Deadline: 6 March 2025
The Department of Commerce International Trade Administration with its U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship Program provides outstanding candidates entering graduate school an up to eight-week overseas internship.
Recipients of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Pilot Fellowship will be required to participate in a mandatory one-week Office of Global Talent Management Orientation and Training in June of 2026.
Objectives
- Attract and recruit highly talented and qualified candidates for a Foreign Commercial Service career in the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service through a program of educational support and professional development.
- Provide candidates and Fellows with information on the service elements, benefits, challenges, and requirements of a Foreign Commercial Service career.
- Provide candidates and Fellows with information on the benefits and obligations of the Fellowship and need to complete Foreign Commercial Service entry requirements including obtaining and maintaining required clearances (security and suitability).
- Provide funding to assist Fellows towards completing the program.
- Enhance Fellows’ understanding of U.S. foreign trade policy and the work and lifestyle of the Foreign Commercial Service through an overseas summer development experience at a U.S. embassy, consulate, or mission.
- Provide Fellows with mentoring and professional development training to expose them to information that will help to prepare them to be successful Foreign Commercial Service Officers.
- Administer the program in a strategic and efficient way that produces the intended results.
Goals
- Increase the level of knowledge, awareness, and employment of the Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) program and its vital role in promoting American exports and facilitating trade and commerce around the world.
- Develop new talent for ITA’s Foreign Commercial Service.
- Remain consistent with the direction of Congress and thus:
- Make competitive grants to appropriate institutions of higher education or students; and
- “Increase the level of knowledge and awareness of, and interest in employment with, the Foreign Commercial Service among minority students.”
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $545,000.
- Period of Performance: 18 month.
Expected Outcomes
- Based on the goals and objectives of the program, expected results include, but are not limited to the following:
- Recruitment activities will be broad and include institutions across the United States, will increase awareness of the Foreign Commercial Service, including among minority students, and will highlight the ITA’s commitment to building a workforce that represents the nation’s diversity.
- Candidates’ knowledge of the benefits, challenges, and requirements of a Foreign Commercial Service career will increase.
- Up to seven Fellows will be selected through a highly competitive nationwide selection process.
- Fellows will be prepared for careers with the Foreign Commercial Service through a program that includes financial assistance, mentoring, summer internship experience, and professional development.
- The institution will conduct participant surveys, which will indicate successful to fully successful performance ratings on delivery and impact of program elements: orientation, financial assistance, professional development training, internship/summer development experience support, and mentoring.
- The program will be administered in a cost-effective manner, resources will be matched to program objectives, and all program elements will be completed within budget.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants must:
- Be a U.S. accredited graduate institution which administers Master’s degrees in the fields of International Affairs, International Relations, International Studies, Economics, Business, Trade, Public Administration, or Public Policy
- Staff employees with Human Resources backgrounds
- Possess working familiarity with the Foreign Commercial Service
- Possess at least three years’ experience of administering federal government educational federal financial assistance programs, particularly federal grants or cooperative agreements of a similar complex nature.
Review Criteria
- Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea (20 points)
- Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives (20 points)
- Organizational Capacity and Record of Performance (20 points)
- Financial Capacity and Cost Effectiveness (15 points)
- Monitoring & Evaluating and Sustainability (15 points)
- Support for Students (10 points)
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
