Deadline: 25-Jul-24
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), in coordination with the Bureau of International Narcotic and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for a professional development program to strengthen the practical skills and resiliency of anticorruption actors to combat corruption more effectively in Central America.
DRL seeks to provide professional development support for anticorruption advocates, such as judges, journalists, and civil society leaders, from Central America. Priority will be given to participants from countries that have recently or are currently experiencing democratic decline.
The focus of this effort is to expand these advocates’ hard skills and bolster their professional networks to foster innovative thinking as well as share best practices and lessons learned to combat corruption and advance rule of law in Central America. Project participants should be individuals with demonstrated specialized experience advancing anticorruption and anti-impunity efforts, including current and/or former public servants, emerging young and mid-career professionals, members of civil society, and independent media, especially those who have faced or are facing threats for their anticorruption work.
DRL is committed to advancing equity and support for underserved and underrepresented communities. In accordance with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Underserved Communities, programs should implement strategies for integration and inclusion of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries that can bring perspectives based on their religion, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, national origin, age, genetic information, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, political affiliation, or veteran’s status. Programs should be demand-driven and locally led to the extent possible.
DRL requires all programs to be non-discriminatory and expects implementers to include strategies for nondiscrimination of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, or veteran’s status.
Objectives
- Both professional development tracks should advance the following objectives:
- Objective 1: Strengthen the technical and practical skills of anticorruption actors to enhance efforts to combat corruption
- Activities under this objective may include, but are not limited to: (i) supporting anticorruption actors to leverage current expertise to bolster public, private, and civil society efforts to uncover and highlight corruption through investigation and advocacy; (ii) expand the technical skills of anticorruption actors to include project management, communications, technical writing, and coalition-building; and (iii) support research on new trends in corruption to inform anticorruption practitioners, including multi-disciplinary approaches to combating corruption and available regional and international accountability tools, among others.
- Objective 2: Improve the resiliency and impact of anticorruption actors through a community of practice approach
- Activities under this objective may include, but are not limited to: (i) fostering collaborative approaches to combat corruption and impunity in Central Americas; (ii) enabling in-person group work and learning engagements; (iii) facilitating strategic partnerships with universities, think tanks and/or other organizations to enhance the rigor and reach of anticorruption initiatives and strengthen the competitiveness of participants for future professional opportunities; (iv) providing psychosocial support to anticorruption actors and helping them connect with additional support services as needed; (v) enabling the temporary relocation of anticorruption actors and support for their continued work within the community of practice; (vi) maintaining a rapid response mechanism to address immediate and unforeseen needs of anticorruption actors; among others.
- Objective 1: Strengthen the technical and practical skills of anticorruption actors to enhance efforts to combat corruption
Funding Information
- Total Funding Floor: $8,015,786
- Total Funding Ceiling: $8,015,786
- Period of Performance: 24-36 months
- Anticipated Number of Awards: 1-2
- Anticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds: 3 months
Competitive Proposals may include:
- Opportunities for beneficiaries to apply their new knowledge and skills in practical efforts;
- Solicitation of feedback and suggestions from beneficiaries when developing activities in order to strengthen the sustainability of programs and participant ownership of project outcomes;
- Input from participants on sustainability plans and systematic review of the plans throughout the life of the project, with adjustments made as necessary;
- Joint identification and definition of key concepts with relevant stakeholders and stakeholder input into project activities;
- Systematic follow-up with beneficiaries at specific intervals after the completion of activities to track how beneficiaries are retaining new knowledge as well as applying their new skills.
Eligibility Criteria
- DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses. DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.
- Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.