2018 CHARLES B. RANGEL INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM AND SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM | HR HRCRB 17 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for HR HRCRB 17 001

The 2018 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program and Summer Enrichment Program grant opportunity is a U.S. Department of State funding announcement focused on supporting the operations of two related flagship diversity recruitment pipelines into the U.S. Foreign Service. Administered through the Department of State's Bureau of Human Resources, Office of Recruitment, Examination and Employment (HR/REE), the opportunity seeks a single organization to run the full set of program functions for the 2018 cycle, covering program design and delivery as well as the behind-the-scenes financial and administrative management needed to keep both programs functioning smoothly and in compliance with federal assistance requirements.

The award is structured as a discretionary cooperative agreement, which typically means the Department of State expects to be substantially involved in the project during performance, rather than simply providing funds and receiving periodic reports. In practice, this kind of arrangement often involves close coordination on program policies, recruitment approaches, selection processes, branding and messaging, reporting requirements, and oversight of how the fellowship and enrichment components align with Foreign Service workforce needs and diversity recruitment goals. The funding activity category is Education, and the opportunity is associated with CFDA number 19.020.

At the heart of the announcement is the goal of increasing representation of diverse groups in the U.S. Foreign Service by strengthening and administering the Rangel programs, described as one of the Department of State's premier diversity recruitment efforts. The Graduate Fellowship Program provides financial support to participants pursuing a masters degree, and it is explicitly tied to a post-graduation pathway into the Foreign Service, including a five-year service commitment with the Department of State. The Summer Enrichment Program complements that long-term fellowship by offering a six-week academic summer experience designed both to prepare participants for international affairs careers and to function as a targeted Foreign Service recruitment tool.

Rather than funding individual students directly through this grant competition, the Department is seeking an implementing partner capable of managing all programmatic, financial, and administrative activities across both initiatives for the 2018 program year. That implies responsibilities such as planning and executing outreach and recruitment, coordinating an application and selection process, administering fellow benefits and program costs, managing budgets and required financial controls, organizing academic and professional development components, coordinating with universities or training providers as needed, and maintaining the reporting and compliance functions expected of a federal assistance award. Because the opportunity covers both a graduate fellowship with financial assistance and a separate summer academic program, the recipient would need the organizational capacity to run multi-component programming with different timelines, participant needs, and deliverables while keeping the two efforts aligned with the State Department's recruitment objectives.

Eligibility is open to a range of established entities that can demonstrate the ability to manage a large federal education-focused program, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions where that distinction is relevant). The Department anticipates making one award, reinforcing that the selected applicant will serve as the central operator for the 2018 Rangel Graduate Fellowship and the 2018 Rangel Summer Enrichment Program under this funding opportunity.

Key administrative details included in the notice show the opportunity was created on February 2, 2017, with an original application closing date of March 20, 2017, and no listed explanation for the closing date status. The funding opportunity number is HR HRCRB 17 001. The expected single award has an award ceiling of $3,675,000, signaling a sizable program implementation effort with substantial participant support costs and operational requirements. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a competitive solicitation for one organization to serve as the program administrator and operational partner for two connected State Department initiatives that build a diverse, well-prepared pipeline into Foreign Service careers.

• The Department of State, Human Resources in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2018 CHARLES B. RANGEL INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM AND SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.020.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 02, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 20, 2017 No Explanation. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,675,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for HR HRCRB 17 001

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