Summer of Action 2024: Midpoint Highlights and Reflections
By Andrea Bodine It’s hard to believe that August is nearly here, and with it, the last push for Summer of Action! As we enter the final month of this new initiative, I find it helpful to take stock of the work we have done so far to drive us forward in the coming...Building Champions One Meeting at a Time: Advocacy Day 2024
By: Andrea Bodine Nearly a month ago now, Alliance members arrived in Washington DC to raise their voices in support of international exchange programs. This year’s event on March 7 brought an exciting, and somewhat hectic, energy to Capitol Hill with the looming...Same Number, Different Story: Takeaways from the President’s FY25 Budget Request
The FY25 request includes a proposed 1% increase ($656 million) for the IA Budget from the FY23 adjusted enacted level, raising it to $64.4 billion. Within that funding, Educational and Cultural Exchange Program (ECE) funding has been allocated $777.5 million (DOS Budget Appendix, pg. 751-752), which is the same amount as the current FY23 enacted level.
Meeting Unfulfilled Demand: $808.6 million for exchange programs in FY25
The Appropriations Working Group recently decided on an ask of $808.6 million for DOS educational and cultural exchanges (ECE) in FY25. Here’s how we arrived at that number.