FY 2026 Community Solutions Program

FY 2026 Community Solutions Program is sponsored by U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Supports a cooperative agreement to design and implement the FY 2026 Community Solutions Program, focusing on citizen exchange programs to address global challenges.

Community Solutions | IREX IREX partners with the U.S. Department of State on the Community Solutions Program. The Community Solutions Program (CSP) is a yearlong professional development exchange sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by IREX. The program equips experienced community leaders, ages 26-39, with practical leadership and technical skills while strengthening American organizations and communities.

Through four-month practicums with U.S. host organizations, CSP participants contribute directly to local initiatives in areas such as economic growth, energy resilience, workforce development, public safety, tourism, agriculture, and community revitalization.

Participants provide immediate operational support and global expertise to American organizations while gaining firsthand exposure to American leadership, innovation, and institution-building.

CSP advances U.S. interests by strengthening America’s communities, supporting small and medium-sized organizations, expanding people-to-people ties, and reinforcing the United States as the world’s leading model for community leadership, entrepreneurship, and problem-solving. The program also supports long-term international cooperation rooted in firsthand experience with American beliefs, institutions, and local leadership.

The Community Solutions Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by IREX. CSP has facilitated professional exchange experiences for over 1000 international leaders and more than 790 U.S. community leaders, strengthening local organizations and expanding America’s international reputation.

CSP alumni have impacted more than 629,000 people through community-based initiatives inspired by American models of leadership, volunteerism, and community engagement. The program has partnered with over 470 host organizations across 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, expanding local organizational capacity and supporting communities nationwide.

94% of CSP participants reported that the program improved their view of the United States, strengthening America’s reputation and long-term international relationships. More than 82% of CSP host organizations are estimated to be small- and medium-sized organizations. Hosting a CSP Participant helps increase staff capacity, strengthen technical expertise, and support local priorities in American communities.

American experts have provided more than 5,600 hours of technical training and mentorship through CSP-related activities, extending U.S. expertise and leadership to foreign audiences of more than 10,000 people. 96% of participants reported improved leadership and technical skills after participating in the program.

97% of CSP expenditures have been reinvested into U.S. communities, vendors, and businesses, ensuring that program funding directly benefits the American economy. CSP Participants have contributed more than $18 million in estimated in-kind labor value to U.S. host organizations and communities.

“Our CSP Participant set up a tracking system for sales through our Social Enterprise that created a system that helped us support sales for 150 producers, resulting in $300,000 in direct sales to those producers.

” Tom Redfern, CSP Host | Rural Action, Ohio Strengthen the capacity of American organizations and communities by fostering strategic partnerships with skilled international professionals who contribute practical expertise, fresh perspectives, and operational support to local initiatives across the United States.

Prepare experienced community leaders to address complex community challenges through leadership training grounded in American models of problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and accountable governance. Expand participants’ technical and professional skills through hands-on collaboration with U.S. organizations while promoting approaches that reflect American principles of individual initiative and community leadership.

Build enduring international networks of professionals with firsthand experience in the United States who can serve as trusted collaborators strengthen people-to-people ties, and advance long-term relationships rooted in mutual respect and shared interests with America.

Four-Month U.S.-Based Practicum: CSP Participants are matched with nonprofit organizations, private-sector partners, and local government offices across the United States where they support American communities through projects related to economic opportunity, energy resilience, workforce development, public service, tourism, agriculture, and community engagement.

Participants contribute directly to host organization priorities while learning from American professionals and institutions. Community Leadership Institute: The Community Leadership Institute provides customized leadership training, professional coaching, and practical learning opportunities before, during, and after the U.S. exchange experience.

Through online sessions, workshops, and tailored fellowships with American host institutions, participants strengthen the leadership and technical skills needed to address challenges in their communities while gaining firsthand exposure to effective U.S. leadership practices and institutions.

Strategic Community Projects: Following their U.S. exchange, participants implement community-based projects that apply lessons learned from American organizations and local leadership models to challenges in their home communities. These initiatives extend the reach of American expertise, strengthen long-term cooperation, and reinforce the United States as a trusted global leader in innovative community problem-solving.

International Network of Leaders: CSP alumni remain connected through ongoing professional engagement, training opportunities, and collaboration facilitated through the Community Leadership Institute platform.

This growing network strengthens long-term relationships with professionals who have firsthand experience with American communities, institutions, and leadership practices, advancing durable international relationships that support U.S. interests abroad.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State The Community Solutions Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by IREX.