The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Youth Programs Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the Youth Leadership Program with Sub-Saharan Africa. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to provide youth and adult participants with a three-week French language exchange program in the United States focused on civic education, youth leadership development, and community engagement, and to support the implementation of service projects in their home communities. ECA funding will support an organization in planning and implementing U.S.-based programming, including homestays with American families, for a total of approximately 60 participants from six Francophone countries who will travel to the United States in two or three separate exchanges in calendar year 2013. Participating countries include: Burkina Faso, Chad, Cote D‟Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. U.S. Embassies will recruit, screen, and select the participants, arrange international travel to the United States, and, along with the award recipient, support program alumni.