Deadline: 31-Aug-2026
The China Programs provide funding for organisations working to address human rights, fundamental freedoms, and access to information in relation to China. The programme supports initiatives addressing issues such as freedom of expression, religious freedom, arbitrary detention, forced labour, trafficking in persons, workers’ rights, torture, and other serious human rights concerns.
What Are the China Programs?
The China Programs provide financial support for organisations working on human rights, freedom, and access to information issues connected to China.
The programme is intended to support organisations addressing serious and documented human rights concerns and promoting fundamental freedoms.
Supported initiatives may focus on research, advocacy, documentation, awareness, protection of rights, and other activities that contribute to addressing human rights challenges.
Key Focus Areas
The programme supports work addressing a range of human rights and fundamental freedom issues, including:
- Genocide and crimes against humanity
- Human rights abuses
- Freedom of expression
- Access to information
- Arbitrary arrest and detention
- Torture
- Cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment
- Religious freedom
- Freedom of association for workers
- Trade union restrictions
- Trafficking in persons
- Forced labour
Projects should demonstrate a clear connection between their proposed activities and the programme’s objectives.
Human Rights Context
The China Programs highlight continuing concerns about human rights and fundamental freedoms in China.
Particular attention is given to documented concerns regarding Xinjiang, including reported restrictions on fundamental freedoms and human rights protections.
The programme therefore supports efforts that address broader human rights challenges and their potential regional and international implications.
Funding Available
The estimated total programme funding is:
$8,880,116
The funding parameters include:
- Award ceiling: $2,466,699
- Award floor: $1,973,359
The amount awarded to an individual organisation will depend on the quality, relevance, scope, and requirements of the proposed project.
Who Is Eligible?
The programme is open to a broad range of organisations, including both U.S. and international applicants.
Eligible applicants include:
- U.S. not-for-profit organisations
- Foreign not-for-profit organisations
- Think tanks
- Civil society organisations
- Non-governmental organisations
- U.S. educational institutions
- Foreign educational institutions
- U.S. private educational institutions
- Foreign private educational institutions
- U.S. for-profit organisations
- Foreign for-profit organisations
Applicants should carefully review the specific programme requirements to determine whether their legal and organisational status qualifies.
What Types of Organisations May Benefit?
The programme can be relevant to organisations working in areas such as:
- Human rights research
- Civil liberties
- Freedom of expression
- Access to information
- Religious freedom
- Labour rights
- Anti-trafficking
- Forced labour prevention
- Documentation of human rights abuses
- Civil society development
- Policy research
- Human rights advocacy
Think tanks and research organisations may also be relevant where their proposed work directly addresses the programme’s identified priorities.
How the Programme Works
The China Programs are designed to provide substantial funding for initiatives addressing priority human rights and freedom-related issues.
Step 1: Identify the Human Rights Issue
Applicants should identify a specific issue that falls within the programme’s focus areas.
Examples include:
- Arbitrary detention
- Restrictions on freedom of expression
- Forced labour
- Religious freedom
- Human trafficking
- Workers’ freedom of association
Step 2: Define the Project
The proposed initiative should clearly explain:
- The problem being addressed
- The affected population or communities
- The proposed activities
- The expected results
- How the project addresses the programme priorities
Step 3: Demonstrate Organisational Capacity
Applicants should demonstrate that they have the expertise, personnel, partnerships, and operational capacity required to implement the proposed initiative.
Step 4: Develop the Budget
The project budget should be realistic and directly connected to the proposed activities.
Applicants should ensure that the requested amount falls within the programme’s applicable funding parameters.
Step 5: Submit the Application
Eligible organisations should follow the official application requirements and submission procedures associated with the China Programs opportunity.
What Makes a Strong Proposal?
A strong proposal should clearly connect the proposed project to one or more of the programme’s priority issues.
Applicants should demonstrate:
- A clearly defined human rights problem
- Strong evidence or documentation supporting the need
- Relevant organisational expertise
- A realistic implementation strategy
- Clearly defined beneficiaries or stakeholders
- Measurable expected outcomes
- A justified and realistic budget
- Potential for meaningful and sustainable impact
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid:
- Submitting a project without a clear connection to the programme priorities
- Describing a broad human rights issue without a specific intervention
- Failing to explain the project’s expected impact
- Providing an unclear or poorly justified budget
- Overlooking organisational eligibility requirements
- Making unsupported claims without appropriate evidence
- Failing to demonstrate the organisation’s ability to implement the project
Why This Programme Matters
Human rights organisations, civil society groups, research institutions, and other eligible organisations can use this type of funding to strengthen efforts addressing serious restrictions on fundamental freedoms and human rights.
The programme’s broad focus allows projects to address issues ranging from freedom of expression and access to information to forced labour, religious freedom, detention, and trafficking in persons.
The relatively high award ceiling also makes the opportunity potentially relevant to substantial research, documentation, advocacy, and civil society initiatives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the China Programs?
The China Programs provide funding for organisations working on human rights, freedom, and access to information issues related to China.
How much funding is available?
The estimated total programme funding is $8,880,116. Individual awards range from a stated floor of $1,973,359 to a ceiling of $2,466,699.
Who can apply for the China Programs?
Eligible applicants include U.S. and foreign not-for-profit organisations, think tanks, civil society organisations, NGOs, educational institutions, and eligible for-profit organisations.
What issues does the programme support?
Priority issues include human rights abuses, genocide and crimes against humanity, freedom of expression, access to information, arbitrary detention, torture, religious freedom, workers’ freedom of association, trade union restrictions, trafficking in persons, and forced labour.
Can foreign organisations apply?
Yes. The eligibility description includes foreign not-for-profit organisations, educational institutions, and for-profit organisations, subject to the applicable programme requirements.
Does the programme focus only on Xinjiang?
No. Xinjiang is highlighted within the broader human rights context, but the programme covers a wider range of human rights and fundamental freedom issues related to China.
What should applicants demonstrate in their proposals?
Applicants should demonstrate a clear connection to the programme priorities, a well-defined problem, appropriate activities, organisational capacity, measurable outcomes, and a realistic budget.
Conclusion
The China Programs offer significant funding opportunities for eligible organisations working to address human rights abuses, fundamental freedoms, and access to information issues related to China. With an estimated programme budget of $8.88 million and individual awards potentially ranging from approximately $1.97 million to $2.47 million, the opportunity is particularly relevant to organisations with the capacity to implement substantial human rights, civil society, research, documentation, or advocacy initiatives. Strong applications should clearly identify the human rights challenge, demonstrate organisational expertise, connect activities to the programme’s priorities, and present measurable outcomes supported by a realistic budget.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
