Deadline: 29-Apr-22
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects to defend the online freedom of expression of anticorruption activists, whistleblowers, and investigative journalists (“anticorruption actors”) in Ukraine and Moldova by improving the security, reliability, and/or usability of relevant secure and anonymous communications tools to promote transparency and expose fraud.
DRL seeks to support efforts that create improvements to existing and proven technologies useful to anticorruption actors in Moldova and Ukraine and increase the adoption of these tools by anticorruption actors in these countries.
Funding Information
- Total Funding Floor: $900,000
- Ukraine AEECA Floor: $500,000
- Moldova AEECA Floor: $400,000
- Total Funding Ceiling: $900,000
- Ukraine AEECA Ceiling: $500,000
- Moldova AEECA Ceiling: $400,000
- Anticipated Number of Awards: 1
- Type of Award: Grant
- Period of Performance: 2-3 years
- Anticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds: 9 months
Activities
Proposed activities could include, but are not limited to:
- Conducting user-centered design processes and risk assessments to identify the secure communication needs of anticorruption actors focused on Moldova and Ukraine and the specific threats they face.
- Conducting a landscape study of existing/available technologies that need upgrades or improvements to meet the needs of anticorruption actors focused on these country contexts.
- Improving the privacy and security of identified tool(s), such as through security audits or integrating encryption protocols or mechanisms.
- Enhancing the usability of identified tool(s), such as through usability assessments that include concrete recommendations for U/X improvement.
- Addressing feedback received directly from anticorruption actors focused on these country contexts, such as through feature additions or modifications that improve functionality while upholding users’ security and privacy.
- Supporting the safe and sustainable deployment and use of tool(s) with specific beneficiary anticorruption organizations focused on these country contexts.
- The creation of public-facing guidance and awareness campaigns to educate anticorruption actors about the effective use of tool(s) to confidentially/anonymously report, investigate, and/or expose corruption.
- Provide ongoing support, guidance, and/or mentoring to beneficiaries as they utilize these tools in practical local and/or transnational anticorruption efforts involving local anticorruption actors.
Eligibility Criteria
DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment 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.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=338601