# U.S. Embassy Sofia PDS Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2026)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/pds-aeif-fy26-01-sofia-u-s-embassy-sofia-pds-alumni-engagement-innovation/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361594

> U.S. Mission to Bulgaria offered grants of up to $35,000 (at least $5,000) to individuals. Applications closed on May 1, 2026.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | PDS-AEIF-FY26-01-SOFIA |
| Agency | U.S. Mission to Bulgaria |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | May 1, 2026 |
| Award ceiling | $35,000 |
| Award floor | $5,000 |
| Expected awards | not stated |
| Total funding | not stated |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 19.022 |

## Who can apply

- Individuals
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

● Applicants must be alumni of a U.S. government-funded or sponsored exchange program or a U.S. government-sponsored exchange program. ● Projects teams must include at least two (2) alumni. ● Alumni who are U.S. citizens may not submit proposals, but U.S. citizen alumni may participate as team members in a project. ● Alumni teams may be comprised of alumni from different exchange programs and different countries, but at least one of the team members must be a Bulgarian residing in Bulgaria. ● Applications must be submitted by exchange alumni. No other organizations are eligible to apply but can serve as partners for implementing project activities. ● Exchange alumni can partner with not-for-profit or non-governmental organizations, think tanks and academic institutions to implement project activities. ● The grant can be issued to individual alumni or the partner organization.

## What the grant funds

The U.S. Department of State’s Embassy Sofia announces an open competition for past participants (“alumni”) of U.S. government-funded and U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs to submit applications to the 2026 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2026). We seek proposals from teams of at least two alumni that meet all program eligibility requirements below. Exchange alumni interested in participating in AEIF 2026 should submit proposals to SofiaGrants@state.gov by May 1, 2026. Note: all submitted/emailed proposals must include "AEIF" in the subject line. The program aims to increase the long-term impact of exchange programs by strengthening alumni networks, supporting collaboration at the regional and global levels, and building strong relationships between alumni and the U.S. government. Embassy Sofia seeks alumni-led projects that advance administration goals, including boosting bilateral commercial ties, promoting free speech, highlighting American excellence/best practices, and delivering practical, locally grounded solutions that strengthen U.S.–Bulgarian cooperation in strategically important sectors. Competitive 2026 proposals will: Demonstrate how they will strengthen the relationship between alumni and the U.S. government to work together on activities that address shared goals/challenges through sustained partnerships, practices, outcomes, and measurable impact; and Celebrate/promote the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States (Freedom250) through programs that: Showcase American excellence, best practices, and innovation in business, entrepreneurship, workforce development, leadership, artificial intelligence and other frontier technologies, energy, space exploration, medical research, sports, music, film, and other cultural exports, with an emphasis on applied solutions that can be locally adopted. Reinforce core American values, including freedom of speech and digital freedom Promote American prosperity through forging sustainable economic, educational, and commercial partnerships, demonstrating the benefits of studying in the United States, adopting U.S. technologies and standards, building partnerships with U.S. firms, and supporting workforce readiness and entrepreneurship in strategic sectors. Strengthen U.S.-Bulgaria energy cooperation, including improving energy security, strategic infrastructure, civil nuclear workforce development, and emerging technologies, consistent with U.S. norms and best practices.

## Questions people ask

### Is PDS-AEIF-FY26-01-SOFIA still open?

No. It closed on May 1, 2026.

### Who can apply for U.S. Embassy Sofia PDS Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2026)?

U.S. Mission to Bulgaria accepted applications from individuals. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for U.S. Embassy Sofia PDS Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF 2026)?

Closed May 1, 2026. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $35,000 each.

### Who has won Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs Appropriation Overseas Grants grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Miscellaneous Foreign Awardees, Georgetown University, Persatuan Gaya Hidup Lestari Biji Biji Kuala Lumpur. The program made 3,361 awards worth $57.2 million in that time.