Quincy Virtual U.S. Higher Education Fairs | DOS SAU PD 04

Opportunity Information: Apply for DOS SAU PD 04

The Quincy Virtual U.S. Higher Education Fairs opportunity is a U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia (Embassy Riyadh) cooperative agreement (Funding Opportunity Number DOS-SAU-PD-04; Assistance Listing 19.432) that funds an organization to plan and run a series of three virtual education fairs connecting U.S. higher education institutions (HEIs) with Saudi students and other education stakeholders. The program is framed as a response to COVID-19-era limits on in-person recruitment and advising, with a broader diplomatic goal of sustaining Saudi student mobility to the United States as a pathway to long-term mutual understanding, stronger people-to-people ties, and support for Saudi workforce development priorities, including opportunities for youth and women. The fairs are also intended to align with Saudi Vision 2030 priorities by highlighting relevant academic and training pathways and by creating a structured way for U.S. institutions to engage with Saudi scholarship decision-makers.

The selected grantee is expected to deliver three separate virtual fairs during Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, each with a defined scope and approximate U.S. institutional participation targets. One event is a large, general fair planned around International Education Week in November, with roughly 75 U.S. HEIs across diverse fields. The other two are sector-focused fairs, each targeting about 50 U.S. HEIs: one focused on tourism and hospitality management, culture and cultural preservation, arts management, and visual and performing arts; and another focused on allied health sciences such as nursing, dentistry, physical and occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, nuclear medicine, and related fields. Across all three events, the central intent is to create direct, individualized interaction between Saudi participants and U.S. HEI representatives so students can get practical advising and institution-specific information on undergraduate, graduate, and training programs, while institutions can build connections with Saudi stakeholders who influence outbound study, including public and private scholarship program leaders.

A key required component is a pre-fair educational program for each fair, built around workshops and panel discussions that prepare participants and increase the usefulness of the virtual format. Suggested topics include the "5 steps to U.S. study," financial aid options for international students, how to navigate and maximize a virtual fair platform, visa requirements and processes, and roundtable discussions that bring HEI representatives together with Saudi scholarship program managers to clarify requirements and promote a wider range of U.S. study opportunities. The grantee is responsible for identifying and coordinating speakers, primarily from participating HEIs or other appropriate sources, with the possibility that some speakers may be provided by the U.S. Mission.

Operationally, the opportunity places heavy emphasis on technology, participant management, and data. The grantee must run a registration system for all audiences (U.S. HEI representatives, Saudi students, parents, counselors, advisors, and education officials), and also operate a mechanism to collect registration fees from U.S. HEIs. The grantee must provide and manage the virtual conference platform(s) with restricted access for registered participants, enabling moderated group sessions (workshops/panels) and one-on-one interactions between HEI reps and Saudi attendees. The platform must also allow HEIs to share downloadable materials. In addition, the grantee must schedule and manage technical rehearsals with speakers before each event, record key sessions such as workshops and roundtables, and post those recordings on a publicly accessible site for at least three months after the final fair, extending the program’s reach beyond live attendance.

Communications and outreach are another core deliverable. The grantee is expected to draft and design promotional announcements for each fair to recruit both U.S. HEIs and Saudi participants, with distribution potentially happening through the grantee and through U.S. government channels such as the U.S. Mission, the Department of State, and EducationUSA. Beyond one-off announcements, the grantee must design a coordinated social media and email campaign to build interest and drive registrations ahead of each event, and provide draft materials to the U.S. Mission for use in official channels. This reflects the program’s reliance on broad awareness in Saudi Arabia and targeted outreach to students and stakeholders likely to benefit most.

Reporting and evaluation requirements are built into the project from the start. Using registration data and post-event surveys, the grantee must track participation and outcomes, submit short post-event participation summaries after each fair, and produce a more comprehensive final analysis report at the end of the grant period. The grantee must also provide the U.S. Mission with the raw data collected, including participant contact information, which underscores the importance of data stewardship and clear consent and privacy practices within the project design.

The notice also addresses registration fees collected from U.S. HEIs. While revenue generation is explicitly not the purpose of the program, charging fees is considered acceptable as a practical way to limit participation to institutions that are genuinely committed to recruiting Saudi students. Applicants are expected to propose a fee structure, estimate total fee revenue, and briefly describe how any such funds would be used if they are not returned to the U.S. government, making financial planning and transparency a meaningful part of the proposal.

Funding is expected to support a single award, subject to the availability of funds, with an anticipated performance period of about 9 to 12 months and an anticipated start date of August 1, 2021. Awards are expected to range from $30,000 (floor) to $50,000 (ceiling) under FY2021 Fulbright-Hays funding, and the instrument type is a cooperative agreement, not a standard grant. That distinction matters because the U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia will have substantial involvement in execution, including coordinating and approving the timing of fairs and workshops, coordinating with Saudi institutional stakeholders and co-sponsors, approving session topics and speakers, reviewing and approving promotional materials (including branding and logo use), approving HEI fee levels, and aligning on what participant data will be collected and how it will be reported.

Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The application deadline listed is August 23, 2021 at 12:00 a.m. EDT, and the funding opportunity provides a point of contact at the U.S. Mission for submission and administrative questions (Mario Crifo, Grants Officer; RiyadhGrants@state.gov).

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Quincy Virtual U.S. Higher Education Fairs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.432.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 25, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 23, 2021. (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 $50,000.00 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.

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