Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund 2026 - Brazil | FY26 BSB 410601

Opportunity Information: Apply for FY26 BSB 410601

The Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) 2026 - Brazil is a competitive grant opportunity run by the U.S. Mission to Brazil (U.S. Embassy and Consulates) for alumni of U.S. government-funded or U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs. The program is designed to help exchange alumni take the skills, connections, and experience they gained during their time in a U.S.-supported exchange and turn them into practical, community-focused projects that address real-world challenges. AEIF is a long-running global initiative (active since 2011) and has supported hundreds of alumni-led projects worldwide, with this Brazil round offering funding for one selected award.

For 2026, proposals must clearly connect to the theme of celebrating and promoting the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States (Freedom250). In addition to the anniversary angle, projects are also expected to align with relevant U.S. administration priorities referenced in the notice, such as contributing to a safer, stronger, and more prosperous United States, defending freedom of expression, and/or showcasing U.S. innovation, excellence, and positive influence on global culture. In other words, the project should not only solve a local problem or meet a community need, but should also be able to credibly tell a story about shared values, collaboration, and positive U.S. engagement, framed through the Freedom250 anniversary lens.

AEIF proposals in Brazil must include at least one of the following core elements. First, projects can focus on convening alumni from different exchange programs to build or expand an alumni network that can collaborate on shared interests, including across regions and internationally. Second, projects can be structured to strengthen the relationship between exchange alumni and the U.S. government by working together on activities tied to mutual goals and challenges. Third, projects can prioritize alumni leadership development and community implementation, supporting alumni as they build leadership capacity while delivering tangible impact. Regardless of which element is selected, every proposal is expected to be alumni-driven and to involve collaboration among exchange alumni rather than being an individual effort.

Eligibility is tightly focused on exchange alumni. Applicants must be alumni of a U.S. government-funded or sponsored exchange program, including programs associated with the U.S. Department of State J-1 Exchange Visitor framework. Proposals must be submitted by teams of at least two alumni, and the application must identify a team lead. U.S. citizen alumni are not allowed to submit proposals and cannot serve as team leads, although they are allowed to participate as team members. Teams may include alumni from different programs and even different countries, but the team must include at least one participant from Brazil. Applications can be submitted either by eligible alumni directly or by an alumni association made up of U.S. government exchange alumni; if an alumni association submits, it still must name a team lead. No other types of applicants (for example, regular NGOs or companies applying on their own) are eligible to apply as the primary applicant.

At the same time, the opportunity allows flexibility in how projects are carried out. Alumni teams may partner with not-for-profit or non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and academic institutions to help implement activities, and the grant funds can be awarded either to an individual alumni grantee or to a partner organization, depending on how the project is structured. This makes it possible for alumni to combine their exchange-driven ideas and leadership with the operational capacity of an established institution, while keeping the project clearly alumni-led.

Key funding and administrative details include an award ceiling of USD 35,000 and an expectation of one award for this Brazil competition. The opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant under Funding Opportunity Number FY26 BSB 410601, with CFDA/assistance listing 19.022, and it is categorized under an "Other" funding activity area. The application deadline is February 18, 2026, at 11:59 PM Brasilia time, and applications must be submitted through the designated Google Form link provided in the notice: https://forms.gle/ZBaTuM6xgWrU6MK19.

• The U.S. Mission to Brazil in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund 2026 - Brazil" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.022.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2026-01-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-02-18. (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 $35,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for FY26 BSB 410601

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