Deadline: 19-Jul-23
The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the U.S. Department of State is seeking applications to support activities that counter wildlife trafficking in Latin America to disrupt the ability of transnational criminal networks to profit from wildlife crimes, reducing the threat to stability and security.
Poaching operations have expanded beyond small-scale, opportunistic actions to a coordinated slaughter commissioned by armed and organized criminal syndicates.
Applications should build upon partner countries’ civilian law enforcement capacities and capabilities by:
- Increasing the disruption and interdiction of illicit trade,
- Strengthening investigative and enforcement functions,
- Enhancing prosecutorial and judicial capacity, and
- Developing and implementing cross-border and regional law enforcement coordination and information sharing.
Project Vision: This project seeks to enhance law enforcement and justice sector efforts to counter wildlife trafficking, ultimately helping to disrupt wildlife trafficking operations, and removing opportunities for criminal organizations to profit from illicit proceeds derived from the wildlife trade.
Project Goal(s) and Objectives
- To strengthen Latin America’s domestic criminal justice institutions and regional coordination by supporting successful enforcement, investigative, and prosecutorial functions for wildlife crime. Proposed projects should be designed to strengthen the capacity of wildlife-related institutions and actors in one or a combination of countries that may include Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and/or Suriname. Specific project objectives are listed.
- INL is interested in supporting programs that will deliver long-term institutional change to the challenges of the target countries and have the support of government partners within the criminal justice sector. INL encourages proposals that present a long-term vision and strategically selected activities based on needs, the organization’s comparative advantage and expertise, and the funding Landscape of other key stakeholders. Applicants should propose sustainable solutions that impact the root issue and will achieve improved practices beyond the lifetime of the agreement. Applicants are encouraged to provide a summary of their own strategic goals in the target locations, and how the proposal supports that plan.
- Applications will also be prioritized if they demonstrate awareness and synergies with other wildlife trafficking programs in the target locations. Applications will be judged and selected on their ability to achieve the objectives and have host country buy-in and commitment to implement the proposed activities. Letters of support from the host government are required, and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between the applicant and the host government lead agency are preferred. INL will prioritize proposals with the highest demonstrated government buy-in and support. Applicants may address one or multiple objectives in each application and should address two or more sub-objectives.
- Applications that address more than two sub-objectives will not be given preference over ones that address only two – instead applications will be evaluated on their merit and anticipated impact on reducing the ability of criminal groups to profit from the poaching and trafficking of protected wildlife originating in or transiting Latin America.
Objectives
- Objective 1: Increase Interdiction of Illicit Trade
- Sub-Objective 1.1: Law enforcement and customs agencies at key transit hubs effectively interdict illegal wildlife including through technological solutions.
- Sub-Objective 1.2: National capacity is improved and processes are in place enabling law enforcement and customs agencies to interdict illicit wildlife.
- Objective 2: Build Investigative and Enforcement Functions
- Sub-Objective 2.1: Law enforcement entities with relevant authorities have baseline skills and tools including technological solutions to enforce national wildlife and timber trafficking laws and investigate instances of wildlife and timber trafficking.
- Sub-Objective 2.2: Wildlife rangers and eco guards mandated to secure a country’s protected areas maintain low poaching levels in key source locations, disrupting the supply chain for illicit wildlife and timber.
- Sub-Objective 2.3: Countries with more advanced enforcement and investigatory capacity effectively identify convergent criminal activity and arrest higher-level traffickers including through wildlife crime units (NGO supported) and FWS vetted units.
- Objective 3: Enhance Prosecutorial and Judicial Capacity
- Sub-Objective 3.1: Laws are strengthened to close legal gaps and ensure penalties for wildlife and timber crime are commensurate with the scale and severity of the offense.
- Sub-Objective 3.2: Increase the completion rate of wildlife and timber cases through streamlined processes and the use of Special Interest or Mobile Courts.
- Sub-Objective 3.3: Prosecutors and judicial actors have baseline skills and knowledge of wildlife and timber laws to effectively achieve successful prosecutions and convictions of poachers and traffickers.
- Sub-Objective 3.4: Prosecutors and judicial actors demonstrate increased awareness of regulations and laws pertaining to wildlife and timber crime and other statutes to achieve stronger penalties and/or non-conviction-based asset forfeiture.
- Objective 4: Develop Cross-Border Cooperation
- Sub-Objective 4.1: Higher-capacity target countries provide mentorship and training to other regional partners to combat wildlife trafficking. Sub-
- Objective 4.2: Wildlife and timber authorities work collaboratively and share investigatory information with partners in other source, transit, or destination countries.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $4,500,000
- Award Ceiling: $3,000,000
- Award Floor: $750,000
- Length of performance period: 24 months.
Priority Region/Countries: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and/or Suriname.
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);
- Foreign-based educational institutions
- Applicants must also meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply to this NOFO:
- Demonstrate host-government support and the ability to work in the target country(ies).
For more information, visit Grants.gov.