FY 2026 Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program

The Global Leaders Division in the Office of Citizen Exchanges at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is seeking proposal submissions for one to two cooperative agreements to design, implement, and oversee the FY 2026 Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program. Launched in 1997, the Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program is a two-way economic exchange program designed to enhance leadership and professional skills and build lasting partnerships between emerging entrepreneurs from Tibetan communities in China, India, Nepal and Bhutan, and the United States. The defining element of the program is a minimum four-week U.S.-based exchange which will provide Fellows with opportunities to discuss and share best practices for initiating and supporting business and/or community initiatives. The award recipient will be responsible for planning and administering all components of the Ngawang Choephel Fellows Program. The non-U.S. Fellow component will feature a series of virtual engagement opportunities leading up to a minimum four-week U.S.-based exchange for up to 25 participants. This component will consist of professional and leadership development activities which may include, but shall not be limited to: trainings, workshops, site visits, job shadowing, team building exercises, panel discussions, case studies, resource-sharing, and networking events. The U.S. Fellows component will enable up to 10 U.S. professionals, who engaged with the non-U.S. Fellows during the course of their program, to travel to India, Nepal or Bhutan for approximately two weeks to assist the non-U.S. Fellows’ follow-on plans and conduct alumni engagement activities. Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional information.