Hello all you Diversity Abroad Networkers. Have you heard about the latest U.S. Department of Education (USDE) funding opportunities for advancing internationalization efforts on your campuses? Well if you have then you’re keeping up with me, but if you haven’t then you’ll be interested in knowing what I have to share.
I could get into all the global competitiveness and world-class education mumble jumble, but you all know that inside and out, so I’ll cut to the chase. The USDE Office of Postsecondary Education has two International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) grants currently open. These Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program (GPA grants both provide support of overseas training, research and curriculum development in modern foreign languages and area studies; one short-term, one long term. The maximum grant award varies from $100,000 to $375,000 depending on the grant and the number of years awarded, which can vary. There are approximately 27 awards available. There’s also the pending announcement of a third Title VI grant; Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) which provides funding to plan, develop and carry out programs to strengthen and improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign languages for institutions with limited resources. The maximum grant award varies from $120,000 (single institution) to $200,000 (consortia) with approximately 15 awards available.
So here’s the skinny; the important points are these:
1.This is a grant opportunity to make some advancements on your campus in the area of internationalization when money is exceptionally tight most everywhere.
2.The odds of winning a grant are not too bad as the number of people who actually do the work of completing a RFP is often times small than one thinks
3.The IFLE’s 2012 strategic plan provides for targeted assistance to minority-serving institutions, community and technical career colleges and institutions new to IFLE programs in an effort to “ensure more postsecondary students from underserved and underrepresented groups have a world-class education that includes international and study abroad opportunities.
4.Deadline for electronic submission of applications is April 23, 2012 for the GPA grants; the UISFL grant has not been release yet.
5.Eligible program applicants are: institutions of higher education; state departments of education; private nonprofit educational organizations and consortia of any of the fore-mentioned.
6.The two GPA programs allow international travel and host country costs coverage, while the third UISFL grant provides more comprehensive domestic and international cost coverage.
The final most important point is that the USDE will be hosting detailed webinars for those who are seriously interested in applying: Tuesday, April 10, GPA short-term program and Wednesday April 11, GPA long-term program. I recommend you visit www.grants.gov to learn if these or other grants best fit your needs, then sign up for the webinars, then listen in. If you don’t decide to submit a proposal this time, you’ll be better prepared for next time. My final words….. Good Luck!!