Department of State February 5, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the International Sports Programming Initiative. Public and private non- profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals for projects designed to reach out to youth and promote mutual understanding by increasing the professional capacity of those who design and manage youth sports programs in select countries in Africa, East Asia, the Near East and North Africa, South Central Asia, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere. The focus of all programs must be on reaching out to both male and female youth ages 8-18 and/or their coaches. Programs designed to train elite athletes or coaches will not be considered. For the purposes of this competition, eligible regions are Africa, Europe, East Asia, the Near East and North Africa, South and Central Asia and the Western Hemisphere. Eligible countries in each region are: Africa: Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Namibia, Senegal, and Mali; East Asia: China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam; Near East and North Africa: Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman; South and Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Bangladesh; Europe: Turkey and Armenia; and the Western Hemisphere: El Salvador, Panama, Honduras, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, and Brazil. Proposals may address multiple countries but they must be from the same region. Proposals for countries that are not designated in the RFGP or that address more than one region will be deemed technically ineligible and will receive no further consideration in the review process.