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For about a 1% investment of the Federal budget, the State Department yields a large return for the American people by advancing U.S. national security, promoting our economic interests, providing services, and reaffirming our country’s exceptional role in the world. Read on to learn how the work of the Department benefits residents of the District of Columbia.

District of Columbia

• Jobs and Diplomacy

  • The District of Columbia is home to the United Nations Foundation, the World Bank, and the IMF. (IO)

  • DC hosted foreign physicians, teachers, camp counselors, au pairs and others as part of work and study-based international exchange visitor programs. (ECA) More»

  • The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) contributed more than $51 million to the economy of the District of Columbia through contracts and federal grants that directly supported INL missions. (INL) More»

  • FashionBiznet, a company founded by partners from Washington, DC and Colombia, and Enlazador, a company founded by partners from DC and Chile, were among sixty semi-finalists in the La Idea Business Competition. La Idea is a component of the Small Business Network of the Americas that connects Latin America diaspora in the U.S. with entrepreneurs throughout Latin America to help them cultivate and grow their businesses. (WHA/GP) More»

  • The Washington, DC-based Wisconsin Project received a U.S. Department of State Export Control Cooperation grant of $273,728 to reimburse costs of providing access to its exclusive database and also to train strategic trade control officials from the Department’s Export Control Cooperation partner countries on database use. (ISN) More»

  • U.S. Department of State partners with Sandia National Laboratories to implement the Global Threat Reduction Program. Through the use of nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, de-mining and related programs account funds, the Department provided $13,296,800 to the Laboratories to support the reduction of terrorist threat and weapons of mass destruction. (ISN) More»

  • Click here for more information about Department career recruitment events in the District of Columbia. (HR)

• Education

  • Fulbright Scholarship Awards: 54 Scholars, Students and Teachers from DC. (ECA) More»

  • Diplomat-in-Residence (Elise Kleinwaks): Diplomats in Residence (DIRs) are career Foreign Service officers located throughout the U.S. who provide guidance and advice to students, professionals and the community about Department careers. (HR) More»

  • Members of American University's Washington College of Law's Program on International and Comparative Environmental Law met with Thai prosecutors to discuss investigation and prosecution of wildlife trafficking cases. (INL) More»

  • Under the U.S. Department of State’s U.S. Speaker Program, three speakers from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – Dr. Jonathan Levy, Dr. Kalpak Gude and Dr. Christine Goepp – engaged on a virtual session with Ukrainian members of Parliament and representatives of the Ministry of Information Policy to discuss the U.S. experience with licensing, regulating, and restricting foreign ownership of media. The program underscored the importance of protecting Ukraine’s free and pluralistic media environment. It also created an opportunity for Ukrainian lawmakers and Ministry officials to meet and exchange ideas with the FCC representatives. As follow-up to this program, several of the Ukrainian participants have traveled to the U.S. on International Visitor Leadership exchange programs. (IIP) More»

  • The Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs awarded a grant to the American Association for the Advancement of Science for the Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) program. GIST strengthens innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems through access to networking, skills development, and financing for youth in 135 emerging economies. (OES)

  • Through an award to the National Academies, the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs supports Jefferson Science Fellows. The Fellows work on challenging diplomatic initiatives and contribute their academic expertise in science and medicine. (OES)

  • Academic Partnerships between Howard University and the University of Johannesburg in South Africa and George Washington University and the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. Partnerships with universities abroad help U.S. institutions strengthen their programs, promote opportunities for students and faculty and enhance their global presence. (AF) More»

  • 4,005 exchange visitors from overseas visited DC and 1,448 DC residents travelled overseas as part of the Department’s educational and cultural exchange funded programs. (ECA) More»

  • The Washington Foreign Press Center hosted more than 150 journalists from around the world to learn about issues such as HIV/AIDS, youth in politics, and U.S. Government missions. Participants visited the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, the Congressional Research Service, the National Archives, the U.S. Green Building Council, the National Museum of American History, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the Cherry Blossom Festival, Gallaudet University, WRC-TV, among others. (PA)

  • George Washington University received $1 million grant to establish a university partnership in gender studies in Pakistan for three years. (SCA) More»

  • 128 Brazilian students attended several educational institutions in DC through the Brazil Scientific Mobility Program. This program is funded by the Brazilian Government and the private sector and sends 101,000 Brazilian university students of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to study and conduct research abroad. The U.S. is a priority destination for scholarship recipients, and the program strengthens U.S. and Brazilian institutional partnerships, develops a workforce prepared for 21st century opportunities, and contributes to long-term economic growth for both countries. (WHA) More»

  • The American University received a $500,000 award to collaborate with the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in the creation of a certificate course program that offers mentorship and leadership training to Pakistani female entrepreneurs. (SCA) More»

  • Medical Education Partnership Initiative Grant: University of Colorado-Denver, Howard U. and Stanford U. partnership to establish the Novel Education Clinical Trainees and Researchers (NECTAR) program at the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences. (S/GAC) More»

• Partnerships

  • The District of Columbia hosted 82 students from allied and friendly nations for International Military Education and Training (PM) More»

  • The HALO Trust, whose U.S. office is based in Washinton D.C., is an American and British nonprofit charity specializing in the removal of landmines and unexploded ordnance from post-conflict zones. HALO received funding from the Political-Military Affairs Bureau’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA) in FY 2014. HALO has spent the last 26 years clearing the debris of war and helping millions of families return home. (PM) More»

  • The U.S.-China EcoPartnership between the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) China Center and the China University of Political Science and Law focuses on alleviating some of the most pressing challenges of climate change. Learn more about EcoPartnerships here. (EAP/OES)

  • The Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs has extended awards to the Washington, D.C.-based World Environment Center to support its Pathways to Cleaner Production initiative, which assists micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in cleaner production and more efficient usage of energy, water, and raw materials. (OES)

  • Refugee Arrivals in 2015: 4. The Department works with nine domestic nongovernmental organizations, which place refugees in over 300 affiliated offices in roughly 180 communities around the country. These local offices work closely with community partners, congregations, volunteers, and state and local officials to provide a successful start for refugees rebuilding their lives. Refugee communities have historically enhanced the economic dynamism and cultural vitality of our nation. Refugees contribute to the United States in numerous ways, including by starting businesses and joining the U.S. military. (PRM) More»

  • Georgetown University co-hosted the Secretary’s Climate and Clean Energy Investment Forum with the Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships and Google in October 2015. Learn more about the Forum, which was part of the State Department’s activities leading up to the COP21 climate talks in Paris, here. (S/GP)

  • Information Management & Mine Action Programs (iMMAP), an international non-profit nongovernmental organization that provides targeted information management support to partners responding to complex humanitarian and development challenges, has two headquarters: Washington, D.C. and Lyon, France. iMMAP received funding from the Political-Military Affairs Bureau’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA) in FY 2014. (PM) More»

  • The International Center is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization that focuses on issues between the United States and the developing world. The International Center received funding from the Political-Military Affairs Bureau’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA) in FY 2014. The Center’s Vietnamese Veterans of American Foundation program, active in Vietnam since 1994, addresses the consequences of war through its landmine/unexploded ordinance impact survey, and by strengthening the national capacity of Vietnamese mine action agencies. (PM) More»

  • Five events were held in Washington, D.C. during the annual Global Partnerships Week celebration in March, organized by the Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships. GPW recognizes the critical role public-private partnerships play in promoting diplomacy and development worldwide, and inspires public and private organizations everywhere through self-organized local, national, and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as shared value collaborators. GPW 2015 boasted over 20 events worldwide; learn more here. (S/GP)

  • Village Capital (headquartered in Washington, D.C.) and USAID’s Global Development Lab were recognized for their partnership “Partnering to Accelerate Entrepreneurship and VilCap Investments: Catalyzing Investment to Democratize Global Development.” The partnership was one of five finalists for the 2^nd annual P3 Impact Award. The P3 Impact Award was presented at the Concordia Summit in September 2014 by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Global Partnerships, the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Institute for Business in Society, and Concordia. The award recognizes public-private partnerships (P3s) that are improving communities and the world in the most impactful ways, seeking to highlight best practices and actionable insights in the P3 arena. More information on the P3 Impact Award can be found here and the five 2015 finalists here. (S/GP)

  • Mines Advisory Group America, in association with its partner MAG America based in Washington, D.C., works in countries affected by conflict and insecurity to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance. MAG received funding from the Political-Military Affairs Bureau’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA) in FY 2014. MAG has worked on a variety of projects in over 35 countries around the world, supporting millions of men, women, and children as they rebuild their lives, families, and communities. (PM) More»

  • Thirteen events were held in Washington, DC during the annual Global Diaspora Week celebration, organized by the Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships. GDW is a week-long celebration of diaspora communities and their contributions to global development. The week of events is organized through the International diaspora Engagement Alliance (IdEA) partnership and fueled by diaspora organizations all over the world that are shining a spotlight on diaspora communities, their achievements, and the issues that are important to them. GDW 2015 boasted over 90 events worldwide; learn more here. (S/GP)

  • Pre-Trial Services Agency for the District of Columbia hosted a study tour for five Uruguayan corrections officials on alternatives to incarceration in the United States. Participants were exposed to pre-trial procedures, case processing procedure, mental health court, electronic monitoring, and community-based programs. Pre-Trial Services Agency for the District of Columbia also hosted another study tour for Georgian correctional officials on alternative sentencing and halfway houses. (INL) More»

  • The District of Columbia’s Office of the Attorney General, the District of Columbia Superior Court, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, and the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Columbia hosted a study tour for the Somali Bar Association and Somali Defense Lawyers to learn how state and national bar associations in the United States operate. The study tour concentrated on public and private criminal defense at state and federal levels, with particular attention to cases involving gender-based violence and serious violent crime. (INL) More»

  • The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) provided a grant to the American Bar Association-Rule of Law Initiative (ABA-ROLI) to provide assistance to victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV); promote awareness of SGBV; and help expand the capabilities of Central African Republic justice, law enforcement, and medical professionals to investigate cases of sexual and gender-based violence in the Central African Republic. ABA-ROLI is also helping the Central African Republic court staff with developing a case file management system. (INL) More»

  • Through Washington, D.C.-based non-governmental organization Pact, the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) works to promote and build greater access to justice for South Sudanese in rural areas and cities through the training and support of paralegals. (INL) More»

  • The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) partnered with the District of Columbia’s justice institutions to host a study tour for Tunisian justice officials. The participants visited several courts around the city, allowing judges and prosecutors to share their knowledge and expertise with the Tunisian delegation. (INL) More»

  • The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) partnered with the DC Metropolitan Police Department to bring Somali police officials to the United States for a study visit to learn about police procedures and operations, community policing, and relations with the community. (INL) More»

  • The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) partnered with the District of Columbia’s justice institutions to host a study tour for Montenegrin justice officials. The aim of the visit was to assist the Montenegrin government in transforming the Montenegrin Judicial Training Centre into a financially independent and stronger judicial training institution. The delegation also learned about relevant experiences of U.S. states, as well as experiences and practices that exist at the federal level. (INL) More»

  • The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) partnered with the District of Columbia’s justice institutions to host a study tour for Serbian justice officials. The goal of the visit was to introduce key Serbian judicial figures to the best practices of U.S. judges in order to study harmonization of court proceedings under Serbia’s new criminal procedure code, assist Serbian judges to better utilize legal tools in managing court proceedings, assist Serbian judges to improve legal writing and reasoning, and encourage more consistent application of sentencing guidelines. (INL) More»

  • The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) partnered with the Department of State Diplomatic Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Secret Service to host a technical visit on dignitary protection measures of four Brazilian Federal Police Officers to Washington, D.C. (INL) More»

  • The Department of State facilitates the Washington DC National Guard State Partnership Program with Jamaica founded in 1999. (PM) More»

  • $17.5 million to the DC-based Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation for Strengthening Clinical Services Project in Lesotho. (AF) More»

  • Grant ($417,000) to Search for Common Ground for Promoting Nonviolence DC Headquarters for Malian Refugees in Niger. (AF)  More»

  • The Middle East Partnership Initiative provided $1.069 million to bring undergraduate students from the Middle East and North Africa to Georgetown University for the Student Leaders Program, which aims to develop leadership skills and expand understanding of U.S. civil society and democratic processes that students can apply in their home countries. (NEA/MEPI) More»

  • The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons has supported the following organizations in the District of Columbia to combat trafficking in persons:

    • $500,000 to Vital Voices, a DC-based nonprofit organization, to strengthen the criminal justice system response to human trafficking in Cameroon. (J/TIP) More»

    • $600,000 to DC’s International Justice Mission to support a “safe space” in Manila, where victims can provide testimony and help prosecutors with evidence collection while being provided with shelter, referral, and reintegration services. (J/TIP) More»

    • $650,000 to DC’s American Bar Association to analyze existing and draft anti-trafficking laws to strengthen NGO response to trafficking in the Solomon Islands as well as build the Government of Jordan’s capacity to prosecute trafficking cases and increase protection for trafficking survivors. (J/TIP) More»

    • $600,000 to DC’s Free the Slaves to enable an expanded number of communities in the Indian provinces of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to better prevent trafficking. (J/TIP)  More»

    • $450,000 to the Polaris Project in DC to provide training and technical assistance to several countries for the development or enhancement of existing anti-trafficking hotlines. (J/TIP) More»

    • $100,000 to Urban Institute to conduct a case study to examine and identify key characteristics of the prosecution and protection policies and practices related to human trafficking in Norway. (J/TIP)  More»

  • The Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation provided a $98,000 grant to the Bhutan Foundation for the preservation and protection of cultural heritage in Bhutan. (ECA - AFCP)  More»

  • $500,000 was awarded to Vital Voices in DC to conduct trainings on victim-centered investigations and prosecutions and develop standard operating procedures for human trafficking cases in Uganda. (J/TIP) More»

  • $750,000 was awarded to DC’s International Justice Mission to combat child sex trafficking in the Dominican Republic through targeted training and collaborative casework for law enforcement and service providers. (J/TIP) More»

  • $500,000 was awarded to DC’s Free the Slaves to increase government accountability and prevent human trafficking in the eastern Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (J/TIP) More»

  • The American Center for International Labor Solidarity in DC was awarded the following grants to combat human trafficking: More»

    • $500,000 was awarded to partner with labor unions and law enforcement agencies to raise awareness about human trafficking, protect victims of human trafficking, and prosecute traffickers in Sierra Leone. (J/TIP)

    • $350,000 was awarded to increase access to justice for victims of human trafficking and raise awareness among migrant workers in Thailand. (J/TIP)

    • $500,000 was awarded to improve the identification and provision of services to victims of human trafficking for forced labor in Jordan. (J/TIP)

    • $500,000 was awarded to advocate for the implementation of anti-trafficking legislation, strengthen measures against fraudulent labor recruiters, and establish an information center for prospective migrants in Bangladesh. (J/TIP)

    • $300,000 was awarded to DC’s GoodWeave (The Rugmark Foundation) to combat human trafficking in the carpet industry in Afghanistan and provide direct assistance to victims and at-risk populations. (J/TIP)

  • The Warnath Group in DC was awarded the following grants to combat human trafficking: More»

    • $1,000,000 was awarded to provide targeted training and technical assistance to advance the understanding and application of new skills and promising practices in combating human trafficking in countries identified by the TIP Office. (J/TIP)

    • $500,000 was awarded to provide technical assistance and build institutional capacity in Burma. (J/TIP)

    • $500,000 was awarded to the Nexus Institute in DC to strengthen evidence-based efforts to combat human trafficking by providing state-of-the-art research about best practices in data collection. (J/TIP)

  • In November 2012, President Barack Obama announced during the Southeast Asia Summit meeting in Phnom Penh that the Department of State would provide funding for an ASEAN regional anti-trafficking project. In response, the TIP Office awarded $500,000 to the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative (ABA-ROLI) to implement a regional project to enhance the capacity of member countries to address human trafficking. (J/TIP) More»

• Travel and Security

  • Total Passports Issued in Fiscal Year 2015: 189,106. (CA) More»

  • The Washington Passport Agency and Special Issuance Agency employ 108 government and 72 contract staff. (CA) More»

  • Passport Application Acceptance Facilities: 15. (CA) More»

  • Number of overseas adoptions for District of Columbia families in Fiscal Year 2014: 17. The Office of Children's Issues plays an active role in the intercountry adoption process. Its work is dedicated to assisting parents as they seek to provide a home to orphans abroad. (CA) More»

  • Diplomatic Security DC Field Office: Diplomatic Security has offices throughout the United States staffed with special agents and contract investigators, who conduct criminal, counterterrorism and background investigations. Agents assigned to field and resident offices assist in providing support to the protection of the Secretary of State, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and visiting foreign dignitaries. Liaison with federal and local law enforcement, foreign mission personnel, local officials, and the private sector complements their major responsibilities. (DS) More»