EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program 2026
Contract Overview
Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
AI Contract Overview
The EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program 2026, administered by the U.S. Mission to Zambia under the Department of State, provides a $28,000 cooperative agreement to support academically gifted Zambian students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in accessing U.S. higher education institutions. The program targets students pursuing degrees in STEM, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, and other critical emerging fields aligned with U.S. strategic priorities, selecting candidates based on merit through a structured rubric developed by the Embassy’s Education Outreach Coordinator. While the U.S. Embassy retains full control over student recruitment and selection, the grantee is responsible for disbursing funds to cover all necessary expenses including standardized test fees, university application costs, financial aid applications, U.S. visa and SEVIS fees, domestic travel to testing and visa appointment sites, international travel to U.S. institutions, settling-in allowances, and logistics for pre-departure orientations for approximately 30 students annually. The program is designed to enhance U.S. economic interests by generating fee-paying international students who support American institutions and job creation, while also cultivating long-term leadership ties with Zambia’s future professionals to strengthen bilateral relations and counter strategic influence from competitors like China and Russia. Selected students will be integrated into the EducationUSA alumni network to ensure continued engagement and track long-term outcomes in career advancement and return to Zambia to contribute to its development. All applicants must comply with federal regulations including 2 CFR Part 200, 2 CFR 600, and the U.S. Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, with mandatory adherence to requirements for drug-free workplaces, trafficking in persons compliance, and governmentwide accountability standards. Proposals must be submitted electronically via email to lusakapasgrants@state.gov by the July 10, 2026 deadline, and must include the SF-424 or SF-424-I application form, SF-424A budget form, a six-page narrative using the provided template or equivalent format, a detailed line-item budget spreadsheet with justification, CVs of key personnel, and proof of registration in SAM.gov with a Unique Entity Identifier. Organizations applying from outside the U.S. need not have an EIN or NCAGE code unless engaging in DoD-related activities. Evaluation is based on a weighted scoring system prioritizing program quality and feasibility (30 points), organizational capacity and past grant performance (25 points), project planning and achievability (20 points), budget accuracy
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Full Description
EducationUSA connects academically gifted Zambian students with opportunities at U.S. universities and colleges. The Opportunity Funds support the students with costs related to U.S. college applications such as application fees, standardized testing fees, visa fees, and travel expenses. This program enables economically disadvantaged students to complete applications to pursue enrollment at U.S.-accredited institutions. Recruitment and selection will rigorously prioritize merit-based criteria, with particular emphasis on candidates pursuing degrees in STEM, AI, cybersecurity, data science, and other critical and emerging fields central to U.S. innovation leadership. Selection criteria will include demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, and articulated career goals in high-priority fields, assessed through a structured rubric developed by the Embassy's Education Outreach Coordinator to ensure the cohort reflects U.S. strategic priorities while remaining accessible to students from diverse backgrounds.
By facilitating international enrollment, the program advances U.S. economic prosperity — fee-paying students generate revenue for American institutions, support domestic job creation, and strengthen U.S. global competitiveness; select participants return home to fill critical skill gaps to build Zambia's economy and create markets for U.S. investment. Beyond economics, the program serves key U.S. strategic and national security interests by cultivating a generation of American-educated Zambian leaders, scientists, and professionals, building durable institutional ties and reducing the influence of strategic competitors like China and Russia among Zambia's youth. Taken together, EducationUSA strengthens the bilateral relationship between the United States and Zambia through shared academic and professional experience, advancing mutual understanding and long-term partnership. Successful students will be enrolled into the EducationUSA alumni program, offering long term partnership with future students and the U.S. Embassy. The program will track enrollment rates in STEM and other Administration-priority fields, alumni career outcomes, and retention in EducationUSA and Embassy engagement networks post-graduation.
The grantee will not be involved in the selection and recruitment of Opportunity Fund students. The grantee will assist the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section in disbursing funds to organizations and individuals to cover travel, admission fees, exam fees, application expenses, and assist the Embassy’s Education Outreach Coordinator to organize logistics for pre-departure orientations.
The grantee will meet the following objectives:
● Arrange for the required standardized U.S. admission test fees for selected students.
● As necessary, facilitate payment for domestic travel and per diem costs to enable participants to attend the nearest testing site.
● Arrange payment for university/college application expenses, including financial aid applications.
● Facilitate and pay U.S. visa and SEVIS fees, domestic travel arrangements for visa appointments, travel to U.S. higher education institutions to commence studies, and settling-in allowances and other expenses related to beginning their U.S. tertiary program.
● Facilitate payment for pre-departure orientations and travel logistics for an estimated 30 Opportunity Funds students with successful applications to U.S. higher education institutions.