Emergency Information for American Citizens
U.S Department of State
U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Department of State
Notice of Funding Opportunity
| Funding Opportunity Title | 2026 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2026) – Thailand |
| Funding Opportunity Number | OFOP0002427 |
| Announcement Type | Initial Announcement |
| Deadline for Applications | February 15, 2026, 4:00 P.M. Bangkok Time (GMT+7) |
| Assistance Listing Number | 19.022 – Fulbright-Hays
Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs – Appropriation Overseas Grants |
| Length of performance period | Up to 12 months |
| Number of awards anticipated | 4 awards |
| Award amounts | Awards range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $100,000 (approximately), pending funding availability
· Individual proposal: $5,000 – $35,000 (up to three awards) · National alumni conference or summit: up to $40,000; or Regional alumni conference or summit: up to $100,000 (One award) |
| Total available funding | $205,000 |
| Type of Funding | FY2026 Fulbright-Hays Act |
| Anticipated project start date | August 2026 |
Funding Instrument Type: Grant to Individual or Grant to Organization
Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed by June 2027 or less.
This notice is subject to the availability of funding. The Public Diplomacy Section reserves the right to award less or more than the funds described under circumstances deemed to be in the best interest of the U.S. government, pending the availability of funds and approval of the designated grants officer.
The following individuals are eligible to apply:
Cost sharing is encouraged but not required. We encourage all proposals to include some form of cost-sharing. Cost sharing examples may include (but are not limited to) in-kind support (services, labor/volunteers, supplies/equipment), a business contributing food, an organization offering a venue at a discount or free of charge, an NGO sponsoring an activity, and/or an expert donating time to facilitate a seminar. The cost share will not be considered as a criterion in the proposal’s review.
Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.
Alumni Associations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) issued via SAM.gov as well as a valid registration in SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov.
Applicants are only allowed to submit only one proposal. If more than one proposal is submitted from an individual or an association, all proposals will be considered ineligible for funding.
If your organization is based outside of Thailand, the Embassy recommends affiliation with local partners to support program implementation.
AEIF provides funding for U.S.-sponsored and -facilitated exchange program alumni to design and implement innovative solutions to challenges facing their community. Since its inception in 2011, AEIF has supported nearly 500 alumni-led projects worldwide through a competitive, merit-based selection process, focusing on initiatives that deliver measurable outcomes and long-term impact.
The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) welcomes public service project proposals aligned with the following themes and must celebrate and promote the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America (Freedom250).
The U.S. Embassy Bangkok prioritizes selecting the best-qualified proposal from applicants that show clear alignment with and capability to advance U.S. government priorities and interests, highlighting U.S. innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Applicants must demonstrate their intent to effectively and efficiently administer U.S. government funds in a way that strengthens the bilateral relationship between the United States and Thailand.
Target Audience: AEIF is designed for beginning to mid-level law enforcement professionals, representatives from tech companies, government agencies, the private sector, alumni, and university students.
Possible Activities and Programming Components: Possible activities may include, but are not limited to, workshops and training sessions, case studies, curriculum, mentorship and consultations, technology demonstrations and pilots, competitions and hackathons, and networking and partnership building.
To achieve the goal of this NOFO, proposed program activities should demonstrate strong ties to U.S. expertise, technology, and companies. This can include partnerships with U.S. organizations, the involvement of American experts in the project, or collaboration with U.S. businesses or institutions. Proposals should clearly outline how U.S. ties will contribute to the achievement of the program’s objectives and the overall impact on U.S. interests.
Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible.
Content of Application
Please ensure:
The following documents are required:
The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do.
Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed project, including project objectives and anticipated impact.
After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate file to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section I. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information.
Application forms required above are available at http://www.grants.gov/forms.
If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact Adisorn Laopiroon, Alumni Coordinator, at Adisorn@state.gov.
Required Registrations
All organizations, whether based in the United States or in another country, must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in SAM.gov. A UEI is one of the data elements mandated by Public Law 109-282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all Federal awards. An applicant must maintain an active registration while it has a proposal under review by the Department and must continue to keep the registration active for the entire duration of the period of performance of any Federal award that results from this NOFO.
The 2 CFR 200 requires subrecipients to obtain a UEI. Please note the UEI for subrecipients is not required at the time of application but will be required before an award is processed and/or directed to a subrecipient.
Note: The process of obtaining or renewing a SAM.gov registration may take anywhere from 4-8 weeks. Please begin your registration as early as possible.
Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO NOT plan to do business with the DoD should follow the below instructions:
Step 1: Proceed to SAM.gov to obtain a UEI and complete the SAM.gov registration process. SAM.gov registration must be renewed annually.
Organizations based outside of the United States and that DO plan to do business with the DoD in addition to Department of State should follow the below instructions:
Step 1: Apply for an NCAGE code by following the instructions on the NSPA NATO website linked below:
NCAGE Homepage:
https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/sc/CageList.aspx
NCAGE Code Request Tool (NCRT):
NCAGE Code Request Tool (nato.int)
Exemptions
An exemption from the UEI and sam.gov registration requirements may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. See 2 CFR 25.110 for a full list of exemptions.
Organizations requesting exemption from UEI or SAM.gov requirements must email the point of contact listed in the NOFO at least two weeks prior to the deadline in the NOFO providing a justification of their request. Approval for a SAM.gov exemption must come from the warranted Grants Officer before the application can be deemed eligible for review.
Applications are due no later than February 15, 2026, 4:00 P.M. Bangkok Time (GMT+7).
None of the funds awarded resulting from this Notice of Funding Opportunity may be made available for subawards, direct financial support, or otherwise used to provide any payment or transfer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
If the place of performance or delivery of any award made under this NOFO will be within the United States, applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award:
Certification of Trafficking in Persons Compliance and Compliance Plan
Applicants are advised that they will be required to certify the following at the time of award for awards where the estimated value of services to be performed outside the United States exceeds $500,000:
1) To the best of the Recipient’s knowledge, neither the Recipient, nor any subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor of the Recipient or any agent of the recipient or of such a subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor, is engaged in any of the activities described in 2 CFR 175.105(a); The recipient has implemented a Trafficking in Persons compliance plan to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175(a) and is compliant with this plan; and the compliance plan must follow the minimum requirements described in 2 CFR 175(b)(5).
2) That the Recipient has and will implement procedures to prevent activities described in 2 CFR 175.105(a) and to monitor, detect, and terminate any subrecipient, contractor, subcontractor, or employee of the recipient engaging in these activities. Recipients do not need to submit a copy of the plan. However, they must provide it to the Grants Officer upon request, and as appropriate, must post the useful and relevant contents of the plan or related materials on their website and at the workplace. Recipients must re-certify on an annual basis for the entire award period of performance.
(a) Definitions.
American Security Drone Act-covered foreign entity means an entity included on a list developed and maintained by the Federal Acquisition Security Council
(FASC) and published in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov
FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft system manufactured or assembled by an American Security Drone Act -covered
foreign entity.
Unmanned aircraft means an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.
Unmanned aircraft system means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements (including communication links and the components that control the unmanned aircraft) that are required for the operator to operate safely and efficiently in the national airspace system.
(b) Prohibition.Recipients of funding under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (including subawards and subcontracts issued by the recipient) will be prohibited
from:
(1) delivering any FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system, which includes unmanned aircraft (i.e., drones) and associated elements;
(2)Operating a FASC-prohibited unmanned aircraft system in the performance of the award; and
(3) Using Federal funds for the purchase or operation of a FASC prohibited unmanned aircraft system .
All application materials must be submitted by email to BangkokPD@state.gov by February 15, 2026, 4:00 P.M. Bangkok Time (GMT+7).
Each application will be evaluated and rated based on the evaluation criteria outlined below.
Relevance to U.S. Government Priorities and American Nexus – 30 points: The proposal clearly outlines how the project aligns with the stated goals and objectives. The proposal has a substantive connection to America’s achievements, innovations, leadership, and/or best practices.
Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea – 20 points: The program idea is well developed, with detail about how program activities will be carried out. The proposal includes a reasonable implementation timeline.
Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives – 20 points: Goals and objectives are clearly stated, and program approach is likely to provide maximum impact in achieving the proposed results.
Monitoring and Evaluation plan – 15 points: Applicant demonstrates it is able to measure program success against key indicators and provides milestones to indicate progress toward goals outlined in the proposal. The program includes output and outcome indicators and shows how and when those will be measured.
Budget and Sustainability – 15 points: The budget justification is detailed. Costs are reasonable in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results. The budget is realistic, accounting for all necessary expenses to achieve proposed activities. Program activities will continue to have positive impact after the end of the program.
The U.S. Mission to Thailand Public Diplomacy Section will use the criteria above to evaluate all applications and determine which to recommend for further consideration. A selection committee made up of regional and exchange program experts at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., will review the proposals for final selection.
If two or more applications receive equivalent scores based on the evaluation criteria outlined in this NOFO, preference will be given to the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate, as consistent with Executive Order 14332, Section 4(b)(iii). This preference will only be applied as a tie-breaking mechanism and does not supersede the primary evaluation criteria.
Risk factors
Under the merit review as required by 2 CFR 200.206, prior to making a Federal Award the Department will review and consider the following risk factors:
The award or cooperative agreement will be written, signed, awarded, and administered by the Grants Officer. The award agreement is the authorizing document, and it will be provided to the recipient for review and counter-signature. The recipient may only start incurring project expenses beginning on the start date shown on the award document signed by the Grants Officer.
If a proposal is selected for funding, the Department of State has no obligation to provide any additional future funding. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the discretion of the Department of State.
Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received.
Unsuccessful applicants: Unsuccessful applicants will be notified via mail (BangkokPD@state.gov) by August 31, 2026.
Payment Method:
Recipients will be required to request payments by completing form SF-270—Request for Advance or Reimbursement and submitting the form to the Grants Officer. Recipients may not draw down funds without the affirmative authorization of the Department of State. In addition, recipients must submit, with each SF-270 payment request, a detailed explanation justifying the request.
Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply.
These include:
In accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department of State will review and consider applications for funding, as applicable to specific programs, pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity in accordance with the following: NOTE:
Reporting Requirements: Recipients will be required to submit financial reports and program reports. The award document will specify what reports are required and how often these reports must be submitted.
Foreign Assistance Data Review: As required by Congress, the Department of State must make progress in its efforts to improve tracking and reporting of foreign assistance data through the Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR). The FADR requires tracking of foreign assistance activity data from budgeting, planning, and allocation through obligation and disbursement. Successful applicants will be required to report and draw down federal funding based on the appropriate FADR Data Elements, indicated within their award documentation. In cases of more than one FADR Data Element, typically program or sector and/or regions or country, the successful applicant will be required to maintain separate accounting records.
Guidelines for Budget Justification
Personnel and Fringe Benefits: Describe the wages, salaries, and benefits of temporary or permanent staff who will be working directly for the applicant on the program, and the percentage of their time that will be spent on the program.
Travel: Estimate the costs of travel and per diem for this program, for program staff, consultants or speakers, and participants/beneficiaries. If the program involves international travel, include a brief statement of justification for that travel.
Equipment: Describe any machinery, furniture, or other personal property that is required for the program, which has a useful life of more than one year (or a life longer than the duration of the program), and costs at least $10,000 per unit.
Supplies: List and describe all the items and materials, including any computer devices, that are needed for the program. If an item costs more than $10,000 per unit, then put it in the budget under Equipment.
Contractual: Describe goods and services that the applicant plans to acquire through a contract with a vendor. Also describe any sub-awards to non-profit partners that will help carry out the program activities.
Other Direct Costs: Describe other costs directly associated with the program, which do not fit in the other categories. For example, shipping costs for materials and equipment or applicable taxes. All “Other” or “Miscellaneous” expenses must be itemized and explained.
Indirect Costs: These are costs that cannot be linked directly to the program activities, such as overhead costs needed to help keep the organization operating. If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, attach a copy of your latest NICRA. Organizations that have never had a NICRA may request indirect costs of 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.1.
“Cost Sharing” refers to contributions from the organization or other entities other than the U.S. Embassy. It also includes in-kind contributions such as volunteers’ time and donated venues.
Alcoholic Beverages: Please note that award funds cannot be used for alcoholic beverages.
Guidelines for Allowed Spending:
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