Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund Grant Opportunity
Summary
The U.S. Mission to Italy announced the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) grant opportunity, offering $5,000 to $35,000 to support alumni engagement projects tied to the Freedom 250 commemoration. Eligible applicants include NGOs and individuals who must submit proposals by May 3, 2026.
What changed
The U.S. Mission to Italy published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF), Program Number 1-2026, under Assistance Listings 19.022 (Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs). The fund, ranging from $5,000 to $35,000, seeks proposals that integrate Freedom 250 themes while meeting at least one of three objectives: convening exchange alumni networks, strengthening alumni-U.S. government collaboration, or developing alumni leadership capacity for community projects. Examples of fundable projects include digital social reading programs, scholarly colloquiums on U.S.-Italy exchange, and hackathons supporting start-ups in southern Italy.
Applicants must apply by May 3, 2026, by submitting a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Budget Form as required attachments. NGOs and individual applicants are eligible to apply. Prospective grantees should contact Raissa Brighi at romeculturaloffice@state.gov for questions. While this is a competitive grant announcement rather than a binding regulatory action, applicants should ensure proposals clearly demonstrate measurable impact aligned with U.S. foreign policy objectives in Italy.
What to do next
- Submit AEIF proposal with Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Budget Form by May 3, 2026
- Ensure proposal addresses at least one required component: alumni network convening, government-alumni collaboration, or leadership development
- Demonstrate measurable impact aligned with Freedom 250 objectives and U.S.-Italy bilateral priorities
Source document (simplified)
Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund
Agency: U.S. Mission to Italy
Assistance Listings: 19.022 -- Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs Appropriation Overseas Grants
Last Updated: April 3, 2026 View version history on Grants.gov
Description
Project Background, Goals, and Objectives: As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this NOFO leverages the Freedom 250 milestone as a strategic opportunity to highlight American leadership, innovation, and freedom of expression. The anniversary provides a timely platform to celebrate 250 years of U.S. excellence while reinforcing contemporary foreign policy priorities, including strengthening bilateral partnerships between the U.S. and Italy, expanding commercial relations, and building citizen diplomacy ties between Americans and Italians. Proposed projects must demonstrate how Freedom 250 themes—American independence, leadership, and individual excellence—will be integrated into program activities in a visible and substantive way.
In addition, all proposals must include at least one of the following required components:
· Convene alumni from different U.S. government exchange programs to build or expand an alumni network capable of working together on shared interests and increasing regional and global collaboration. Each proposal must include at least two exchange alumni or the involvement of a recognized alumni association.
· Strengthen the relationship between alumni and the U.S. government by creating structured opportunities to collaborate on activities that advance shared strategic goals and address common challenges.
· Support alumni in developing their leadership capacity and implementing community-based projects that demonstrate measurable impact and advance Freedom 250 objectives.
A few examples of previously successful projects include: a Digital Social Reading program and convening scholars through a colloquium on U.S.–Italy literary exchange and a Hackathon to power start-ups in southern Italy. These projects demonstrated that combining alumni experts with emerging leaders in their fields produced stronger and more sustainable impact than standalone public events. Building on these lessons, similar initiatives can leverage Freedom 250 to expand alumni involvement, strengthen institutional partnerships, and generate measurable academic outcomes aligned with U.S. policy goals.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants
Miscellaneous
- Other
Additional information
NGOs, Individuals
Grantor contact information
Description
raissa brighi
Grantor
Phone 3480027102
Documents
Download all
| File name | Description | Last updated |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AEIF2026MonitoringandEvaluationplan.docx | Monitoring and Evaluation Plan | Apr 3, 2026 01:10 PM UTC |
| AEIF2026Budget_Form.xlsx | Budget Form | Apr 3, 2026 01:10 PM UTC |
Link to additional information
--
Closing: May 3, 2026
Application process
This site is a work in progress. Go to www.grants.gov to apply, track application status, and subscribe to updates. View on Grants.gov
Award
$--
Program Funding
--
Expected awards
$5,000
Award Minimum
$35,000
Award Maximum
Funding opportunity number:
1-2026
Cost sharing or matching requirement:
No Funding instrument type:
Grant
Opportunity Category:
Discretionary
Opportunity Category Explanation:
-- Category of Funding Activity:
Education
Category Explanation:
--
History
Version:
1
Posted date:
April 3, 2026
Archive date:
June 2, 2026
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