Deadline: 16-Aug-23
The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a project to collect information on synthetic drug consumption trends, perform community assistance to drug users and develop a campaign to promote harm reduction programs along with a strategy to raise awareness about the current situation of drug use in Mexico, and to strengthen the national surveillance system and communicate the severity of the matter.
This project aims to generate reliable and current data through local NGOs that are closely addressing these challenges directly with the targeted audience on a daily basis.
Project Vision: Through NGO collaboration, this project will contribute to Mexican government efforts to generate information on the timely detection of synthetic drug consumption and the presence of synthetic drugs and opioids in Mexico. It will also help inform effective public policy to address the matter.
Project Goal(s) and Objectives: The Mexican Drug Observatory and its Early Warning System have reliable and updated evidence on synthetic drugs presence along the northern border to take timely actions to tackle public health threats from synthetic drugs.
- Strategic Objective 1: NGOs have the resources (personnel and technology) to respond to overdose prevention and other services needed for addressing SDUs along the northern border in Mexico.
- Strategic Objective 2: Northern border public community and relevant actors are aware of the negative consequences of substance use and high risk of fentanyl and synthetic drugs consumption.
Funding Information
- Total available funding: $1,600,000
- Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $200,000 to a maximum of $450,000
- Length of performance period: 24 to 36 months.
Activities
- Strategic Objective 1
- Overall activities:
- Outreach activities (workshops and informational campaigns).
- Provide basic medical services.
- Linkage to care and other services.
- Collect information about the composition of synthetic drugs through the analysis of substances used and or paraphernalia, through different evidence-based drug detection technologies.
- Design local methodologies for understanding dynamics in drug supply that can be compared along the northern border.
- Identifying key stakeholders related to, and working on, the problem.
- Generate evidence using drug checking technology able to provide identification of psychoactive components and adulterants.
- Generate and disseminate periodic reports across governmental and non-governmental stakeholders.
- Overall activities:
- Strategic Objective 2
- Overall activities:
- Create an actor’s map to detect relevant stakeholders to address.
- Create a dissemination strategy, specifying the number and types of campaigns and events to perform.
- Develop campaigns with available relevant information, creation of key messages, campaigns image.
- Overall activities:
Priority Region/Countries: Mexico, prioritizing the following northern border cities Tijuana, Mexicali, Ciudad Juarez, San Luis Río Colorado and Piedras Negras. (Note: Other regions may be included per INL’s priorities and funding availability).
Participants and Audiences: Synthetic drug users keeping an inclusive approach; migrants, LGBTQI+ and other vulnerable populations, drug treatment participants, ER users and other relevant stakeholders.
Project Expansion: If the project is successful, INL will consider the option of an award modification to expand the project to other cities in the state and/or other regions in the country, subject to availability of future funding. Applicants may include in their proposal a brief section outlining how additional funds could potentially be used to expand work into additional activities or countries in future years. Applicants are strongly encouraged to demonstrate how their project might leverage funding through other organizations.
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Foreign-based non-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
- Applicants must also meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply to this NOFO:
- To be a grassroot organization based in the city of implementation, with at least 3 years of proven experience.
- To previously received INL or any other US government support.
- To be part of the Mexican early warning system of the National Drug Observatory.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
