Middle East Partnership Initiative

What Middle East Partnership Initiative does

The U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is a foreign assistance program of the U.S. Department of State, administered through the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA). MEPI funds and administers a portfolio of leadership development, educational exchange, entrepreneurship training, and civil society grant programs targeted at youth, students, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and emerging leaders across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Programs are delivered through U.S. Embassy and Consulate networks spanning 20+ countries, including Tunisia, Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, West Bank/Gaza, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, and Yemen. Flagship offerings include the Tomorrow's Leaders scholarship program (undergraduate and graduate, hosted at LAU, AUB, and partner U.S. universities), the Student Leaders summer exchange, the Leaders for Democracy Fellowship (hosted by Duke University), the Middle East Entrepreneurship Training (MEET) program, Education for Employment (EFE) Tunisia workforce programs, and recurring NOFO-based grant cycles for civil society organizations.

MEPI operates on a grant-making and appropriations-funded model with no commercial revenue. All program participation is free to beneficiaries; the program disburses U.S. federal appropriations via grants to implementing partners (universities, NGOs, and government agencies). Core implementing partners include Near East Foundation, Duke University, American University of Beirut, Lebanese American University, EFE Tunisia, CLDP (Commerce), and a long tail of regional NGOs. MEPI maintains no proprietary technology stack — its operational backbone is the U.S. Embassy network, ShareAmerica content distribution, and organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, Flickr) used for participant outreach and alumni engagement.

Strategically, MEPI functions as a soft-power instrument of U.S. foreign policy, not a commercial enterprise. The program has no headcount, revenue, or profitability metrics in the traditional sense, and is wholly dependent on U.S. congressional appropriations allocated through NEA. Documented outcomes include hundreds of youth placed in employment (notably via EFE Tunisia), engagement of half a million Tunisian voters in municipal elections, and hundreds of funded civil society and entrepreneurship projects across the region. The Alumni Corner serves as a sustained engagement layer for thousands of program graduates.

Name

Middle East Partnership Initiative

Legal name

The U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)

Website

https://mepi.state.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

MEPI is a U.S. Department of State foreign assistance program that funds scholarships, fellowships, entrepreneurship training, and civil society grants for youth, students, and NGOs across 20+ Middle East and North Africa countries. Programs are delivered via U.S. Embassy networks and university partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foreign Assistance and Diplomatic Programs

NAICS

National Security and International Affairs (928), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry) (EDAIAFAA), University-Sponsored International Internships & Co-op Placements (EDAIAFAB), University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs (EDAIAJAA), Bilateral Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) (BPADACAD)

Keywords

• Foreign assistance programs
• Leadership exchange programs
• Educational scholarship programs
• Entrepreneurship training
• Civil society grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. U.S. Government Appropriations: MEPI is funded through annual U.S. federal government appropriations administered by the Department of State's Near Eastern Affairs (NEA) bureau. The program issues grants to implementers and directly funds exchange programs, leadership initiatives, and civil society support projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MEPI is a U.S. Department of State foreign assistance program that funds and administers leadership exchanges, educational scholarships, entrepreneurship training, employment placement programs, and civil society grants across the Middle East and North Africa. The program operates through U.S. Embassy networks and grants to implementing partners (universities, NGOs) to deliver free programs to MENA participants.

Product overview

MEPI (U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative) is a U.S. Department of State diplomatic program, not a commercial technology product. It operates as a multi-program portfolio offering leadership exchanges, educational scholarships, entrepreneurship training, and civil society grants across the Middle East and North Africa. The core offerings include the Tomorrow's Leaders Program (undergrad/graduate scholarships), Student Leaders Program (summer exchanges), Leaders for Democracy Fellowship, Middle East Entrepreneurship Training (MEET), Education for Employment (EFE) programs, and various funding opportunities for civil society organizations. These programs are administered through U.S. embassies and partner universities throughout the MENA region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tomorrow's Leaders: A flagship MEPI program providing undergraduate and graduate scholarship opportunities for students from the MENA region to study at U.S. universities
• Student Leaders
• Leaders for Democracy Fellowship
• Middle East Entrepreneurship Training (MEET)

Products and services

• Leadership Program Opportunities Comprehensive suite of exchange programs connecting emerging Middle Eastern leaders with U.S. educational and professional opportunities, including study abroad scholarships, fellowships, and professional development exchanges. Target audience: emerging leaders from the MENA region.
• Tomorrow's Leaders Program Premier scholarship program providing undergraduate and graduate students from the Middle East with full scholarships to study at top American universities in Lebanon and Jordan (LAU and AUB).
• Student Leaders Program Summer exchange program for undergraduate students from the Middle East featuring leadership development, civic engagement, and cultural exchange activities at U.S. universities.
• Leaders for Democracy Fellowship Program Fellowship program bringing mid-career professionals from the Middle East to the United States for intensive training in democratic governance, civil society development, and public policy. Hosted at Duke University and AUB.
• Middle East Entrepreneurship Training (MEET) Entrepreneurship training program connecting young Middle Eastern entrepreneurs with Israeli counterparts for business development, networking, and startup support.
• Education for Employment (EFE) Tunisia Workforce development program providing vocational training and employment placement services for Tunisian youth, with graduates placed in companies.
• Funding Opportunities (NOFO Grants) Grant programs and funding mechanisms supporting civil society organizations, entrepreneurs, and community leaders in the Middle East working on economic development, governance, and civil society strengthening. Issued through Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO).
• Civic Engagement and Leadership Fellowship Fellowship program focused on developing leadership skills and civic engagement strategies for emerging leaders in the Middle East region.
• Young Leaders Entrepreneurs Program Entrepreneurship initiative supporting young Middle Eastern entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, and networking opportunities, including the 'Unleash Tunisia' project.

Quantifiable outcome

• Half a million Tunisian voters engaged during municipal elections
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Dakhla ConnectminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021Dakhla Connect received MEPI support to provide a platform for economic growth in the MENA region, focusing on entrepreneurship and business development in the Dakhla area of Morocco.
• Duke UniversitycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2018Duke University hosts the Leaders for Democracy Fellowship (LDF) program, providing mid-career professionals from the MENA region with academic training in democratic governance and public policy at Duke's campus.
• Hub CréatifminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2017Hub Créatif in Morocco received MEPI support to provide co-working space and business development services to entrepreneurs, particularly supporting Al-Rawabet and other local startup initiatives.
• BBC Media ActionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2017BBC Media Action received MEPI funding to implement media training programs for Libyan students, providing journalism and media production skills development.
• Near East Foundation (NEF)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNEF is a long-standing implementing partner for MEPI, executing programs in Morocco focused on youth entrepreneurship, small business development, and economic opportunity. NEF has supported initiatives including Hub Créatif partnerships and startup support programs.
• American University of Beirut (AUB)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAUB serves as a host institution for Tomorrow's Leaders Graduate program and the Leaders for Democracy Fellowship, providing academic instruction and campus facilities for MEPI exchange participants.
• Lebanese American University (LAU)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLAU hosts Tomorrow's Leaders Undergrad program participants, providing full scholarship support for undergraduate study at LAU's campuses in Lebanon for students from across the MENA region.
• EFE TunisiacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEFE (Education for Employment) Tunisia is a key implementing partner delivering employment training and job placement services for Tunisian youth, with MEPI funding supporting training programs that have placed hundreds of graduates in employment.
• Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLDP, a U.S. Department of Commerce program, partners with MEPI on commercial legal reform initiatives, including insolvency law development in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and franchising development in Tunisia.
• SikkuyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSikkuy, an Arab-Jewish Israeli organization, implemented a MEPI-funded project to strengthen municipal decision-making for Arab cities in Israel through the 'Strengthens 922 Decision' initiative.
• CorpsAfrica/MarocminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCorpsAfrica/Maroc received MEPI support to deploy young volunteers to underserved Moroccan communities for service and development work, contributing to civic engagement and community development.
• Financial Services Volunteer Corps (FSVC)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFSVC partnered with MEPI to deliver programs in Tunisia focused on budget transparency, civic engagement, and public financial management, including citizen input on budget planning initiatives.
• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Limoges, FranceminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThis French chamber provided immersion training opportunities for MEPI participants, offering exposure to European business practices and trade facilitation for North African entrepreneurs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Education for Employment (EFE): Nonprofit focused on youth employment and workforce training in the Middle East and North Africa. EFE Tunisia is a direct MEPI implementation partner, and EFE's broader network — with similar employment-placement metrics and employer-engagement models — is the closest private-sector-comparable peer for MEPI's workforce development line.
• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service): Germany's national agency for international academic cooperation — directly comparable to MEPI's scholarship and fellowship lines (Tomorrow's Leaders, Leaders for Democracy at Duke), with scholarships for international students and academic exchange programs globally.
• Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI): YALI is the State Department's flagship exchange, fellowship, and leadership program for sub-Saharan African youth — structurally identical to MEPI in design (Tomorrow's Leaders ↔ Mandela Washington Fellowship, Student Leaders ↔ YALI Regional Leadership Centers) and is the most direct conceptual sibling program.

Broad incumbents

• USAID: U.S. Agency for International Development is the largest U.S. foreign-assistance vehicle operating globally across education, governance, and economic growth — directly comparable to MEPI as a donor-funded development program but at much larger scale and across all regions, not just MENA.
• Fulbright Program: U.S. Department of State–administered international academic exchange program. Overlaps with MEPI's Tomorrow's Leaders and Leaders for Democracy in offering scholarships and fellowships to international students, but operates globally and across all disciplines.
• Alliance Française: France's international cultural and educational network operating across MENA (notably Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Egypt). Comparable to MEPI's cultural-exchange and educational-mission function, particularly for North Africa where French and U.S. soft-power missions overlap.
• Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Japan's bilateral development agency executing grant-funded technical cooperation, training, and exchange programs across MENA. A peer donor-country counterpart running similarly structured education, governance, and economic-development programs in the same regional theaters.
• British Council: UK government's international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities — a direct UK-equivalent soft-power vehicle that runs scholarships, fellowships, and exchange programming in MENA and beyond, competing for the same donor-funded soft-power mandate.
• Peace Corps: U.S. government volunteer-sending agency operating education, community development, and youth programs in dozens of countries including several MENA states. A fellow U.S. federal foreign-assistance program with comparable development objectives, though delivered via in-country volunteers rather than exchanges.
• Goethe-Institut: Germany's international cultural and educational exchange organization. Operates comparable scholarship, language, and cultural programming globally including in MENA, with similar donor-funded soft-power objectives to MEPI.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/statedept
• Facebookfacebook.com/usdos
• Instagraminstagram.com/US_MEPI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/doscareers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Middle East Partnership Initiative