International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program, Northern Triangle | USDA FAS 10619 0762 10 22 0002

International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program (IAEFP), Northern Triangle - FAQs

1) What is the International Agricultural Education Fellowship Program (IAEFP), Northern Triangle?

The IAEFP, Northern Triangle is a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) grant opportunity that funds a cooperative agreement to place qualified U.S. agricultural professionals (Fellows) in developing countries to help build or strengthen school-based agricultural education and youth extension systems.

2) What law authorizes this program?

The program is authorized under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334, Section 3307).

3) What is the main goal of the program?

The main goal is to transfer practical agricultural skills to secondary-school youth, while also supporting broader community extension and teacher training so that school-based agricultural education is strengthened and can be sustained locally.

4) How is this program connected to 4-H and FFA?

The solicitation is explicitly connected to U.S. youth development models of 4-H and FFA. The intent is to adapt those approaches in partner countries in a way that can be sustained locally.

5) Which countries are prioritized in this solicitation?

This solicitation shifts the geographic focus to the Northern Triangle of Central America, prioritizing Guatemala and El Salvador.

6) Can applications be submitted for countries other than Guatemala and El Salvador?

Yes. Applicants may submit multiple country-specific applications within the region. Applications for other countries may also be submitted, but they are less likely to be prioritized.

7) Does each application have to be tailored to a specific country?

Yes. Every proposal must be country-specific and tailored to local realities, including which regions within a country are safe enough for Fellow placement.

8) What type of federal funding instrument is this?

This is a discretionary opportunity using a cooperative agreement, which means USDA anticipates being actively involved in program oversight and coordination rather than issuing a hands-off award.

9) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA (now Assistance Listing) 10.619.

10) Is USDA planning to make more than one award?

The solicitation anticipates a single award.

11) What is the maximum funding amount available?

The award ceiling is $500,000.

12) Who is expected to carry out the project?

The funded implementing organization is expected to recruit, train, place, and manage a cohort of U.S. Fellows, coordinate with USDA/FAS and relevant partners, and run the program in-country in alignment with the host country academic calendar and local conditions.

13) How many Fellows can be supported under this award?

The program supports a small cohort of U.S. Fellows, up to nine.

14) How long are Fellow assignments expected to last?

Fellows are expected to serve in-country for roughly 8 to 9 months, timed to the host country academic calendar.

15) Who can serve as a Fellow?

Fellows must be U.S. citizens with at least a bachelors degree in an agriculture-related field.

16) What kind of experience should Fellows ideally have?

Fellows should ideally bring real-world agricultural experience, including the ability to teach hands-on skills and contribute to curriculum and program development.

17) What is the implementing organization required to do in the Fellow recruitment and selection process?

The selected recipient is expected to run an organized recruitment and selection process for Fellows, consult both the National FFA Organization and the National 4-H Council during selections, and obtain USDA concurrence for final Fellow selections.

18) Is there a required timeline for identifying 4-H and FFA subject-matter experts for the selection panel?

Yes. The recipient must identify subject-matter expert representatives for the 4-H and FFA selection panel within 30 days after negotiations.

19) What kinds of activities does USDA expect Fellows to carry out?

The objectives emphasize experiential learning and practical skill transfer, not just classroom lectures. Competitive proposals are expected to include a mix of classroom instruction, field demonstrations, supervised or applied entrepreneurship projects, and leadership development activities.

20) Does the program focus only on students, or also on teachers and broader systems?

It includes both. The solicitation stresses building the host country ecosystem that makes agricultural education durable, including training teachers, supporting community-based extension linkages, and developing 4-H style clubs that can continue once the Fellows depart.

21) What does USDA mean by sustainability in this program?

Sustainability is framed as a concrete expectation. Applicants are asked to show how collaboration with the host government will help build or enhance the national agricultural education curriculum and related support systems so the work can continue beyond the Fellows assignments.

22) What host-country commitment is USDA looking for?

Applicants are expected to show that the host government, local authorities, and the agricultural community are receptive and committed, and to explain how local policies and procedures will be incorporated into the work plan so implementation is realistic and sustainable.

23) Is there an expectation to align the work with host-country priorities?

Yes. USDA prioritizes a suggested curriculum and training plan for Fellows that is tailored to the host-country context and aligned with both USDA priorities and the host countrys agricultural policy, development, and extension goals.

24) Does the solicitation expect applicants to build on prior IAEFP work?

Yes. Proposals are expected to build on what IAEFP has already achieved, drawing on lessons learned and best practices from similar programs.

25) Is Climate Smart Agriculture mentioned as a program element?

Yes. The work should incorporate Climate Smart Agriculture concepts.

26) Does the program connect to broader U.S. goals beyond education?

Yes. The solicitation notes that the work should support the broader U.S. goal of strengthening bilateral agricultural trade linkages between the host country and the U.S.

27) Are applicants expected to coordinate with other U.S. Government initiatives?

Yes. Proposals should explain how activities will complement or coordinate with other U.S. Government efforts and USDA programs already operating in-country, including (as applicable) the Borlaug Fellowship Program, Cochran Fellowship Program, Food for Progress, McGovern-Dole Food for Education, Local and Regional Procurement, Peace Corps, USAID, and other U.S. initiatives.

28) Is an evaluation plan required with the application?

Yes. Applicants must attach a draft evaluation plan that lays out a full approach to measuring performance and impact.

29) What elements must be included in the draft evaluation plan?

The draft evaluation plan should include clear performance goals, an activity-level results framework, defined indicators with targets for each activity, and a plan for collecting baseline and ongoing program data.

30) What kinds of results is USDA expecting applicants to be able to measure?

The solicitation signals that implementers should be able to document changes in schools and communities and provide credible evidence of progress, such as improvements in student skills, teacher capacity, adoption of new practices, establishment of clubs, or strengthened extension linkages.

31) How important are safety and security considerations in this program?

Safety and security planning is a major expectation. Proposals must demonstrate that security risks have been assessed and must describe concrete measures to protect Fellows during their extended field placements.

32) What kinds of safety measures does USDA expect to see in proposals?

Examples in the solicitation include providing safe living accommodations (such as guarded dorms, vetted host families, or secure transportation arrangements), aligning arrangements with U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer guidance, and providing safety, security, and self-defense training as part of orientation.

33) Do Fellows work individually or as a group?

Fellows are typically assigned to specific sites within the country, but they are expected to function as a cohesive cohort, which also supports oversight, peer support, and consistent programming.

34) Who does the award recipient coordinate with during implementation?

The award recipient will coordinate closely with the USDA/FAS IAEFP team and, where needed, with FAS overseas staff and U.S. Embassy personnel on placements, partnerships, and security decisions.

35) Are communications or public updates expected as part of implementation?

Yes. The solicitation encourages an active social media presence to document ongoing activities and expects regular implementation updates to USDA/FAS in Washington, D.C. and relevant overseas offices.

36) Which applicant organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as other eligible organizations as clarified in the full eligibility text.

37) Does issuing the solicitation guarantee that USDA will make an award?

No. USDA states that issuing the solicitation does not guarantee an award.

38) Will USDA reimburse the costs of preparing an application?

No. USDA will not reimburse costs associated with preparing an application.

39) Can USDA decide not to fund a proposal due to changing security conditions?

Yes. Because security conditions can shift quickly, USDA may decide not to fund proposals for certain countries or may amend agreements as circumstances evolve.

40) Can the selecting official choose applications out of rank order?

Yes. The selecting official retains discretion to select applications out of rank order for strategic reasons such as geographic distribution, inclusion of minority-serving institutions, congressional directives, or other documented priorities. Those determinations are final and not appealable.

41) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this solicitation?

The original posting lists Funding Opportunity Number USDA FAS 10619 0762 10 22 0002.

42) What were the original posting and closing dates shown in the opportunity details?

The original posting details list a creation date of March 8, 2022 and an original closing date of May 16, 2022.

43) Where was IAEFP previously launched before this Northern Triangle focus?

IAEFP was initially launched in Ghana and Uganda in 2021-2022, and this solicitation shifts the geographic focus to the Northern Triangle of Central America.