Federal Social Advocacy Grants

This funding opportunity supports community-based arts programs designed to enhance the health and well-being of military personnel, veterans, and their families through creative engagement.

This grant provides funding to community organizations in the U.S. to develop and implement initiatives that improve health equity for people with disabilities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations, especially faith-based groups, to improve their security measures against targeted violence and hate crimes.

The U.S. Mission to NATO is inviting proposals for programs and initiatives that promote an increased understanding of NATO's role in regional peace and security, as well as the rules-based international order. All programs must have a direct tie to the United States, which could involve American experts, organizations, or institutions. The grant aims to support various activities, including academic lectures, cultural workshops, professional exchanges, and digital engagements. The deadline for applications is August 26, 2024, and the expected number of awards is one. The award amounts range from $20,000 to $50,000, making it accessible for various organizations to apply. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities that can contribute to the goals of the program.

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, of the U.S. Department of State, announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to enhance journalists reporting skills and ethical standards, support accurate reporting fieldwork, and strengthen media institutions ability to promote accurate reporting and to counter misinformation. Please follow all instructions below. Program Objectives: Thailands diverse media landscape is influenced by political, regulatory, and economic pressures, including the profit-driven nature of contemporary media. Pressured to prioritize sensationalism over comprehensive or accurate reporting, news organizations may unwittingly expose their journalists to legal and other consequences in pursuit of sensational stories and gripping visuals, or blur the boundaries between editorial content and advertorials, eroding journalistic integrity. Moreover, online media has ushered in an era of information sourced from social media and unreliable sources. While this is cheap and facilitates rapid news dissemination, it also facilitates the spread of misinformation and undermines the importance of on-the-ground reporting for factual accuracy and verification. Furthermore, journalists once reliant on editorial and support teams must be self-sufficient due to staff shortages. To improve ethical standards and media skills among reporters (including local journalists covering underserved communities), support their ability to do original reporting and research instead of relying on third-party sources, and strengthen networks between those reporters and Bangkok-based professional media organizations, mid-career journalists will participate in workshops or reporting tours to enhance reporting skills, media literacy, verification tools, and research capacity, thereby reducing their reliance on third-party sources (such as unverified social media) for content. The desired outcome is to strengthen Thai reporters capacity to investigate issues of public interest, distinguish facts from mis- or disinformation, and accurately assess the potential impact of geopolitical changes on Thailand. Through this, Thai decision-makers at both national and local levels will gain access to accurate reporting that reflects the views of people directly impacted by these changes, including marginalized voices. Stronger media institutions will support democracy by fostering informed and constructive public dialogue and enable more people to participate meaningfully in democratic processes. The grantee will work with Thai media members and/or media organizations, a majority of which should represent media markets outside of the Bangkok metro area, to improve media literacy and professionalism through workshops, reporting tours, research trips, and other events to highlight issues that matter but might be underreported due to limited newsroom resources. Specifically, participants will gain the ability to better analyze social media and other information streams and develop compelling story ideas and report on issues that matter or reflect marginalized voices that do not receive sufficient attention due to the budget constraints. The grantee will also strengthen understanding of journalists civic responsibilities to foster broad discussion on issues of public importance, to probe beyond conventional narratives, and to abide by strong ethical standards with respect to truth and fairness, building resilience against attempts to coopt or skew reporting. Grant activities might include, but are not limited to: media training, workshops, journalist matching or mentorship, reporting/fieldwork trips, or network building between established and emergent media (including citizen journalists). Participants and Audiences: 1. Early- to mid-career Thai reporters working in print, broadcast and/or web, representing both established and independent media; 2. Reporters from marginalized communities, or reporters dedicated to reporting on behalf of these communities; 3. Mid-level and senior decision-makers at the national and sub-national level who consume media subject to misinformation, or do not currently access reliable, accurate reporting about the impact of geopolitical challenges on Thai people B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION Length of performance period: 6 to 12 months Number of awards anticipated: 2-5 awards (dependent on amounts) Award amounts: Awards may range from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $100,000 Total available funding: $125,000 Type of Funding: FY24 Economic Support Funds under the Foreign Assistance Act Anticipated program start date: September 2024 This notice is subject to Congressional notification and availability of funding. Funding Instrument Type: Grant, fixed amount award (FAA), or cooperative agreement. Program Performance Period: Proposed programs should be completed in 12 months or less. The Department of State will entertain applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the initial budget period on a non-competitive basis subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the program, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the U.S. Department of State. C. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION 1. Eligible Applicants The following organizations are eligible to apply: Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations or professional organizations. Public and private educational institutions Individual journalists or not-for-profit media collectives. 2. Other Eligibility Requirements To be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued via www.SAM.gov as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Please see Section D.3 for more information. Individuals are not required to have a UEI or be registered in SAM.gov. Organization or individuals not based in Thailand should demonstrate cultural and linguistic competence to orchestrate programs in Thailand, along with necessary personnel to ensure the projects success. D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 1. Address to Request Application Package Application forms required below are available at https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family. 2. Content and Form of Application Submission Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible. Content of Application Please ensure: The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity. All documents are in English. All budgets are in U.S. dollars. All pages are numbered. All documents are formatted to 8 x 11 paper, and All Microsoft Word documents are single-spaced, 12-point Calibri font, with a minimum of 1-inch margins. The following documents are required: (1.) Mandatory application forms SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance -- individuals) at https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family (note: the SF-424B is only required for individuals and for organizations not registered in SAM.gov) (2.) Summary Page: Cover sheet stating the applicant name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program. (3.) Proposal (8 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below. Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact. Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies. Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed. Program Goals and Objectives: The goals describe what the program is intended to achieve. The objectives refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable. Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives, including a proposed schedule and timeline for planned activities. Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program? Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees. Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant? (4.) Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate file to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information. (5.) Attachments: 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file. Official permission letters, if required for program activities 3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Please refer to attached announcement for details. 4. Submission Dates and Times Applications are due no later than 11:59 PM on September 2, 2024 (Bangkok Time). 5. Funding Restrictions N/A 6. Other Submission Requirements All application materials must be submitted by email to [email protected]. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: [email protected].

Executive Summary:The Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) of the U.S. Embassy in Colombo is seeking proposals to establish and support a network of youth clubs across Sri Lanka aimed at enhancing skills in fact-checking, debating, discerning misinformation, and promoting media literacy. These clubs will provide young Sri Lankans with the opportunity to learn top-notch speaking and discerning skills thereby developing misinformation resiliency skills through classroom exercises, hands-on workshops, and competitions. The aim is to offer a structured yet flexible format for members to learn to identify, analyze, and discern false information using evidence-based methods, fostering critical thinking and informed citizenship. Proposals should outline how the grantee will establish and train a network of administrators, who will then manage youth-oriented clubs in multiple locations across Sri Lanka, utilizing skill building sessions, case studies, and various engagements. The goal of this program is to support the development of the next generation of Sri Lankan youth debaters, fact-checkers, critical thinkers, and public speakers.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs will make grants available to eligible organizations for the provision of transition assistance. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces who are separated, retired, or discharged, as well as their spouses, will benefit from receiving the services provided. Each year approximately 200,000 Service members are separated from the military. Veterans and dependents report significant challenges when transitioning from military to civilian life. These grants will be awarded to eligible organizations that provide employment-based resources and tools, to help these Veterans and spouses overcome employment and financial challenges. In accordance with P.L. 116-315, 4304, VA seeks to award grants to organizations that provide multiple forms of the following services: resume assistance, interview training, job recruitment training, and related services, or are located in states with a high rate of unemployment among Veterans, a high rate of usage of unemployment benefits for recently separated members of the Armed Forces, or a labor force or economy that has been significantly impacted by a covered public health emergency.

The U.S. Department of State through Embassy Bridgetown announces an open competition for a project to strengthen independent medias ability to increase access to objective and quality information in the Eastern Caribbean. Media outlets across the Caribbean face challenges including declining revenue sources and expensive operating environments. These challenges are compounded by the fact that many outlets have been traditionally under resourced. Media enterprises are suffering loss of advertising revenue and other funding streams. Many media houses also have gaps in adapting to the financial and editorial challenges of the current age and may lack fully developed business plans, leaving the outlets open to potential malign influence or interference efforts. Outlets also lack up-to-date equipment, computers, and software, hampering their ability to produce high-quality and timely content. Further, many operate under austere conditions and struggle to produce enough original, local content, exacerbating their vulnerability to disinformation, propaganda, and co-optation. Assistance is needed to ensure that journalists, outlets, and other media-related institutions have access to the training, networks, content, and equipment they need to resist false narratives and maintain a free and diverse media ecosystem. Embassy Bridgetown and partners seek to build the capacity of Eastern Caribbean media outlets using a third-party implementer. The implementer will scope its approach based on the following lines of efforts: Training and capacity building: training to include but not limited to: methods to increase content production on a wide range of stories, how to expand reach and advertising revenue, how to develop sustainable business models and plans, fact checking and other core journalistic skills, identifying and countering disinformation, and better educating the general public on how to spot disinformation. A training centered around World Press Freedom Day and multimedia training will be built into the program deliverables. Mentorship and network building: mentorship on journalism and media production skills building and financial/business practices. Network building to support joint reporting and fact-checking, and to create a sustainable community of practice that can share best practices beyond the life of this project. Content provision: providing Caribbean media outlets with access to wire service licenses to enable them to run high-quality, independent, third-party content (Associated Press in English, for instance). Content provision may draw on collaboration with other international wire services to offer an aggregated package to local media partners that they could pull from to disseminate themselves. Supplies: providing up-to-date media equipment, computers, and software on an objectively assessed needs basis to support independent, locally developed news content. Embassy Bridgetown seeks proposals that will provide financial and technical assistance to small and medium-sized media outlets to strengthen their ability to safely produce and disseminate accurate information to audiences in the Eastern Caribbean. The goal of this project is to support the independence of regional journalists and media outlets to increase access to information within the domestic and regional media ecosystems.

The "Strengthening Workers' Rights in Malaysia's Electronic Supply Chain" grant aims to provide $3 million for a project in Malaysia that supports workers and their organizations in advocating for improved occupational safety, health standards, and gender-responsive standards, while also addressing gender-based violence and harassment in the electronics sector through increased union participation and collective bargaining.

READY Community Foundations, part of ARC's READY Appalachia initiative, offers no-cost training to community foundations in Appalachia. Participants will build skills in financial management, fundraising, grantmaking, and strategic planning. Eligible foundations can apply for up to $25,000 in funding to implement capacity-building projects post-training. Applications are due by July 5, 2024.

The National Park Services (NPS) African American Civil Rights Grant Program (AACR) will document, interpret, and preserve the sites and stories of the full history of the African American struggle to gain equal rights from transatlantic slave trade forward. The program funds history and preservation projects using the NPS report, Civil Rights in America, A Framework for Identifying Significant Sites, as a guide in determining the appropriateness of proposed projects and properties. AACR grants are funded by the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), administered by the NPS, and will fund a broad range of history projects including survey and planning, research and documentation, interpretation and education, and collections conservation. Grants are awarded through a competitive process and do not require non-Federal match.There are separate funding announcements for physical preservation projects and for historical research/documentation projects. Funding announcement P24AS00541 is for physical preservation of historic sites only; P24AS00540 is for history/research/documentation/survey/nomination projects. Please ensure you apply under the correct opportunity number for your project.FY2024 Public Law 118-42 provides $24,000,000 for the AACR Grant Program.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) offers this grant to fund a national membership and accreditation organization supporting Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs). These centers coordinate responses to child abuse victims by providing training, technical assistance, and promoting national standards. This initiative is in line with the Department of Justice’s efforts to enhance community safety and protect civil rights, focusing on building trust between law enforcement and communities. The program targets to uphold law, ensure national safety, and protect civil rights by fostering environments that support victims of child abuse through multidisciplinary collaborations.

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 an applied learning project. The projects overarching goal is for monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) approaches for democracy, human rights, and governance (DRG) programming that incorporate feedback and expertise from the communities and individuals impacted by DRG programming. DRLs goal is to build a portfolio of evidence to further identify democracy, human rights, and labor rights program strategies that are effective. The DRL Evaluation Innovation Fund is an initiative that integrating evidence into program design, implementation, and evaluation in foreign assistance.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in strengthening the labor rights, protections, and conditions of decent work for migrant domestic workers in Malaysia.

Ladies/Gentlemen: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications for a cooperative agreement from qualified entities to implement the Promoting Human Rights in Armenia Activity. Eligibility for this award is not restricted; both qualified U.S. and non-US organizations are eligible to apply. USAID intends to make one award to the applicant who best meets the objectives of this funding opportunity based on the merit review criteria described in this NOFO subject to a risk assessment. Eligible parties interested in submitting an application are encouraged to read this NOFO thoroughly to understand the type of program sought, application submission requirements and selection process. Subject to the availability of funds, the total estimated amount for this five-year activity is $10,000,000. To be eligible for the award, the applicant must provide all information as required in this NOFO and meet eligibility standards in Section C of this NOFO. This funding opportunity is posted on www.grants.gov, and may be amended. It is the responsibility of the applicant to regularly check the website to ensure they have the latest information pertaining to this notice of funding opportunity and to ensure that the NOFO has been received from the internet in its entirety. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion process. If you have difficulty registering on www.grants.gov or accessing the NOFO, please contact the Grants.gov Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at [email protected] for technical assistance. USAID will not make an award to an applicant unless the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) requirements detailed in Section D. 6. (g) The registration process may take many weeks to complete. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to begin registration early in the process. Please send any questions to the points of contact identified in Section D. The deadline for questions is shown above. Responses to questions received prior to the deadline will be furnished to all potential applicants through an amendment to this notice posted to www.grants.gov. USAID currently anticipates doing only one round of Q However, interested applicants should feel free to submit additional questions to USAIDs POCs listed in Section D. If additional questions are received after amendment 1 is issued that merit answering, USAID may decide to do a second round of Q and issue a second amendment to this NOFO. Issuance of this notice of funding opportunity does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in preparation or submission of comments/suggestions or an application. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparation and submission costs are at the applicants expense.

This program provides funding to Alaska Native Tribes and organizations to develop or improve victim support services that address the needs of crime victims in culturally relevant ways.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) outlines funding priorities, strategic areas of focus, and instructions for submitting requests for funding. Please follow all instructions carefully. Through its Small Grants Program, the United States Mission in Geneva is accepting project proposals that promote U.S. policy priorities in the multilateral sphere. Projects should be aimed at international (not U.S.) audiences, and impact should resonate in Geneva`s multilateral environment. Projects should be implemented by an organization or individual with a presence in Geneva and/or be carried out in Geneva itself. Based on the funding authority, information disseminated through the grant must include a component related to the U.S., it people, policies, and/or perspectives. U.S. Mission Genevas Small Grants Program supports projects that include, but are not limited to, the following priority areas: Promoting human rights, including the protection of human rights defenders Monitoring and managing the response to humanitarian crises Strengthening global public health and global health security systems Advancing disarmament and non-proliferation Facilitating international trade Mobilizing action on climate change Advancing gender across the range of Mission Genevas priority areas Awards will be made to successful applicants subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until September 1 annually, with awards ranging from $15,000 to $40,000.

The purpose of this program is to expand substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery support services in existing drug courts. The program recognizes the need for treatment instead of incarceration for individuals with SUDs. Recipients are expected to provide prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services for individuals with SUD involved with the courts. With this program, SAMHSA aims to improve abstinence from substance use, housing stability, employment status, social connectedness, health/behavioral/social consequences, and reduce criminal justice involvement. Eligible applicants include States and Territories, political subdivisions of States, drug courts, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, health facilities, or programs operated by or in accordance with a contract or award with the Indian Health Service, or other public or private nonprofit entities. Applications are due by April 1, 2024. The anticipated award amount is up to $400,000 per year for up to 5 years.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in eradicating descent-based slavery and discrimination towards enslaved and formerly enslaved persons in the Sahel region of West Africa. Two projects will be awarded; one for Mauritania only and one regional project, focused on two or more countries in the Sahel region of West Africa. If applying to both opportunities, applicants should submit two separate applications.