[EDLING:2031] CFP: Major US Grant for FL Instruction Overseas

[Francis M Hult]

Via ILR...

> The following notice of an open competition for projects to provide foreign
> language instruction overseas for American undergraduate and graduate
> students in         the summer of 2007 in support of the National Security
> Language Initiative (NSLI), was published in today's Federal Register. 
>   
> According to the notice, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
> (ECA) plans to award a single grant for the recruitment and administration
> of all Intensive Summer Language Institutes in all world regions.  The six-
> to ten-week summer institutes would include a minimum of 365 participants in
> countries where Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian and the Indic, Persian, and
> Turkic language families are widely spoken.
>  
> For more detailed information, please review the Federal Register notice
> below.  Applications for this program are due January 5, 2007.
>  
> Sherri Powar
> Assistant Director and Senior Policy Specialist Alliance for International
> Educational and Cultural Exchange
> 1776 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Suite 620 Washington, D.C.  20036
> Tel.: (202) 293-6141
> Fax: (202) 293-6144
>   
>          FEDERAL REGISTER
>          71 FR 63821
>          NOTICE
>          Oct. 31, 2006
>  
> 
> DEPARTMENT OF STATE
> [Public Notice 5597]
> Intensive Summer Language Institutes
>      Announcement Type: New Cooperative Agreement.
>      Funding Opportunity Number: ECA/A/E-07-01.
> Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 00.000.
>      Key Dates:
>      Application Deadline: January 5, 2007.
>      Executive Summary: The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the
> Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for
> projects to provide foreign language instruction overseas for American
> undergraduate and graduate students in the summer of 2007 in support of the
> National Security Language Initiative (NSLI). Public and private non-profit
> organizations, or consortia of such organizations meeting the provisions
> described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3), may submit
> proposals to implement six-to ten-week summer institutes overseas for a
> minimum total of 365 participants in countries where Arabic, Chinese,
> Korean, Russian and the Indic, Persian, and Turkic language families are
> widely spoken. These summer institutes should offer U.S. undergraduate and
> graduate students structured classroom instruction and less formal
> interactive learning opportunities through a comprehensive exchange
> experience that primarily emphasizes language learning. Proposals from
> applicant organizations should clearly indicate the building of new,
> additional institutional language-teaching capacity overseas for these
> summer institutes52;this program is designed to develop additional language
> study opportunities for U.S. students.
> I. Funding Opportunity Description
>      Authority: Overall grant making authority for this program is contained
> in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended,
> Public Law 87-256, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act. The purpose of the
> Act is 60;to enable the Government of the United States to increase mutual
> understanding between the people of the United States and the people of
> other countries *          *          *          ; to strengthen the ties
> which unite us with other nations by demonstrating the educational and
> cultural interests, developments, and achievements of the people of the
> United States and other nations *          *          *          and thus to
> assist in the development of friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations
> between the United States and the other countries of the world.61; The
> funding authority for the program above is provided through legislation.
>      Purpose: The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is
> supporting the participation of American undergraduate and graduate students
> in intensive, substantive foreign language study to further strengthen
> national security and prosperity in the 21st century as part of the National
> Security Language Initiative (NSLI), launched by President Bush in January
> 2006.
>      Foreign language skills are essential to engaging foreign governments
> and peoples, especially in critical world regions, to promote understanding
> and convey respect for other cultures. These skills are essential to
> Americans who will support the nation57;s foreign affairs priorities, its
> economic competitiveness, and its educational institutions as they prepare
> future citizens for full engagement in the global environment. The broad
> NSLI initiative focuses resources on improving language learning for U.S.
> citizens across the educational spectrum and emphasizes the need to achieve
> mastery of critical languages; this activity focuses on the college and
> university section.
>      The goals of the Intensive Summer Language Institutes are:
>      66; To develop a cadre of Americans with advanced linguistic skills and
> related cultural understanding who are able to advance international
> dialogue, promote the security of the United States, compete effectively in
> the global economy, and better serve the needs of students and academic
> institutions; and
>      66; To improve the ability of Americans to engage with the people of
> other countries through the shared language of the partner country.
>      In order to achieve these goals, the Bureau supports programs for
> American undergraduate and graduate students to gain and improve language
> proficiency in Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian and the Indic, Persian, and
> Turkic language families. ECA plans to award a single grant for the
> recruitment and administration of all Intensive Summer Language Institutes
> in all world regions. Organizations with expertise in one or more of the
> indicated languages are encouraged to seek partners in the other languages
> to submit a single proposal. Consortia must designate a lead institution to
> receive the grant award. Applicant organizations may submit grant proposals
> requesting funds not exceeding $6,000,000 to implement these overseas
> language institutes between June and August 2007.
>      Through these institutes, undergraduate and graduate students from the
> United States will spend six to ten weeks on a program abroad in the summer
> of 2007. Since there is an emphasis on substantial progress in foreign
> language advancement, applicant organizations need to concentrate most
> efforts on language programs and explain clearly the utility and advantages
> of proposing programs closer to six weeks. The institutes will provide
> intensive language instruction in a classroom setting, and should also
> provide language-learning opportunities through immersion in the cultural,
> social, and educational life of the partner country. The exchange program
> should enhance the participants57; knowledge of the host country57;s
> history, culture, and political system as these support language learning.
> Language study must be the primary focus of the program.
> [Page 63822]
> Expected Program Results
>      66; Participants will demonstrate a substantive, measurable increase in
> language proficiency (verified through testing).
>      66; Alumni will continue their foreign language study, apply their
> linguistic skills in their chosen career fields, and/or participate in other
> exchanges to the participating countries.
>      66; Participants will demonstrate a deeper understanding of the host
> country57;s society, institutions, and culture.
>      Capacity of Administering Organization: U.S. applicant organizations or
> consortia must have the necessary capacity in the partner country or
> countries to implement the program through either their own offices or
> partner institutions. Organizations may demonstrate their organization57;s
> direct expertise, or they may partner with other organizations to best
> respond to the requirements outlined in the RFGP. Organizations that opt to
> work in sub-grant arrangements should clearly outline all duties and
> responsibilities of the partner organization, ideally in the form of
> sub-grant agreements and accompanying budgets.
>      Organizations or consortia applying for this grant must demonstrate
> their (or their partners57;) capacity for conducting projects of this
> nature, focusing on three areas of competency: (1) Provision of related
> foreign language instruction programs and provision of educational and
> cultural exchange activities as outlined in this document; (2) language
> level-appropriate programming for the target audience; and (3) experience in
> conducting programs in the proposed partner country or countries. Applicant
> organizations must present a proposal that clearly indicates the building of
> new and increased institutional language study capacity overseas for these
> summer institutes.
>      Institute Information: Each six- to ten-week overseas summer institute
> for undergraduate and graduate students should focus on language study and
> should include 4 to 6 hours per day of formal and informal language
> training. The cooperating agency should provide multiple levels of language
> instruction. While teaching conversational vocabulary will be necessary to
> help students cope with their immersion setting, classes should also provide
> formal instruction in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, and will cover
> speaking, listening, reading, and writing, including new alphabets.
>      The institutes should also include a secondary cultural immersion
> component designed to reinforce language learning with planned excursions,
> which give the students the opportunity to participate in activities
> designed to teach them about community life and the culture and history of
> the host country. The program activities will introduce the students to the
> community as feasible and appropriate and will include educational
> excursions that serve to enhance the visitors57; understanding of
> contemporary society, culture, media, political institutions, ethnic
> diversity, history, and environment of the region.
>      Staff should be physically present and available to support the
> participants during the course of the institute.
>      The Bureau reserves the right to make changes in eligible countries for
> programming based on safety and security concerns.
>      Country and Language Information: For Arabic language institutes:
> Applicant organizations should present plans for not less than 150
> participants in the Arabic language institutes. Arabic language instruction
> should be available for three levels of students: elementary, intermediate,
> and advanced. Approximately 100 of the participants should receive
> instruction at the intermediate/advanced levels while the rest should
> receive elementary level instruction. The proposed institute should make
> explicit accommodation for learners of varying skill levels.
>      Classroom instruction should emphasize Modern Standard Arabic with
> class time devoted also to colloquial Arabic, as appropriate. Students
> should also gain knowledge of colloquial Arabic through informal study and
> through interaction with their host community.
>      Some previous study of the language52;at least equivalent to a
> university semester52;is required for participants in the elementary Arabic
> institutes. Participants in the intermediate/advanced Arabic institutes will
> have already studied the language formally for at least 2 years by the start
> of the summer program. The institute should devise a plan to test all
> students prior to placement to determine the appropriate level of
> instruction.
>      Applicant organizations should plan to send students to a country in
> North Africa, the Middle East, or the Gulf region, with the exception of
> Algeria, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and West Bank/Gaza.
> Applicant organizations must include venues in Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco.
>      For Chinese language institutes: Applicant organizations should present
> plans for not less than 40 participants in the Chinese language institutes.
> Chinese language instruction should be available for two levels of students:
> intermediate and advanced. The proposed institute should make explicit
> accommodation for learners of varying skill levels.
>      Students should study Mandarin in class and through informal study and
> interaction with their host community. Teaching materials used in the
> program should be available in both simplified and traditional character
> versions. The Hanyu pinyin romanization system should be used.
>      Participants in the intermediate/advanced Chinese institutes will have
> already studied the language formally for at least 2 years by the start of
> the summer program. The institute should devise a plan to test all students
> prior to placement to determine what level of instruction should be
> received.
>      Applicant organizations should plan to send students to the People57;s
> Republic of China (mainland China) for study.
>      For Indic language institutes: Applicant organizations should present
> plans for not less than 72 participants in the Indic language institutes.
> For these language institutes, not less than 18 students must learn
> Bengali/Bangla, not less than 18 must learn Hindi, not less than 18 must
> learn Punjabi, and not less than 18 must learn Urdu. Instruction should be
> available for each of these Indic languages. All Indic language instruction
> should be available for three levels of students: elementary, intermediate,
> and advanced. Overall, 40 of the participants should receive instruction at
> the intermediate/advanced level while the rest should receive elementary
> level instruction. The proposed institute should make explicit accommodation
> for learners of varying skill levels.
>      Students should learn Indic languages in class and through informal
> study and interaction with their host community.
>      Some previous study of the language52;at least equivalent to a
> university semester52;is required for participants in the elementary Indic
> institutes. Participants in the intermediate/advanced Indic institutes will
> have already studied the relevant language formally for at least 2 years by
> the start of the summer program. The institute should devise a plan to test
> all students prior to placement to determine what level of instruction
> should be received.
>      Applicant organizations should plan to send students to Bangladesh
> and/or India. The Bureau will consider proposals for Pakistan, but reserves
> the right to alter eligible countries based on safety and security concerns.
> Applicants proposing Pakistan should propose an alternate site should
> conditions not permit placement of students in Pakistan.
>      For Korean language institutes: Applicant organizations should present
> plans for not less than 25 participants in the Korean language institutes.
> Korean language instruction should be available for three levels of
> students: elementary, intermediate, and advanced. Ten of the participants
> should receive instruction at the intermediate/advanced level while the rest
> should receive elementary level instruction. The proposed institute should
> make explicit accommodation for learners of varying skill levels.
>      Students should learn Korean in class and through informal study and
> interaction with their host community. The Hangeul alphabet system should be
> used. Students should also be introduced to NAKL.
>      Some previous study of the language52;at least equivalent to a
> university semester52;is required for participants in the elementary Korean
> institutes. Participants in the intermediate/advanced Korean institutes will
> have already studied the language formally for at least two years by the
> start of the summer program. The institute should devise a plan to test all
> students prior to placement to determine what level of instruction should be
> received.
>      Applicant organizations should plan to send students to South Korea.
>      For Persian language institutes: Applicant organizations should present
> plans for not less than 15 participants in the Persian language institutes.
> Farsi language instruction should be available for three levels of students:
> beginning or introductory, intermediate, and advanced. Seven of the
> participants should receive instruction at the intermediate/advanced level
> while the rest should receive beginning or introductory level instruction.
> The proposed institute should make explicit accommodation for learners of
> varying skill levels.
>      Students should learn Farsi in class and through informal study and
> interaction with their host community.
>      No prior study of the language is required for participants in the
> beginning or introductory Farsi institutes. Participants in the
> intermediate/advanced Farsi institutes will have already studied the
> language formally for at least two years by the start of the summer program.
> The institute should devise a plan to test all students prior to placement
> to determine what level of instruction should be received.
>      Applicant organizations should plan to send students to Tajikistan for
> study of Farsi.
>      For Russian language institutes: Applicant organizations should present
> plans for not less than 30 participants in the Russian language institutes.
> Russian language instruction should be available for two levels of students:
> intermediate and advanced. The proposed institute should make explicit
> accommodation for learners of varying skill levels.
>      Students should learn Russian in class and through informal study and
> interaction with their host community.
>      Participants in the intermediate/advanced Russian institutes will have
> already studied the language formally for at least two years by the start of
> the summer program. The institute should devise a plan to test all students
> prior to placement to determine what level of instruction should be
> received.
>      Applicant organizations should plan to send students to Russia.
> Location of the institute(s) should be outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg
> in order to maximize language-learning opportunities.
>      For Turkic language institutes: Applicant organizations should present
> plans for not less than 35 participants in the Turkic language institutes.
> Turkish language instruction should be available for three levels of
> students: beginning or introductory, intermediate, and advanced. Fifteen of
> the participants should receive instruction at the intermediate/advanced
> level while the rest should receive beginning or introductory level
> instruction. The proposed institute should make explicit accommodation for
> learners of varying skill levels.
>      Students should learn Turkish in class and through informal study and
> interaction with their host community.
>      No prior study of the language is required for participants in the
> beginning or introductory Turkish institutes. Participants in the
> intermediate/advanced Turkish institutes will have already studied the
> language formally for at least two years by the start of the summer program.
> The institute should devise a plan to test intermediate/advanced students
> prior to placement to determine what level of instruction should be
> received.
>      Applicant organizations should plan to send students to Turkey.
> Location of the institute(s) should be outside of Istanbul in order to
> maximize language-learning opportunities.
>      Participant Recruitment and Selection: The cooperating agency will
> recruit, screen, and select U.S. citizen undergraduate and graduate students
> for the program. Selected participants should show strong evidence of
> ability to succeed in an intensive, demanding language study program and
> should represent the diversity of the United States. Diversity addresses
> differences of religion, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and physical
> abilities. Selected students should also represent diversity of geography,
> institutional type, and fields of study, a balance between genders, and a
> balance between undergraduate and graduate students. Preference should be
> given to candidates with no previous study overseas. Students should have
> completed at least their first year of undergraduate study by the summer of
> 2007. Selected students should demonstrate an intention of continuing their
> language study beyond the scholarship period and applying their critical
> language skills later in their professional careers. The students57;
> language skills at the start of the institute should meet the requirements
> for each language outlined above.
>      The Bureau should be consulted regarding the selection of candidates
> and will approve the selection of finalists and alternates for the program.
>      Information about the program, along with all accompanying application
> materials, should be posted online. Applicant organizations should propose a
> comprehensive outreach plan under Tab E to publicize and recruit for the
> program at U.S. colleges and universities nationwide.
>      The Bureau requests that student applicants apply to the program
> through an online application system. An alternate paper-based application
> should also be provided for those candidates unable to apply online. These
> paper-based applications, however, must be entered into the online system by
> grantee organization program staff. All application materials should be
> available in a sortable, searchable, electronically accessible database
> format that can be easily shared with the Bureau upon request.
>      Orientations: The grantee organization will organize a substantive,
> in-person, pre-departure orientation for all students. Working in
> consultation with ECA, the orientation should include a security briefing on
> the host country. The grantee organization may also need to work in
> consultation with ECA and the U.S. Embassy in the host country to arrange an
> in-country security briefing to be held by the Embassy57;s Regional Security
> Officer. The orientations should take place in Washington, DC. The applicant
> organization should provide a compelling justification if they propose to
> host these orientations in any other location. Comprehensive information
> packets should be provided to all orientation participants. A sample of the
> contents of these packets should be provided under Tab E.
> [Page 63824]
>      At the end of the language study exchange, the cooperating agency will
> organize an in-country closing workshop for the students prior to departure
> from their host country, which will focus on summarizing the experience,
> completing an evaluation, language testing, developing plans for activities
> at home, and preparing for re-entry.
>      Project Activities: Describe in sufficient detail the major components
> of the program, including project planning; publicity and recruitment,
> including responding to and management of a significant volume of queries
> and applications; the host venues; selection; orientations (U.S. and
> overseas); assessment and testing; language instruction; educational
> enrichment activities; cultural activities; participant monitoring; and
> logistics.
>      Assessment and Testing: Standardized pre- and post-institute testing
> should be done to determine participants57; language proficiency and
> progress.
>      Pre- and post-testing should measure the student57;s advancement in
> language learning. The Bureau will work with the cooperating agency to
> develop and implement an instrument to measure students57; increased
> language proficiency due to participation in this program. The data need to
> be analyzed and reported by the cooperating agency to ECA for the program,
> disaggregated by institute.
>      Alumni Tracking and Follow-On Activities: Alumni activities are an
> important part of ECA57;s academic exchange programs. Alumni programming in
> the form of newsletters and listservs provides critical program follow-on
> and maximizes and extends the benefit of the participants57; program. The
> cooperating agency is strongly urged to outline how it will creatively
> organize and financially support alumni activities at a minimal cost to ECA.
>      Publicity: The proposal must describe how these intensive summer
> language institutes will be publicized to media outlets, including print,
> online, and broadcast to reach the widest possible audience of qualified
> students. The cooperating agency will also work closely with ECA to
> publicize the successes of the students involved in these institutes, as
> well as the National Security Language Initiative as a whole. The applicant
> organization should provide information on successful media outreach
> campaigns it has conducted in the past under Tab E.
>      In a cooperative agreement, ECA/A/E is substantially involved in
> program activities above and beyond routine grant monitoring. ECA/A/E
> activities and responsibilities for this program are as follows:
>      (1) Review all print and online materials (including, but not limited
> to, those for recruitment and orientation) regarding the institutes before
> publication and dissemination. Review does not include instructional
> materials, though the Bureau does reserve the right to request these
> materials as needed.
>      (2) Work with the cooperating agency on a recruitment strategy.
>      (3) Work with the cooperating agency to publicize the program, and the
> National Security Language Initiative (NSLI) as a whole, through various
> media outlets.
>      (4) Review and approve application forms.
>      (5) Participate in selection committees.
>      (6) Confirm final selection of principal and alternate candidates.
>      (7) Work with cooperating agency to implement participant orientations.
>      (8) Work with cooperating agency to offer standardized pre- and
> post-institute testing of participants57; language proficiency and progress.
>      (9) Review project activity schedules for all institutes.
>      (10) Be kept informed by the cooperating agency of its progress at each
> stage of the project57;s implementation through timely updates.
>      (11) Provide Bureau-approved evaluation surveys for completion by
> participants after completion of program.
>      (12) Provide substantive input on alumni activities and follow-up
> events.
>      Note: All materials, publicity, and correspondence related to the
> program must acknowledge this as a program of the Bureau of Educational and
> Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. The Bureau will retain
> copyright use of and distribute materials related to this program as it sees
> fit.
>      Funding: Grant funding will support costs including recruitment and
> selection of participants, testing, orientation, travel, tuition and
> maintenance costs, educational enhancements, cultural and social activities,
> alumni activities, and administrative costs.
>      Programs must comply with J-1 visa regulations. Please refer to the
> Project Objectives, Goals, and Implementation (POGI) document and the
> Proposal Submission Instructions for further information.
> II. Award Information
>      Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement. ECA57;s level of involvement in
> this program is listed under number I above.
>      Fiscal Year Funds: 2007.
>      Approximate Total Funding: $6,000,000, pending availability of funds.
>      Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
>      Ceiling of Award Range: $6,000,000.
>      Anticipated Award Date: Pending availability of funds, the proposed
> start date is February 15, 2007.
>      Anticipated Project Completion Date: Approximately 14 to 18 months
> after the start date, depending on the proposed program plan.
>      Additional Information: Pending successful implementation of this
> program and the availability of funds in subsequent fiscal years, ECA
> reserves the right to renew the grant for two additional fiscal years.
> III. Eligibility Information
>      III.1. Eligible applicants: Applications may be submitted by public and
> private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in
> Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3).
>      III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds: There is no minimum or maximum
> percentage required for this competition. However, the Bureau encourages
> applicants to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support
> of its programs.
>      When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and agreed that the
> applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as stipulated in its
> proposal and later included in an approved grant agreement. Cost sharing may
> be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For accountability,
> you must maintain written records to support all costs that are claimed as
> your contribution, as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government.
> Such records are subject to audit. The basis for determining the value of
> cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with OMB Circular
> A-110, (Revised), Subpart C.2352;Cost Sharing and Matching. In the event you
> do not provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in the
> approved budget, ECA57;s contribution will be reduced in like proportion.
>      III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: Bureau grant guidelines require
> that organizations with less than four years experience in conducting
> international exchanges be limited to $60,000 in Bureau funding. ECA
> anticipates awarding a single grant not exceeding $6,000,000 to support
> program and administrative costs required to implement this exchange
> program. Therefore, organizations with less than four years experience in
> conducting international exchanges are ineligible to apply under this
> competition. The Bureau urges applicants to provide maximum levels of cost
> sharing and funding in support of its programs.
> [Page 63825]
> IV. Application and Submission Information
>      Note: Please read the complete announcement before sending inquiries or
> submitting proposals. Once the RFGP deadline has passed, Bureau staff may
> not discuss this competition with applicants until the proposal review
> process has been completed.
>      IV.1 Contact Information to Request an Application Package:
>      Please contact the Office of Academic Exchange Programs (ECA/A/E), Room
> 234, U.S. Department of State, SA-44, 301 4th Street, SW., Washington, DC
> 20547, Telephone (202) 453-8135, Fax (202) 453-8125, E-mail:
> ManleyHL at state.gov <mailto:ManleyHL at state.gov>  to request a Solicitation
> Package. Please refer to the
> Funding Opportunity Number (ECA/A/E-07-01) located at the top of this
> announcement when making your request.
>      Alternatively, an electronic application package may be obtained from
> grants.gov. Please see section IV.3f for further information.
>      The Solicitation Package contains the Proposal Submission Instruction
> (PSI) document, which consists of required application forms and standard
> guidelines for proposal preparation.
>      It also contains the Project Objectives, Goals and Implementation
> (POGI) document, which provides specific information, award criteria, and
> budget instructions tailored to this competition.
>      Please specify Bureau Special Projects Officer Heidi Manley and refer
> to the Funding Opportunity Number located at the top of this announcement on
> all other inquiries and correspondence.
>      IV.2. To Download a Solicitation Package Via Internet: The entire
> Solicitation Package may be downloaded from the Bureau57;s Web site at
> http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm
> <http://exchanges.state.gov/education/rfgps/menu.htm> , or from the
> Grants.gov
> Web site at http://www.grants.gov <http://www.grants.gov> .
>      Please read all information before downloading.
>      IV.3. Content and Form of Submission: Applicants must follow all
> instructions in the Solicitation Package. The application should be
> submitted per the instructions under IV.3f. 60;Application Deadline and
> Methods of Submission61; section
>  http://www.languagepolicy.org 
>