FY 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

Background
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), aiming to strengthen democratic institutions, spur economic growth, and enhance peace and security across Africa and the United States. The program has built a network of approximately 6,500 young African leaders across critical sectors to cement stronger ties between Sub-Saharan Africa and the United States.

Grant Details
The recipient will be responsible for planning and administering all components of the Mandela Washington Fellowship. This includes six-week Leadership Institutes at U.S. campuses for approximately 700 Fellows, a Summit for all Fellows, Professional Development Experiences (PDEs) for approximately 100 Fellows, a Reciprocal Exchange component that includes a minimum of 100 U.S. participants, and follow-on alumni activities. The Leadership Institutes should provide groups of approximately 25 young African leaders with intensive practical academic content in one of three tracks: Business, Civic Engagement, or Public Management. The recipient will also oversee the recruitment, selection, and placement process of the Fellows and U.S. host institutions.

Eligibility Requirements
ECA welcomes applications from U.S. public and private non-profit organizations, consortia of organizations, and accredited post-secondary U.S. education institutions meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3). Organizations with less than four years of experience in conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this competition.

Period of Performance
The award recipient will administer the program for a period of 18 months (base year) with two additional 18-month periods (NCC years one and two), with an anticipated project completion date of November 30, 2028.

Grant Value
$17,885,000 is anticipated as the total amount of funding available for this cooperative agreement. Each U.S. university or college selected to host a Leadership Institute should expect costs of approximately $250,000 inclusive of cost share.

Place of Performance
The Leadership Institutes should take place at accredited U.S. colleges or universities.