Stevens Initiative 2020 Virtual Exchange Grant Competition

Overview

<div>The Stevens Initiative’s 2020 Virtual Exchange Grant Competition will award up to $10 million in funding to schools, higher education institutions, and non-profit organizations to design and implement virtual exchange programs that connect young people in the US and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. There is a pressing need for young people to develop empathy, resiliency, self-awareness, and other skills that prepare them to thrive as global citizens and professionals. Virtual exchange fills this gap by providing young people relationship-building and skill development opportunities. There is an inextricable link between technology and human connection, and virtual exchange is a critical way to empower young people to work together to address common challenges.</div> <div></div> <div>The Initiative will fund virtual exchange programs that fall under three grant types.</div> <div><strong>Scaling Grants</strong>: Funds long-standing, proven programs that reach large groups of young people. These programs show promise for sustainability and continued impact on the virtual exchange field.</div> <div><strong>Efficiency Grants</strong>: Prioritizes programs that experiment with new efficiencies to increase reach and impact. These grants present opportunities to learn about best practices for virtual exchange implementation.</div> <div><strong>Seeding Grants</strong>: Supports new, promising virtual exchange models. These programs are likely to scale over time and diversify the virtual exchange field.</div> <div></div> <div>Through these grants, the Initiative aims to reach an additional 40,000 young people.</div> <div></div> <div>The Initiative is interested in seeding new models as well as scaling proven models of virtual exchange through proposals focused on technology and computing, world affairs and global studies, business and entrepreneurship, language learning and practice, and public health. Proposals must demonstrate that young people participating in the program will have the opportunity to build practical skills and global competencies through hands-on and collaborative activities.</div>