Grants to Promote and Protect Freedom of Expression for Vulnerable or Marginalized Populations

Deadline: 5-Apr-23

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) invites civil society organizations (CSOs) to submit applications for projects that have the goal to promote and protect Freedom of Expression (FoE) for vulnerable or marginalized populations.

The focus should include women and girls in all their diversity; LGBTQI+ persons, transgender or gender-diverse persons in particular; migrants; members of marginalized racial, ethnic, and Indigenous communities, religious minority group members; and others targeted by anti-rights actors. These actors deploy targeted threats and instrumentalized stigma against such groups in order to chill freedom of speech and limit democratic participation, leading to the erosion of democratic institutions, rule of law, access to justice, and fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly, and association  (e.g. creating and disseminating disinformation in order to pass legislation that is discriminatory in intent or impact; repeatedly targeting civil society organizations working for the human rights of vulnerable populations with strategic lawsuits against public participation, etc.).

This request is for proposals from CSOs working to promote and protect FoE for vulnerable and marginalized communities whose fundamental freedoms and human rights are under targeted attack, as a result of strategic efforts to curtail progress toward equality in access to and enjoyment of human rights for all persons. FoE, including the rights to freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government, broadly refers to the ability of persons to freely hold and express their own beliefs, without interference from governments both online and in-person.  In many contexts, Freedom of Expression for vulnerable and marginalized communities is infringed by discriminatory legislation, government persecution, targeted attacks on civil society and its operating space, and orchestrated attacks by those opposed to equal recognition of human rights for all persons, universally.

Objectives

• This project must focus on one or more of the following objectives:
  • Objective 1: Strengthening the capacity of civil society led by marginalized groups to address targeted attacks on Freedom of Expression from anti-rights, authoritarian-aligned actors, including so-called “anti-gender’ initiatives
    • Illustrative outcomes under Objective 1 may include, but are not limited to:
      • Development of effective strategies to document and report on targeted attacks that deploy discrimination, stigma, and threats of or actualized violence to impinge on the FoE of vulnerable and marginalized persons;
      • Improved capacity to leverage existing legal and policy frameworks to ensure FoE for vulnerable and marginalized persons;
      • Improved knowledge and capacity of tactics that can be immediately deployed to enhance protection for human rights defenders;
      • Improved capacity to combat proposed discriminatory policy or legislation that infringes on FoE for vulnerable and marginalized persons;
      • Increased leadership and agency for human rights defenders under targeted attack to respond effectively, safely, and securely;
      • Improved visibility and public awareness of the efforts of anti-rights actors, and their impacts on all persons, not only those persons from vulnerable or marginalized communities, as well as broader impacts to democratic institutions and the rule of law;
      • Increased ability of civil society organizations representing vulnerable or marginalized communities under attack to create communities of empowerment, collective care, and sustainable action for vulnerable or marginalized human rights defenders and organizations.
  • Objective 2: Strengthening cross-movement strategy development, intersectional analysis, and coordinated response to anti-rights efforts and projects, enhancing both safety and the ability to engage in democratically-aligned activities
    • Illustrative outcomes under Objective 2 may include, but are not limited to:
      • Increased understanding of linkages and connections between coordinated attacks on FoE that may presently be seen as disparate by vulnerable or marginalized groups that are currently engaged in in responding to individual anti-rights initiatives;
      • Increased coordination and alignment of political and social impact activities led by human rights defenders seeking to counteract disinformation, targeted online and offline attacks, and efforts seeking to curtail FoE for vulnerable or marginalized persons;
      • Consistent convening spaces for human rights defenders and leaders from vulnerable and marginalized communities to share common goals, coordinate efforts, and provide mutual support;
      • Increased access to and leadership within broader human rights movements and allied communities by human rights defenders from vulnerable and marginalized communities who experience targeted anti-rights attacks;
      • Increased cooperation, shared strategies, and understanding within and among persons from vulnerable and marginalized communities on promoting and protecting FoE;
      • Improved and lasting alliances between and among human rights defenders from vulnerable and marginalized communities at local community levels who are responding to targeted attacks on FoE.
  • Objective 3: Developing and strengthening shared communications analysis, key messages, strategies, and campaigns to counter disinformation regarding vulnerable or marginalized communities that is designed to curtail Freedoms of Expression; to undermine respect for human rights, inclusive democratic institutions, and the rule of law; and/or to shrink space for civil society to advocate freely in support of human rights
    • Illustrative outcomes under Objective 3 may include, but are not limited to:
      • Improved access to information and resources regarding effective strategies to combat anti-rights initiatives targeting vulnerable or marginalized communities;
      • Increased generation of evidence and access to reliable data to drive successful advocacy around ending targeted attacks on the fundamental freedoms of persons from vulnerable or marginalized communities;
      • Improved ability of human rights defenders from marginalized communities to anticipate, mitigate, prevent and respond to targeted attacks led by coordinated anti-rights actors who employ an exclusionary framing of “traditional values,” or “anti-gender ideology” as both in opposition to and superseding universal human rights; and
      • Increased understanding of impacts of attacks by anti-rights actors and “anti-gender movements” on members of vulnerable and marginalized communities for key stakeholders who hold power, position, and influence to amplify awareness and counter attacks.
  • Objective 4: Work with state and multilateral institutions and actors to promote best practice in preventing backsliding on Freedom of Expression and human rights for vulnerable and marginalized persons
    • Illustrative outcomes under Objective 4 may include, but are not limited to:
      • Improved engagement with human rights mechanisms and frameworks to protect against and counter targeted attacks on FoE for vulnerable and marginalized community members;
      • Increased collaboration with international experts, institutions, and networks working to understand and respond to targeted attacks on FoE for vulnerable and marginalized persons;
      • Increased advocacy to implement regional and international policies and to reduce impunity for perpetrators of violence and discrimination intended to infringe on or resulting in infringement of FoE for vulnerable and marginalized communities or persons; and
      • Engagement with and access to power, decision-making entities, and processes charged with combatting emerging global challenges and threats to FoE for vulnerable and marginalized communities at local, national, and international levels.
• Other program objectives that support the broad goals reflected above may also be considered. Proposed programs may address communities globally or may be focused on communities within regions, or across multiple regions with a demonstrated link to common challenges and opportunities. Projects should be led by, or have strong support from, and participation by, organizations and communities most impacted by targeted anti-rights campaigns and efforts. DRL supports the mandates of the Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice; the Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Persons; the Special Advisor on International Disability Rights; Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, with the rank of Ambassador; the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom; and the Ambassador-At-Large for Global Women’s Issues.

Funding Information

• Funding Floor: $750,000
• Funding Ceiling: $750,000
• Anticipated Number of Awards: 1-2
• Period of Performance (example 12-18 months, 2 -5 years): 12-24 months
• Anticipated Time to Award (pending availability of funds): 2-8 months

Eligible Activities

Where appropriate, 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;
• Inclusion of marginalized populations;
• Joint identification and definition of key concepts with relevant stakeholders and stakeholder input into project activities; and,
• 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.

Ineligible Activities

Activities that are not typically allowed include, but are not limited to:

• The provision of humanitarian assistance;
• English language instruction;
• Development of high-tech computer or communications software and/or hardware;
• Purely academic exchanges or fellowships;
• External exchanges or fellowships lasting longer than six months;
• Off-shore activities that are not clearly linked to in-country initiatives and impact or are not necessary per security concerns;
• Theoretical explorations of human rights or democracy issues, including projects aimed primarily at research and evaluation that do not incorporate training or capacity-building for local civil society;
• Micro-loans or similar small business development initiatives;
• Initiatives directed towards a diaspora community rather than current residents of targeted countries.

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. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards Administration, Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

For more information, visit DRL.