Deadline: 24-Apr-2024
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 that promote Armenian civil society’s engagement in the development of an effective, transparent, rights-respecting, independent, and accountable justice sector.
This program’s overarching goal is to assist Armenia in developing an effective, transparent, rights-respecting, independent, and accountable justice sector through increased civil society involvement and cooperation with justice sector institutions. DRL seeks proposals that address the following objectives:
- Civil society more effectively promotes and advocates for specific justice sector issues, including those fostering judicial independence;
- Civil society improves its oversight of justice, law enforcement, security institutions and its monitoring and reporting on justice sector reforms; and
- Cooperation between civil society and the justice system, including in the judiciary, law enforcement, and security institutions, improves and deepens.
Proposed programs should include activities such as coalition-building, technical assistance, and advising local NGOs to engage heavily in the process of justice sector reforms; building the capacity of civil society to provide oversight of justice sector institutions; trust- and cooperation-building interventions between justice sector institutions and the public; building political will among stakeholders to adopt and implement reforms that improve access to justice; and establishing and fostering cooperation between civil society and justice institutions for follow up on oversight findings..
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.
Funding Information
- Total Funding Ceiling: $800,000 FY23 HRDF
- Total Funding Floor: $800,000 FY23 HRDF
- Anticipated Number of Awards: 1
- Period of Performance: 24 – 36 months
- Anticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds: 6 months
Desired outcomes of this program should include the following:
- Civil society actors better communicate and collaborate, preferably as a coalition of civil society organizations, to promote justice sector reform;
- Civil society advocates to key actors and stakeholders on justice sector reform;
- Civic actors conduct enhanced oversight of the justice sector;
- Increased and improved connections between citizens, civil society, and justice sector actors; and
- Legal or judicial actors implement legal frameworks fairly for all populations.
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 vulnerable populations;
- Joint identification and definition of key concepts with relevant stakeholders and stakeholder input into project activities.
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.