STEAM & English in the Public School System | SBR25020CA022

Opportunity Information: Apply for SBR25020CA022

The "STEAM & English in the Public School System" opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SBR25020CA022) is a U.S. Department of State, U.S. Mission to Brazil grant run through the Embassy RELO (Regional English Language Office) in Brasilia. It is a discretionary education-focused award (CFDA 19.040) intended to fund one organization to design and deliver a professional development exchange that connects English language teaching with STEAM education in Brazil's public school system. The program targets 54 participants drawn from all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District, specifically a mix of public-school English teachers, STEAM educators, and education secretariat administrators/coordinators who influence policy and implementation at the school and system level.

At its core, the grant funds a blended exchange model: a two-week, in-person U.S. program followed by a two-week online component delivered about two months after participants return to Brazil. The in-person U.S. segment is meant to be immersive and practical, not just conference-style training. Required elements include structured meetings with key U.S. education stakeholders; engagement with school principals and coordinators responsible for English and STEAM; multiple school visits, including schools serving multilingual learners and/or using ESL approaches; classroom observation focused on learning through observation; opportunities for participants to co-teach alongside local U.S. teachers; hands-on student-centered activities; and cultural programming that helps participants better understand U.S. society, values, and daily life. The cultural side is not treated as optional enrichment but as an intentional part of the exchange, including social activities and at least one home hospitality dinner to deepen person-to-person connections.

The academic and professional focus is clearly defined. The two core themes are Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and leadership, with strong emphasis on CLIL-style approaches (Content and Language Integrated Learning) where English is learned and used through meaningful subject-matter instruction rather than isolated language drills. The solicitation also calls for innovative best practices for teaching English as an international language, plus assessment practices that can be used to measure progress in real school settings. Beyond methodology, the program is supposed to build participants' capacity to present and lead in English, so they can run workshops, train peers, and advocate for improved practices when they return home. A major expected output is that each participant (or participant teams) develops a strategic plan during the U.S. exchange, then continues refining and implementing it during the later online phase. Those plans must include an assessment component with measurable objectives, so the project leaves behind more than inspiration and instead produces trackable local change.

The online follow-on portion is not a generic webinar series; it is intended to extend the momentum of the exchange and provide structured support as participants move from ideas to implementation. The Embassy frames this as a way to sustain professional communities of practice, where teachers and administrators continue collaborating, sharing resources, and adapting U.S.-observed models to Brazil's realities. The emphasis on leadership is tied to diffusion: participants are expected to return to their secretariats, schools, and communities able to replicate training and spread best practices through professional presentations and workshops, increasing reach well beyond the original cohort of 54.

The rationale for the grant is strongly connected to current Brazilian education reforms and U.S.-Brazil public diplomacy priorities. The background explains that English teaching and learning is one of the Public Affairs Section's strategic pillars, alongside people-to-people mobility. The project is positioned as support for Brazil's BNCC (Base Nacional Comum Curricular), under which English has become mandatory, while STEAM has simultaneously gained prominence. The Embassy views the exchange as a catalyst for strengthening how English is embedded in STEAM and vocationally oriented secondary tracks, increasing the relevance of English for Brazilian students' career paths and workforce preparation. It is also meant to support municipal and state education secretariats and emerging bilingual initiatives in the public system by showing what it takes, practically and administratively, to teach content through English, manage curriculum flexibility, and lead change across institutions.

From an implementation standpoint, the Embassy plans to fund the project through a cooperative agreement, meaning the recipient should expect active collaboration and oversight rather than a hands-off grant. Applicants are asked to propose the full design and logistics of the exchange and online course, including participant orientation and on-the-ground support. The organizer must provide practical orientation covering itinerary, host community context, transportation, medical care, places of worship, dietary needs, and technology access, reflecting an expectation of comprehensive duty of care and professional program management. The program must also deliberately connect participants with relevant U.S. professional networks such as community programs or teachers associations that work on leadership, English as the Medium of Instruction, CBI, and broader TESOL/TEFL topics, while also discussing local community impact.

Funding and timing details are specific. The NOFO anticipated up to roughly $540,000 in FY2020 funding (with an award ceiling listed as $480,000 in the opportunity data), for a project period not to exceed 14 months, and an intended start date of October 1, 2020. Only one award was expected. The original application deadline listed was September 10, 2020. The Embassy also notes the possibility, if results are strong and funds are available, of renewing the opportunity for up to two additional years. Finally, the agency explicitly reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications and to decide the final award amount, with authority grounded in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

• The Department of State, U.S. Mission to Brazil in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "STEAM & English in the Public School System" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 13, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 10, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $480,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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