The Community Solutions Program (CSP) 2025 is a leadership development initiative funded by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by IREX. Among these includes leadership, expanding one’s network and how to collaborate in approaching problems affecting the whole world.
The program is a four-month fellowship in the United States for which the fellow will work on problems they are passionate about by engaging with U.S. host organizations dedicated to similar issues. Overall these issues can be broken up into four areas: the environment and sustainability, peace and conflict resolution, transparency and accountability as well as women’s and gender issues. Fellows get hands-on experience and build strategies they can use in their home countries.
It is based on initiatives that can help the communities become empowered. The fellowship under the CSP ensures fellows return home empowered with capabilities to drive a community action program. This year, the Community Solutions Program marks a decade of global impact with the help of effective and dynamic leaders who come from CSP. Ironically, since this elite all-expense paid fellowship sprouted to life, the CSP has already bred 748 fellows from 83 countries who have touched over 600,000 lives through their community development work.
Application Guidelines of Community Solutions Program
Host Organization: International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX)
Sponsored by: Department of U.S. State
Scholarship coverage: Fully Funded
Eligible nationality: 100 eligible countries
Award country: USA
Duration: 1 year (4 months in the USA)
Last Date: November 13, 2024.
Purpose of Community Solutions Program
The whole purpose of CSP is supposed to enable the community leader from different parts of the earth using skills and knowledge meant to enable them to become change agents in their communities. Through leadership development, cross-cultural collaboration, and ideas exchanged by emerging leaders, its mission is set to tackle critical challenges facing the world at large.
Coupled with experience in leadership training, as well as conducting participations with organizations within the United States host, CAPs facilitate the training of CSP participants in order to be sufficiently prepared for the challenges that the world is facing, including environmental sustainability, peace and conflict resolution, transparency and accountability, and women and gender issues. This will, on the other hand, mean that the programme is going to culminate in a global network of leaders competent and committed to urgent social concerns as well as betterment of their communities’ livelihoods.
Eligible Countries for IREX Community Solutions Program 2025:
- Africa: Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
- East Asia and the Pacific: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, and Vietnam
- Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, and Ukraine
- Middle East and North Africa: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and West Bank/Palestinian Territories
- South and Central Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
- Western Hemisphere: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela
Eligibility Criteria Community Solutions Program
- The applicant must be between 26-39 years of age (as of 13 November 2024).
- The applicant must be a citizen of one of the countries mentioned above.
- The applicants must be living and working in their home countries.
- If the applicant is with refugee status and still working on behalf of his/her home community, he/she will be given preference.
- The applicants must have two years of experience in community development either full-time or part-time employees or volunteers.
- The applicant must not be a current student or must not be currently participating in any research project in the U.S.
- The applicant must be proficient in English. The applicant will be asked to provide IELTS or TOEFL results. (if selected as a semifinalist)
- The applicant must be able to travel to the U.S. for four months from August to December 2025.
- The applicant must not be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S. or have applied for U.S. citizenship.
- The applicant must not be a current employee at IREX or have any immediate family member as an IREX employee.
- The applicants must be committed to returning to their home countries for at least two years after completing the program.
Benefits of Community Solutions Program
- The J-1 visa support will be provided to the participants.
- The fellowship covers the round-trip travel costs of the participants from their home city to the U.S.
- The participants will be given a monthly allowance for housing, meals, and other living expenses.
- The participant’s accident and sickness insurance will be covered.
Application Process
- The candidates have to apply online through the IREX online application system.
- Use the same email address throughout the entire CSP application and selection process.
- All applications must be submitted online; any applications sent by mail, fax, or email to IREX will not be accepted.
- Questions marked with a red asterisk are mandatory. If a required question doesn’t apply to you, write “N/A” (not applicable).
- Keep the original spelling of names and locations in the English alphabet without translating them.
- Apart from names and locations, all answers must be written in English. Applications not in English will be disqualified.
- The applicant must complete the application themselves.
- Submit your application by Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. to be considered.
- Applications should reflect your personal experiences. The use of AI-generated content will lead to automatic disqualification.
Documents Required
- Completed Application Form
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Résumé
- Personal Statement
- Letters of Recommendation
- Proof of English Proficiency
- Identification Documents
Application Deadline
The application deadline for the IREX Community Solutions Program is November 13, 2024.
Application Tips
- Understand the Program Goals
- Craft a Compelling Personal Statement
- Highlight Relevant Experience
- Choose Strong Recommenders
- Showcase Your Community Action Project (CAP)
- Proofread and Edit
- Submit Before the Deadline
