U.S. public and private nonprofit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to manage sports exchange projects designed to support key sporting and cultural priorities of the Administration.

ISPI is an exchange program that promotes coaching and administrative skills, creates connections with U.S. sports organizations, and enables youth development professionals to create effective sports-based initiatives in their home countries.

The ISPI will continue to rely on U.S. embassies and consulates to select the specific theme and sport of each exchange, which will advance U.S. foreign policy goals. Additionally, all exchanges will promote America250, the FIFA World Cup, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization.

Purpose

• Sports diplomacy enhances cross-cultural understanding and opens new avenues of dialogue and collaboration between individuals and nations. Sports-based people-to-people exchanges can lay the foundation of trust needed to build a more stable, secure, and prosperous world.  Sports provide a platform to create opportunities for people to realize their potential to contribute fully to society. The ISPI use sports to support U.S. foreign policy goals and promote key U.S. values on and off the field.

Goals

• ISPI is designed to achieve the following goals:
  • Advance U.S. foreign policy goals;
  • Increase and deepen understanding of U.S. society, culture, history, and dispel stereotypes;
  • Promote cross-cultural and mutual understanding between U.S. and international participants;
  • Cultivate leadership and develop capacity for young leaders to build stable communities in the United States and abroad.

Funding Information

• Grant amount: $1,400,000
• Duration: 12 to 36 months

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply:
  • U.S. Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations
  • U.S. Not-for-profit public and private educational institutions.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.