Deadline: 09-Aug-21
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 support Montenegrin communities, and particularly youth, to better understand their rights and obligations under the law, increase their awareness about crime issues affecting youth, and to build greater trust between communities and rule of law professionals, thereby facilitating a fundamental shift of thinking within the police, courts, community, and educational system.
The program will also help to build mutual understanding and increase tolerance between diverse neighboring communities, to counter growing societal divisions and a deteriorating security situation.
Goals
- The Montenegro Civic Education Project will increase trust between law enforcement professionals, educators, and students within target communities by combining a civic education curriculum and community-based activities, with community policing to raise awareness about civic rights and responsibilities and increase positive interactions between community members and law enforcement officials.
Desired Outcomes:
- A measurable improvement in levels of trust between community members and law enforcement
- A measurable increase in youth awareness/knowledge of the roles and capacities of law enforcement and rule of law professionals in Montenegrin society
- A measurable increase in youth awareness of crime risks most impacting youth
- A measurable increase in youth awareness of law enforcement resources available to address crime risks most impacting youth
- A measurable increase in police knowledge of community policing concepts and practices
- Demonstrated correct application of community policing concepts and practices by police officers when completing capstone projects
Objectives
- Objective 1: Youth Better Understand their Basic Rights and Responsibilities as Citizen.
- Activity 1 – Civic Education: The grantee will implement a pilot civic education program in Montenegrin school(s), involving educators, law enforcement and other rule of law professionals as applicable in developing and conducting classroom instruction and community-based workshops for students, parents, and other community members. The grantee will collaborate with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior, National Police Directorate, local law enforcement, and other rule of law professionals to develop and/or to improve the civic education curriculum, as needed.
- Activity 2 – Crime Awareness: The grantee should develop innovative outreach activities to raise awareness of important issues affecting youth, potentially to include trafficking, domestic violence, sexual abuse/harassment, bullying, cyber security, and cybercrime. The crime awareness programs will help youth to be better able to protect themselves and for parents and other adults in the community to be better equipped to keep their children safe.
- Objective 2: Law Enforcement Trainees Apply Community Policing Principals and/or Techniques to Implement Community Policing “Capstone” Projects.
- Activity 1 – Community Policing: The grantee should develop and implement sustainable community policing (CP) training for local Montenegrin law enforcement using basic tenets of community policing including, but not limited to, building trust; policy and oversight; CP and crime reduction; technology and social media; training and education; and officer wellness and safety.
- Activity 2 – Stakeholder Engagement: The grantee will work to ensure the engagement and buyin of the CP philosophy across multiple levels of the police management hierarchy – police officers, middle management/head of district departments, and Ministry officials – through meetings and the sharing of information.
- Activity 3 – Small-scale Infrastructure: The grantee will carry out small-scale infrastructure improvements to potentially include: refurbishments at participating school(s); technology enhancements at participating school(s) to support programmatic elements of the cooperative agreement; and refurbishment/construction of community or school sport facilities to support project activities.
Funding Information
- Total available funding: $550,000
- Award amounts: award may range from a minimum of $300,000 to a maximum of $550,000
- Length of performance period: 24 months
- Anticipated program start date: October 2021
Priority Region/Countries
- Montenegro
Participants and Audiences
- Applicants should identify target audiences and specific demographics, and the region(s) in which the project will be implemented.
- The project should focus primarily on youth and law enforcement engagement, with the wider community seen as a secondary audience.
Note- The pilot project is envisioned to include the traditionally underserved northern region of Montenegro. Exact locations will be decided upon in close coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica and INL.
Eligibility Criteria
The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
- U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code;
- Foreign-based non-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs); and
- Foreign-based educational institutions.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=334042
