Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund 2026
Grant Opportunity Analysis
The U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé, Department of State, is seeking a cooperative agreement for the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund 2026 to support exchange alumni projects in Cameroon that advance bilateral priorities, strengthen people-to-people ties, and celebrate Freedom250. The competition supports up to two national alumni-led projects and one Central Africa Regional Alumni Summit, with national projects focused on youth unemployment, transparency, local tensions, and related innovation, digital technology, entrepreneurship, or sports diplomacy efforts. Proposals must be led by eligible U.S. government exchange alumni, include at least two alumni with one Cameroonian residing in Cameroon, and incorporate strong Freedom250 digital outreach and sustainability plans; applications will also be assessed on program design, capacity, planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability. Proposals are due by May 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central Africa Time and should be submitted to PDSgrantsYaounde@state.gov, with awards ranging from $5,000 to $35,000 for national projects and $40,000 to $100,000 for the regional summit.
Eligible Applicants
- Eligible Applicants The following organizations are eligible to apply: ● Applicants must be alumni of a U.S. government-funded or sponsored exchange program or a U.S. government-sponsored exchange program. ● Projects teams must include at least two (2) alumni. ● Alumni who are U.S. citizens may not submit proposals, but U.S. citizen alumni may participate as team members in a project. ● Alumni teams may be comprised of alumni from different exchange programs and different countries, but at least one of the team members must be a Cameroonian residing in Cameroon. ● Applications must be submitted by exchange alumni. No other organizations are eligible to apply but can serve as partners for implementing project activities. ● Exchange alumni can partner with not-for-profit or non-governmental organizations, think tanks and academic institutions to implement project activities. • The grant can be issued to individual alumni or the partner organization