Our Role

The Fulbright Association serves as the unified voice of the Fulbright community in advocating for the program to the U.S. Congress. We pursue a strategic and non-partisan approach to advocacy at the local, national, and global levels.

Strategy

The primary source of funding (approximately 65%) for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.

Please return to this site regularly for updates and advocacy campaigns. Become a member or join our mailing list to receive updates directly. Your donations provide needed resources for our advocacy work, and we appreciate your continued support.

Act Now

Share our message, tell your story.

Write to Your Representative

Write to your members of the House and Senate to urge full funding of the Fulbright Program. Refer to the Fulbright Association's messaging guide and advocacy resources (below) for a framework for your letter, and focus on conveying the lasting impact of your Fulbright experience. Facebook Town Hall, House.gov, and Senate.gov can help you locate your representatives. International alumni can write to those representing their U.S. university by entering the zip code of that university.

Call Congress

In addition to writing, call your members of the House and Senate to urge full funding of the Fulbright Program. Be sure to provide your name and address so it can be verified that you reside in their district. Refer to our Advocacy Toolkit for resources to use when calling your member of Congress.

Write to Your Local Newspaper

Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper to explain the value of the Fulbright Program. If your letter is published, share the link with us, forward the article to your members of the House and Senate, and post it to your social media accounts using the hashtag #StandForFulbright.

#StandForFulbright

Share your Fulbright story on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media with the hashtag #StandForFulbright. Follow the hashtag to read and react to the experiences of fellow Fulbright alumni, and continue to use our trademark #Fulbright hashtag on your posts, as well.

Tell Us Your Story

Our voice as advocates is strongest when we can share the collective and powerful experiences of Fulbright alumni with Congressional representatives. We invite you to write about your Fulbright experience and the meaning of international exchange in your life, and to share your story with our team. Fill out this form to participate in our storytelling campaign.

For international alumni:

Contact Your Ambassador

Contact the U.S. ambassador in your country, as well as your country's ambassador in Washington, D.C. Share your Fulbright experience, and educate them on the bilateral funding model of the Fulbright Program and the importance of international exchange programs.

Contact Your U.S. University President

Write to the president of the U.S. university with which you were affiliated during your Fulbright, urging them to advocate for full funding of the Fulbright Program with their state's representatives in Congress. Reflect on your experiences at their university and the lasting impact of international exchange and higher education.

Tell Us Your Story

We also welcome stories from international Fulbright alumni about the impact of their educational experience in the United States. We invite you to share your Fulbright story with our team by filling out this form.

Our Message

Restore the Fulbright Program at $369.5 million for FY 2024

($82m over $287.5m for FY 2023)

For more than 75 years, the Fulbright Program has strengthened U.S. national security by building alliances, partnerships, and goodwill in 165 countries. Fulbright is an efficient and effective national security and diplomatic tool that promotes American values and mutual understanding, funds American higher education, and leverages the investment of over $100m from other countries.

The Fulbright Program has lost 28.5% of its value since 2010, even after the $12.5m increase for FY23.

Congress saw the need to increase its investment in Fulbright after 12 years of flat funding. It recognized that inflation and new challenges (healthcare, American tuition costs) have diminished the Program’s impact, prestige, and effectiveness. This increased investment was a good start.

Importantly, restoring funding to the 2010 level would accomplish the following:

  1. Counter China, which has filled the financial and leadership void by funding many more scholars in their exchange program;
  2. Increase strategic investments, such as boosting grants to NATO countries in response to Russian aggression;
  3. Recruit and fund diverse and representative candidates with grants that have greater monetary value;
  4. Provide needed resources to Fulbright Commissions and US Embassies to support grantees properly.

The Fulbright Association, representing over 400,000 alumni worldwide, asks our friends in Congress to support an appropriation of $369.5 million for FY 2024, restoring funding to the 2010 level.

Thank you for supporting the Fulbright Program, America’s flagship connection to the world.

Get Involved

The resources compiled here are available to assist in your chapter and individual advocacy efforts on behalf of Fulbright.

For additional advocacy materials, or with any questions, please reach out to Samantha Lore at samantha@fulbright.org.