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2027 R1 RE Application

2027 R1 Reciprocal Exchange Application

About the Reciprocal Exchange

The Mandela Washington Fellowship’s Reciprocal Exchange component provides U.S. professionals with the opportunity to build upon strategic partnerships and professional connections developed through the Fellowship.  The Fellowship provides U.S. professionals funds to implement in-person or hybrid projects in Sub-Saharan African countries with Fellowship alumni on the continent.  The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX.     

Award Goal
  • The Mandela Washington Fellowship will provide grants of up to grants of up to $6,000 per selected U.S. participant (up to four participants) to support travel to Sub-Saharan Africa and other project-related costs during the grant period.  The Fellowship may also provide grants of up to $3,000 per selected project to support hybrid (virtual) Reciprocal Exchange projects. 
  • U.S. participants and Fellowship alumni will implement a short-term project that directly benefits individuals and institutions in the project country and the United States during and after implementation.  Projects should be no longer than four weeks. 
  • U.S. participants and Fellowship alumni will expand their professional networks, gain new business opportunities, and build new knowledge or skills during their Reciprocal Exchange project planning and implementation periods.  

Reciprocal Exchange Award Timeline

  • Application Deadline: November 11, 2026 
  • Notification of Award: February 2027
  • Grant Period: March 15 – July 30, 2027
Definitions
  • Participants: U.S. professionals who apply for and/or receive a Reciprocal Exchange award. 
  • Collaborators: Mandela Washington Fellowship alumni who apply for and/or receive a Reciprocal Exchange award. 
  • Hybrid Reciprocal Exchange: Hybrid Reciprocal Exchange projects aim to conduct activities in the collaborator’s community with the participant engaging virtually.  Hybrid Reciprocal Exchanges are an effective model to engage with hard-to-reach audiences where participant travel may not be possible.

Financial Provisions
  • Maximum In-Person Grant Award: $6,000 per selected participant (up to four participants) 
  • Maximum Hybrid Grant Award: $3,000 per project
Disbursement of Funds: The Fellowship will award up to $6,000 per in-person project participant (see next paragraph) and up to $3,000 per hybrid project to support implementation and approved project-related costs for Reciprocal Exchange activities.  For hybrid projects only, IREX may disburse funds to collaborators.  IREX will disburse award funds in two installments, contingent upon receipt and approval of required deliverables, via participants’ or collaborators’ personal bank accounts.  IREX will request bank information from participants and collaborators as well as a signed Terms and Conditions document, which will outline the terms for the award.  

Projects with multiple participants: In-person projects with multiple participants are eligible for $6,000 of funding per participant.  The grant ceiling for a project is $24,000 for up to four participants.  The project team must select one participant to receive the grant funds.  You must include all intended participants in your application; you cannot add additional participants to your project after selection.


Visa Procurement: Participants can procure their visas through an IREX-preferred vendor prior to travel.  IREX will cover the cost of both the visa service and the visa fee for participants who use the IREX-preferred vendor.  Please note that travelers to Nigeria cannot use IREX’s preferred vendor for their visa procurement.  Please see the budget template and the Nigerian Embassy’s website for more information. 

 

Eligibility Requirements

Participants: 

  • Must be U.S. citizens currently living in the United States. 
  • May not be employees or immediate family members of employees of the U.S. Government (including a U.S. Embassy or other U.S. Government entity).   
  • Must have met the primary collaborator or strengthened an existing partnership through the Mandela Washington Fellowship (e.g., through a Fellowship institute, Professional Development Experience, Reciprocal Exchange, etc.  
  • May only participate in one Reciprocal Exchange award per calendar year (i.e., implementation dates between March 15 – November 30, 2027.  
  • Any one individual can complete no more than two in-person Reciprocal Exchange projects.  


Collaborators: 

  • Must be Fellowship alumnus/a in good standing with the U.S. Department of State.  Fellowship alumni from all cohorts are eligible to apply.   
  • May not be employees or immediate family members of employees of the U.S. Government.   
  • Must reside in the proposed project country and be present for the full duration of the project’s implementation.   
  • May only participate in one Reciprocal Exchange award per calendar year (i.e., implementation dates between March 15 – November 30, 2027).   
  • May not serve as the primary collaborator if the alumnus/alumna has participated in more than two Reciprocal Exchange projects.  Alumni may serve as secondary collaborators if they have participated in more than two Reciprocal Exchange projects.
 

Projects Requirements and Restrictions 

  • Projects should address topics that fall under at least one of the following categories (If you wish to apply for a project addressing a topic not listed below, please email REmwf@irex.org): 
  • Agriculture (such as agribusiness, food processing, or supply chains) 
  • Business & Entrepreneurship (such as commercial diplomacy, startups, or international trade and investment) 
  • Safety & Security (such as law enforcement, counterterrorism, or conflict resolution) 
  • Creative Economies (such as film and television production, sports and major events diplomacy, or music and content production) 
  • Energy (such as critical minerals, mining, or oil and gas) 
  • Health (such as biosecurity, disease surveillance, or emergency preparedness) 
  • Technology (such as artificial intelligence, information and communications technology, or cybersecurity)
  • Transportation (such as shipping, infrastructure, or logistics corridors) 
  • Projects must not:
    • Charge a participation fee from intended beneficiaries.   
    • Involve direct clinical patient contact which may include, but is not limited to: contact with human or animal patients; human or animal remains; corpses; cadavers; or carcasses; and/or the practice of medicine or other licensed health sciences, including practical exposure to the fields of medical and veterinary sciences, nursing, dentistry, psychological counseling, or any other field that requires direct clinical patient contact and/or prescribing or administering medication.     
    • Use award funds to cover salaries or consultancy fees.   
    • Include travel to locations with a Level 4 Travel Advisory; project teams may only apply for hybrid projects for locations with Level 4 Travel Advisories.