The U.S. Embassy Windhoek announces an open competition for past participants (“alumni”) of U.S. government-funded and U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs to submit applications to the 2026 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2026). This annual funding opportunity is designed to amplify the U.S. government’s return on investment in exchange programs, advance policy goals, and strengthen the U.S. government’s relationship with exchange alumni. All 2026 AEIF projects must celebrate and promote the 250th anniversary of American independence in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Namibia’s Freedom 250 campaign. We seek proposals from teams of at least two alumni that meet all program eligibility requirements below. Exchange alumni interested in participating in AEIF 2026 should submit proposals to WindhoekPublicDiplomacy@state.gov by May 20, 2026.
Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund 2026
U.S. Mission to Namibia · Opportunity number PDWINDHOEKFY2026-04-20
Details summarized from the official notice as of May 21, 2026. Always confirm eligibility, deadlines and requirements in the official notice before applying.
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Key facts
| Opportunity number | PDWINDHOEKFY2026-04-20 |
|---|---|
| Agency | U.S. Mission to Namibia Department of State |
| Assistance listing (ALN, formerly CFDA) | 19.022 |
| Posted | Apr 20, 2026 |
| Deadline | May 20, 2026 |
| Award ceiling | $35,000 |
| Award floor | $5,000 |
| Expected number of awards | 2 |
| Estimated total program funding | $70,000 |
| Cost sharing or matching required | No |
| Funding type | Grant |
| Category | Other |
| Last updated here | May 21, 2026 |
Summary from the notice
Who can apply
The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible:
- Others named in the notice (see the eligibility text)
Not listed as eligible
- Small businesses
- Nonprofits
- Colleges and universities
- State governments
- Local governments
- Tribal governments and organizations
- Larger for-profit companies
- Individuals
Unless the eligibility text in the notice names you, this opportunity is probably not for you.
Eligibility details from the notice
• Applicants must be alumni of a U.S. government-funded or -sponsored exchange program (https://alumni.state.gov/list-exchange-programs) or a U.S. government-sponsored exchange program (https://j1visa.state.gov/).• Projects teams must include teams of 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.• Applications must be submitted by exchange alumni or alumni associations of USG exchange alumni. Not-for-profit, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and academic institutions are not eligible to apply in the name of the organization but can serve as partners for implementing project activities.• All 2026 AEIF projects must celebrate and promote Freedom 250.
Registrations you will likely need
Most applications submitted through Grants.gov need the following. Registration can take several weeks, so start early. The notice lists the exact requirements.
- SAM.gov registration for your organization, which also gives you a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Registration is free.
- A Login.gov account, which Grants.gov uses for sign-in.
- A Grants.gov applicant registration linked to your organization's UEI.
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