Official funding announcement — preliminary draft
Funder: Katherine Wright Grantor
Opportunity number: DFOP0019966
Official listed status: posted
Closing information: 2026-11-23 (official deadline clock time and time zone must be checked in NOFO)
Award disclosure: Official federal synopsis lists an award ceiling of 85,855; applicant-level applicability requires full-NOFO review.
Applicant categories in federal synopsis: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education; Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than 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; For profit organizations other than small businesses
Federal synopsis
Funding Opportunity DescriptionThe U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Human Resources, Office of Outreach, Fellowships, and Internships (HR/OFI) announces an open competition for a qualified organization to manage the candidate screening, panel review, and selection process for the 2027 Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship Program under a Cooperative Agreement. This specialized selection project serves as a crucial gateway to identify top-tier, merit-based graduate talent across the nation for entry into the Foreign Service.Project Goal and ObjectivesThe project aims to establish a rigorous, objective, and standardized multi-phase selection infrastructure that identifies candidates with the technical expertise and leadership required to advance U.S. foreign policy and international development priorities.Key objectives include:Panel Formation & Honoraria Management: Onboard qualified selection panelists (tenured Foreign Service Officers, backstop coordinators, and Senior Foreign Service Nationals) by January 2027 and administer panelist honoraria ($500/day for eligible non-USG panelists).Panel Training & Scoring Execution: Coordinate mandatory panelist training with HR/OFI and the Board of Examiners (BEX) in December 2026/January 2027, and facilitate secure electronic scoring to determine semi-finalists.Finalist Assessment & Selection: Execute the final selection stage in February 2027 by conducting structured interviews, administering essay assessments, and calculating composite scores to select up to 10 Payne Fellows and alternates.Onboarding Transition: Secure acceptance agreements, notify non-selected applicants within two working days, and transfer cohort records to HR/OFI to initiate medical and Top Secret security clearances by late February 2027.
Draft intake record. Eligibility, program terms, current amendments and applicant ceiling must be independently verified before publishing.