoring and evaluation as part of sustained alumni engagement and ongoing program impact.
Does the program involve follow-on funding or additional grant opportunities for participants?
The description notes potential follow-on individual grants as part of sustained alumni engagement, along with continued ties through U.S. Embassy relationships.
What is meant by "public-private partnerships" in this program context?
The opportunity emphasizes public-private partnerships as part of the applied, implementation-oriented approach, aiming for plans and collaborations that translate into measurable community benefits in the U.S. and abroad.
Are participants expected to develop business plans or implementation plans?
Yes. The GSMP emphasizes participant-led business plans and practical, participant-driven plans intended to be implemented in real communities.
What kinds of community benefits does the program aim to achieve?
The opportunity describes intended benefits such as civic engagement, inclusion, and stronger community structures, using sport as a tool to support measurable improvements in communities.
Who was eligible to apply for this funding opportunity?
The competition was open to U.S. organizations. The narrative emphasizes U.S. public and private non-profit organizations that meet the requirements of 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3). The listing also includes additional eligible applicant categories: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).
Does an applicant need to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to be eligible?
The narrative emphasizes 501(c)(3) U.S. nonprofits, but the provided listing information also includes other eligible categories such as certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) and eligible institutions of higher education.
What was the application deadline listed for this opportunity?
The original application closing date listed was June 1, 2018.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling was $1,130,000.
How is this opportunity connected to U.S. foreign policy?
The opportunity is explicitly framed as sports diplomacy and is described as advancing broader U.S. foreign policy goals by strengthening international ties and promoting shared values through sport.
What is the overall program structure in simple terms?
The structure described is: recruit and mentor participants through two month-long U.S.-based mentorship programs, conduct a reciprocal overseas exchange element, support participants as they implement ideas, and keep them connected through alumni engagement and ongoing relationships.
Is this program designed to continue beyond the month-long mentorship experience?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes sustained engagement beyond the exchange, including alumni connections, Embassy relationships, potential follow-on individual grants, and monitoring and evaluation intended to keep the network active and extend impact over time.
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