FY 2026 U.S. Leadership in Education, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Skills (U.S. LEADS) Program
Description
The United States Leadership in Education, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Skills (U.S. LEADS) Program celebrates America's 250th anniversary by showcasing U.S. leadership from the Industrial Revolution to the Digital Revolution, focusing on revitalizing manufacturing, advancing AI, and strengthening supply chains. This Freedom 250 initiative will spark collaboration between U.S. community colleges, international vocational leaders, and U.S. industry partners to address emerging labor market demands that advance U.S. interests and drive economic development. The program will launch with a summit in Washington, D.C. to highlight Americaโs industrial heritage, current leadership in manufacturing and AI, and the role of U.S. community colleges in preparing the workforce of tomorrow.
The program will also include a U.S. exchange for approximately 100 higher education officials, commerce leaders, and policymakers from countries strategically important to U.S. industry. The group should be divided into four cohorts comprised of approximately 25 representatives from approximately 3-4 countries, determined based on U.S. foreign policy priorities in consultation with ECA, U.S. embassies, and regional bureau input. These two-week regional programs will take place in approximately four U.S. cities with strong higher education-industry partnerships. Through site visits, hands-on learning, and industry engagement, international participants will gain knowledge of U.S. best practices in manufacturing and technology training, enabling them to adopt similar approaches and establish partnerships that advantage U.S. companies. The summit should occur between December 2026 and March 2027 and be followed immediately by the in-person regional exchanges. The successful applicant will provide responsive and flexible programming with activities tailored to U.S. priorities for vocational-technical education and commercial diplomacy that will lead to measurable positive policy change.
Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for additional information.
Agency: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs
CFDA: 19.408
Eligible Applicants: Please see full announcement.
Applicant Types: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education; Private institutions of higher education; Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification); Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Cost Sharing: No
More Info: Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Organizational Funding Opportunities โ https://www.state.gov/eca-grant-opportunities/
Contact: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Email: SaccoMJ@state.gov
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About This Opportunity
This is a grants contract in the education and training, information and communication technology and Youth sectors. Located in United States, North America, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums, with an estimated budget of USD 2.5 million. Proposals must be submitted before May 18, 2026.
Published through Grants.gov, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for grants in the education and training sector. Grant applications generally require a detailed project proposal, a clear results framework, and evidence of the applicant's capacity to deliver the proposed activities. Interested parties should review the full documentation on the original source before submitting their proposal.