The GPA program is a discretionary grant program designed to contribute to the development and improvement of the study of modern foreign languages and area studies in the United States by providing training opportunities for faculty, teachers, and upperclassmen and/or graduate students in foreign countries where the United States has diplomatic representation. Awards are made under the program to conduct overseas group projects in research, training and curriculum development.

Institutions of higher education, state departments of education, private nonprofit educational organizations, and consortia of institutions, departments, and organizations are eligible to apply.

There are four kinds of GPA projects. Three are short-term projects: (1) short-term seminar; (2) curriculum development team; and (3) group research or study. The fourth type, advanced overseas intensive language training project, is a longer-term grant for four years. Please refer to the Project Type Descriptions for details on the features of each project type.

An individual is eligible to participate in a GPA project, if she/he is:

• A citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States; and
• Currently employed full-time in a United States school system, institution of higher education, local education agency or state education agency (not applicable to students);

And, at least one of the following:

• A teacher in an elementary or secondary school (please see note below);
• A faculty member who teaches modern foreign languages or area studies;
• An experienced education administrator responsible for planning, conducting, or supervising programs in modern foreign languages or area studies at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary levels;
• A graduate student or junior or senior in an institution of higher education, who is a prospective teacher in the areas of social sciences, humanities and foreign languages. The student should meet the provisions set by his or her local and state education agencies; or
• For the Advanced Overseas Intensive Language Training project, the participating student, other than those planning a teaching career, should be planning to apply his or her language skills and knowledge of countries vital to the United States' national security in fields outside of teaching, including government, the professions, or international development.

(Note: All GPA participants must be educators or students who fulfill the criteria above and the selection criteria set by their respective projects and are currently teaching and/or studying in the fields of humanities, social sciences, foreign languages, and/or area studies. Area studies is defined as a program of comprehensive study of the aspects of a society or societies including the study of their geography, history, culture, economy, politics, international relations, or languages.) If an educator or student is working in a variety of subject areas, she/he must spend the majority of his/her time working with eligible subjects.)

Yes. Individuals may be awarded a total of four lifetime short-term Fulbright awards (two months or less). Short-term awards would include Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad, Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad, Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund, etc.

Short-term award recipients become eligible every two years. For example, a Seminars Abroad 2006 participant could receive a Group Projects Abroad 2008 award and vice versa. A 2005 Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund participant could receive a Seminars Abroad 2007 award. A Seminars Abroad 2004 participant could receive a Seminars Abroad 2006 award, etc.

Individuals who are not currently employed full-time are not eligible. In addition, individuals who do not meet the GPA program's eligibility criteria listed above are not eligible.

Yes. Spouses, other family members, and friends, who have not been selected to participate in a GPA project according to the selection criteria stated in the approved application, are not permitted to join the group at any point during the program.

Applicants may apply for a maximum grant performance period up to twelve months in duration for short-term projects and four years for advanced overseas intensive language training projects.

The program office suggests using April 1 of the fiscal competition year as the proposed start date.

Yes. The program has an absolute priority which states that projects must focus on one or more of the following geographic regions of the world: Africa; East Asia; South Asia; Southeast Asia and the Pacific; the Western Hemisphere (Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean); East Central Europe and Eurasia; and the Near East.

The program also periodically has invitational and competitive preference priorities. Please check the current fiscal year's Federal Register notice and application package for details.

The grant does not provide funds for project-related expenses within the United States. Grant funds may be used only for the following: a maintenance stipend based on fifty percent of the amount established by the U.S. Department of State; round-trip international travel; a local travel allowance for necessary project-related travel within the host country; purchase of project-related artifacts, books, and other teaching materials in the country of study; rent for instructional facilities in the country of study; clerical and professional services performed by resident instructional personnel in the country of study; and other expenses in the country of study deemed necessary for the project's success and approved in advance by the U.S. Department of Education.

No, there is no formal matching requirement for the GPA program. However, the United States Department of Education encourages cost sharing by the project participants and their affiliated institutions, school districts, or organizations to cover the expenses within the United States, and to make up the difference between the grant and the costs of the activities abroad. Applicants are invited to provide cost share through in-kind or cash contributions.

A two-three day pre-departure orientation should be included in the project design. However, please note that as a United States-based activity, related costs will not be paid for using GPA grant funds.

No. Indirect costs are not allowed to be charged to a GPA grant.

Yes, all travel must comply with the Fly America Act. International travel budget estimates ought to be based on jet economy high season rates on U.S. Flag carriers where available.

Yes. Applicants are limited to a 40-page narrative. In addition, applicants will be asked to submit a one-page abstract, table of contents, line-item budget, and appendices.

Yes. However, an applicant must be mindful to submit only what is requested and what would be considered supporting documentation of the narrative, e.g., (1) a detailed preliminary pre-departure orientation and overseas program itinerary; (2) curriculum vitas of key personnel; (3) letters of support; (4) examples of evaluation materials; and (5) other supporting documents, if necessary.

• Start early.
• Contact the GPA program officer.
• Review GPA rules and regulations thoroughly.
• Review abstracts of funded projects.
• Visit the program office to review funded projects.
• Form an internal task force with appropriate grant and project-related experience.
• Propose realistic activities and objectives.
• Prepare a specific and detailed budget.
• Request letters of support.
• Identify your host country coordinator and establish strong linkages.
• Address each part of the selection criteria thoroughly and in the order presented.
• Register with Grants.gov early.

Yes. You must submit your application through the Grants.gov system. Please note that if you are a first-time user of this system, the registration process may take several days to complete.

Contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 from Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. GPA program officers are not able to answer technical questions about Grants.gov.

An applicant should contact the GPA program officer:

• Michelle Guilfoil at michelle.guilfoil@ed.gov
  Telephone: 202-502-7625

Grantees will be selected through a rigorous peer review process. A three- to four-member panel of non-federal evaluators reviews each application. Each reviewer will prepare a written evaluation of the application and assign points for each selection criterion published in the Federal Register.

Notifications will typically take place in early to late spring of the following year via postal mail. All applicants (successful and unsuccessful) will receive copies of evaluators' scores and comments for reference purposes.

The average new award is $74,000 for short-term projects (competed annually) and $104,000 for advanced overseas intensive language projects (competed every four years). However, the maximum award can be up to $90,000 annually for short-term project awards and $375,000 for advanced overseas intensive language projects annually.

The program typically awards between 25-40 new short-term awards each year and between 15-20 new advanced overseas intensive language awards every four years.

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