FY 2026 Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI)

The Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship Program is a U.S. Department of State initiative administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Global Leaders Division. It aims to bolster U.S. economic interests and strengthen diplomatic ties across the Western Hemisphere by fostering entrepreneurial partnerships between emerging Latin American and Caribbean entrepreneurs and U.S. business leaders. The program serves as a strategic platform for promoting American values such as innovation, entrepreneurship, and free enterprise while expanding U.S. commercial influence and export opportunities. The FY26 YLAI Fellowship will support approximately 250 Fellows from Latin America and the Caribbean to participate in a five-to-six-week in-person exchange in the United States. This includes orientation, customized business placements, leadership and entrepreneurship training, action plan development, and a culminating forum in Washington, D.C. Additionally, approximately 100 U.S. participants—drawn from among previous fellowship hosts—will travel abroad in support of the Fellows’ business initiatives and to establish long-term partnerships aligned with U.S. commercial interests. Administered as a cooperative agreement, this opportunity offers approximately $7,875,000 for a single award, with total available program funding at $23,625,000, contingent on availability. The funding instrument is federal, and the anticipated award date is September 1, 2026. ECA expects to renew the award for up to two additional years pending satisfactory performance and availability of funds. The performance period is estimated to last between 18 and 24 months. Eligible applicants are U.S.-based nonprofit organizations or educational institutions with at least four years of experience managing international exchange programs. The grant supports a broad array of allowable expenses including travel, per diem, consultant fees, training, orientation logistics, alumni programming, and digital infrastructure. Cost sharing is not required, but strongly encouraged. Applicants must demonstrate strong subject matter expertise in regional business landscapes and experience delivering large-scale exchanges. A robust Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) strategy aligned with the ECA’s MODE Framework is mandatory and should demonstrate measurable impact on business skills, partnerships, and public diplomacy outcomes. The application must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov no later than June 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Required components include the SF-424, executive summary, proposal narrative, detailed budget (including SF-424A), and budget narrative. Proposals will be evaluated based on program design, institutional capacity, sustainability planning, M&E rigor, and cost-effectiveness. Contact for inquiries is Susannah Wood at [email protected] or (771) 205-9501. Applications will be reviewed through a multi-tiered process involving ECA and external reviewers, with award notices issued after internal compliance checks. The projected program timeline begins with the application window opening in August 2026 and concludes with the outbound U.S. exchanges in September 2027. The initiative is designed as a recurring annual opportunity and aligns with U.S. foreign policy goals, national security priorities, and the promotion of American entrepreneurship across the Americas.

Proposals should demonstrate four years of relevant experience, a robust M&E strategy aligned with the MODE Framework, and adherence to all required components including SAM.gov registration.