Deadline: 15 July 2019
The United States Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is seeking applications from qualified U.S. and non-U.S. based non-governmental (NGOs)/non-profit organizations or Educational Institutions for a Grant/Cooperative Agreement to implement a program entitled “Strengthening Civil Society to Expose Corruption and Support Law Enforcement Action against Corruption”.
This award will support efforts globally to improve of civil society’s capacity to produce potentially actionable information related to major acts of corruption, including a better understanding of law enforcement investigations and how to submit findings as potential evidence.
It will also seek to, where appropriate, increase trust and communication between civil society, investigative journalists, and law enforcement investigating corruption. Target countries should focus on opportunities where improved engagement can result in increased law enforcement action.
Applications that demonstrate an awareness of the sensitivities around this field of work, outline an organizational focus and history of success in this area, and include proposals to engage former law enforcement as direct advisors to civil society in order to bring their shared expertise and perspective will be viewed especially favorably.
Where appropriate, the project should support increased information sharing by investigative journalists and anticorruption organizations with law enforcement.
Where such a relationship could be ill advised or harmful, the project may focus on increasing awareness among civil society regarding what actionable information is and of the investigative process, in regards to prosecuting corruption, in lieu of direct communication building.
Strong applications will include target countries/region where increased communication with law enforcement would be mutually beneficial.
Project Goals
- The program’s goal is to improve the quality and quantity of actionable information available to law enforcement, and to strengthen understanding of investigative journalists and civil society regarding on what is needed to identify and prosecute complex cases of corruption.
- This project also seeks to bring together civil society (including investigative journalists) and law enforcement to increase exposure to each other’s work and appropriate communication as a way to facilitate accountability efforts for transnational corruption.
Project Objectives
- Objective 1: Increase, where appropriate, provision of actionable information by investigative journalists and anticorruption advocates to law enforcement. This includes increasing journalists’ and civil society’s awareness of what comprises legally actionable information.
Activities may include, but are not limited to:
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- Training for journalists and civil society regarding what comprises legally actionable material for law enforcement, and what mechanisms exist to communicate or relay information to law enforcement actors.
- Training on how to develop actionable information for law enforcement and how to access open source information (i.e. law enforcement alerts), including relevant websites and research technologies, whenever it is possible and helpful.
- Embedding or otherwise integrating former law enforcement to advise civil society working with investigative journalists on how to compile research so it is actionable for law enforcement investigations.
- Capacity building of civil society and investigative journalists to investigate complex corruption cases, through technical training on how to read financial documents, access corporate registries, or other relevant publicly available databases and resources.
- Objective 2: Facilitate appropriate, strategic, and mutually welcome engagement between law enforcement of investigative journalists and civil society, and increase ability and willingness of law enforcement to draw upon civil society-produced information for operational leads in their own investigations.
Activities may include, but are not limited to:
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- Training for trustworthy, credible law enforcement on where to access high quality reporting on corruption and how to use information to inform their efforts (i.e. tips or actionable reports).
- Training to civil society on potential methods for submitting investigative findings as actionable information to trusted law enforcement, where appropriate.
- Activities designed to increase awareness among law enforcement actors, civil society, and journalists of ways in which they might appropriately engage each other, wherepossible and helpful.
- Networking opportunities to facilitate relationship building and information sharing between law enforcement actors and journalists, only if such activities would be helpful rather than harmful and with special attention to challenges.
- Open dialogue forums with former law enforcement who can share how collaboration with investigative journalists and civil society have assisted in past investigations.
Award Information
- The anticipated total federal funding amount is not to exceed $550,000.
- The period of performance is two (2) years with an anticipated start date of September 2019.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligibility for this NOFO is limited to:
- Applicants that qualify to receive U.S. grants (such as U.S. not-for-profit/nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) or U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code; foreign not-for-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or foreign based educational institutions, with the ability to develop and successfully implement a project in Country X and meet INL’s reporting requirements. Organizations must also be able to demonstrate current (or pending) country registration in Country X, if required by the country of project implementation.
- Applicants must have demonstrated experience implementing similar education or capacity building programs, preferably related to working directly with current or former law enforcement in an investigative capacity. INL reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering similar programs and/or federal grant awards.
- Applicants must have the ability to produce course materials, deliver training, and conduct evaluations in the language of the participant/host country and English. The applicant’s staff should be proficient in English in order to fulfill reporting requirements.
- Applicants must have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with stakeholders in order to successfully carry out the proposed program.
- Organizations may form a consortium and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant and other members as sub-award partners.
- Applicants must be able to respond to the NOFO and be able to mobilize in a short period.
- Note: Public International Organizations (PIOs) and For-Profit Organizations are excluded from applying to this grant announcement.
- To be eligible for a grant award, in addition to other conditions of this NOFO, organizations must have a commitment to non‐discrimination with respect to beneficiaries and adherence to equal opportunity employment practices. INL is committed to an anti-discrimination policy in all of its programs and activities. INL welcomes applications irrespective of an applicant’s race, ethnicity, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or other status.
- Applicants are reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law prohibits transactions with, and the provision of resources and support to, individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. It is the legal responsibility of the recipient to ensure compliance with these Executive Orders and laws. This provision must be included in any sub‐awards issued under this grant award.
- INL encourages applications from potential new partners.
How to Apply
Interested applicants can apply via given website.
For more information, please visit Grants.gov