FY 2022 National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) Program

Background
The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for one cooperative agreement for the FY 2022 National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program. NSLI-Y increases the number of American youth (ages 15 to 18) who learn critical foreign languages in support of strengthening national security, building mutual understanding, and preparing for the global economy.

Grant Details
The FY 2022 award will be executed as a cooperative agreement between the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and a single award recipient to support merit-based scholarships for current or recently graduated American high school students for overseas intensive foreign language instruction in eight critical languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki or Farsi), Russian, and Turkish. The award also supports programming for NSLI-Y alumni from all program years. The total amount of anticipated funding available to support the overall program administration and the overseas language program implementation for the base year is $10,000,000.

Eligibility Requirements
U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to cooperate with ECA in the overall administration of NSLI-Y organizational responsibilities and the implementation of overseas summer and academic year language programs for approximately 661 participants according to the guidance detailed in this NOFO.

Period of Performance
NSLI-Y program activities funded by this award will take place during summer 2023 and academic year 2023-2024.

Grant Value
$10,000,000

Place of Performance
The award recipient will manage the comprehensive organizational and administrative responsibilities of this program and will identify qualified sub-award recipients to implement many of the overseas language programs. NSLI-Y program activities funded by this award will take place during summer 2023 and academic year 2023-2024 in locations where Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki or Farsi), Russian, and Turkish are widely used in everyday life.