Department of State
Public Notice
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Request for Statements of Interest: International Religious Freedom Programs.
SUMMARY
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) from organizations interested in submitting proposals for projects that promote international religious freedom as part of overall good governance in the countries in: Near East, with a particular interest in Bahrain, Egypt, Israel and the Occupied Territories, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and Yemen; South/Central Asia, with a particular interest in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; East Asia and the Pacific, with a particular interest in Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Vietnam; Africa, with a particular interest in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Sudan; Western Hemisphere, with a particular interest in Venezuela; and Europe, with a particular interest in Azerbaijan, France, Germany, Kosovo, Romania, the Russian Federation, Spain, and Turkey. DRL also welcomes proposals promoting interfaith cooperation in executing projects for social betterment, especially for student age participants. This is an initial solicitation to ascertain organizations that may be interested in implementing projects in the above countries/regions and does not constitute a Request for Proposals. Organizations that are invited by DRL to submit a proposal will have an opportunity to expand on their Statements of Interest (SOIs) at a later date.
PLEASE NOTE: DRL strongly urges applicants to access immediately www.grants.gov in order to obtain a username and password. It may take up to a week to register with grants.gov. Please see the section entitled, “DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS” below for specific instructions.
STATEMENTS OF INTEREST - REQUESTED PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
(1) Train religious groups, civil society, lawmakers, and government officials to develop legal and policy protections for religious freedom; promote awareness and advocacy of international religious rights and avenues for redress within existing local laws and regulations; develop legal education and training programs that support religious freedom; (2) Address intolerant materials, apostasy laws, anti-defamation and anti-conversion, and anti-blasphemy laws that restrict religious expression; work to challenge discrimination along religious lines and promote equality under the law; (3) Increase public awareness of religious freedom through media outlets and opinion makers; promote fair and balanced approaches to religious reporting that respond constructively to religious differences; support and train networks of journalists covering religion and religious freedom; (4) Strengthen capacity of religious leaders to promote faith-based cooperation both across religions and among sects within religions, as well as ways to advocate effectively on behalf of religious communities.
International Religious Freedom and Rule of Law
DRL seeks programs that promote the rule of law by developing legal protections for religious freedom, combating the passage of restrictive laws, developing comprehensive training programs in this field, and encouraging civil society involvement in promoting religious freedom.
Programs should address one or more of the following activities:
- Build the capacity of legal and judicial sector professionals to address religious freedom issues and minority rights;
- Build the capacity of relevant government ministries and national commissions on international religious freedom standards, such as the Ministries for Religious Affairs, and Human Rights and Minority Commissions;
- Provide legislative assistance for drafting new legislation for foreign governments to promote and protect religious freedom and for introducing reforms to existing laws touching on religious freedom issues, including laws that have been misused to discriminate against minority groups;
- Promote the protection of internationally and constitutionally guaranteed religious freedoms, including training of religious groups, civil society, and law enforcement agencies (including police) on human rights, religious freedom, and minority rights;
- Promote awareness and advocacy to the public at large of international religious rights and avenues for redress within existing local laws, regulations, and international mechanisms;
- Provide legal education to the public at large, religious groups, civil society, lawmakers, government officials, and legal professionals on national and international religious freedom standards and practices;
- Educate religious leaders and scholars, civil society leaders, government officials and media representatives about the compatibility of locally predominant religions with human rights and religious freedom;
- Support advocacy and capacity-building efforts for minority and vulnerable religious communities to understand political rights;
- Support legal representation, trial monitoring, and emergency needs resulting from religious freedom persecution or religious freedom advocacy.
DRL seeks innovative programs to increase government accountability for dissemination of intolerant religious materials and anti-defamation laws.
Programs should address one or more of the following activities:
- Address government-controlled media or other materials distributed, funded or otherwise supported by the government, including educational materials and textbooks that attempt to justify or incite hatred or violence against any person or group of people due to their religious beliefs;
- Engage with religious groups, civil society, and government officials about reforming apostasy laws and anti-defamation, anti-conversion, and anti-blasphemy laws, and on promoting legal equality and eradicating discrimination along religious lines;
- Foster networks of NGOs, concerned activists, religious groups, and/or experts who collect and analyze intolerant material produced by government or private actors;
- Develop “dual narrative” approaches to education curricula that synchronize differing religious values or worldviews in an integrative manner;
- Develop curricula that address education deficiencies regarding tolerance and critical thinking, with a particular focus on promoting religious understanding, religious freedom, and related international human rights norms;
- Work with religious schools, including madrassahs, parochial, wat schools, and yeshivas, and education or other appropriate government ministries to improve respect for religious pluralism and address the teaching of intolerance.
Media and Opinion Makers
DRL seeks programs that encourage more balanced reporting pertaining to international religious freedom and inform opinion makers of the benefits of religious freedom.
Programs should address one or more of the following activities:
- Support training on religious freedom literacy for journalists and other opinion makers on issues that affect international religious freedom, as well as covering religious conflict, dialogue, legal issues, and peacemaking;
- Support the effective use of media, such as Internet, TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines to discuss religious freedom issues and foster public dialogue;
- Encourage more balanced reporting pertaining to religious freedom, particularly issues faced by religious minorities, and respond constructively to conflict dynamics that can exacerbate sectarian tensions;
- Support or establish mechanisms to monitor media for derogatory representations of any religion;
- Inform opinion makers, such as religious leaders, educators, and leading activists, of the benefits of religious freedom, the harm caused by intolerant practices, statements, and literature, and the importance of dialogue;
- Promote official, religious, or civil society announcements that further religious freedom or understanding; and
- Investigate and/or assess reports of religious tension or violence.
Faith-based Cooperation
DRL seeks programs that strengthen capacity of religious leaders, civil society groups, and government officials to promote faith-based cooperation and conflict resolution across sectarian lines, particularly within minority and vulnerable religious communities, youth populations, and women.
Programs should address one or more of the following activities:
- Train religious leaders, youth populations, women, and nongovernmental organizations on coalition formation between religious groups to promote governmental accountability and advocate for legal protections for religious freedom;
- Support cooperative efforts among groups from different religious communities, particularly within youth populations and women, to work together to build trust and mutual respect and together foster greater religious freedom and pluralism.
- Train government officials to reach out to religious communities and how to support efforts between community religious leaders to foster human rights and religious understanding.
- Support programs that highlight the role of religion in peacemaking and conflict resolution, as well as religious freedom standards;
- Develop educational materials within different faith traditions and communities that promote interfaith dialogue and service and that uphold religious freedom;
- Support programs that seek interfaith cooperation to track, catalogue, and/or respond to incidents of religious tension or intolerance and that engage with government officials to address these issues.
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Statements of Interest must be submitted as two-page Word documents, single-spaced, in Times New Roman 12 point font with a minimum of 1-inch margins. Submissions MUST conform to the following format requirements and include the information below:
Page 1
1) Brief description of the organization, including mission, previous work in the above countries/regions
2) Project description, including objectives and activities, and duration of project
Page 2
3) Project outcomes and outputs, deliverables, and short-term and long-term goals
4) Evaluation procedures
5) An estimated budget. The budget should include 1) Program Costs 2) Administrative Costs (which include Indirect Costs) and 3) Any cost sharing offered
6) Previous grant management experience, including grants funded with private and/or United States Government funding
An organization may submit no more than seven (7) SOIs. SOIs that do not meet the requirements above may not be considered.
Organizations must also fill out and submit SF-424 and SF-424B forms as directed on www.grants.gov. Please fill out the highlighted yellow fields and use the following specific information for the below fields:
1. Type of Submission: Application
2. Type of Application: New
5b. Federal Award Identifier: Please enter zeros or leave blank.
17. Please enter approximate start/end dates for the project
18. Please enter the estimated amount from the SOI under “Federal” and any cost-share under “Applicant.” Otherwise, use zeros.
- Please enter “c”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor’s Human Rights and Democracy Fund (HRDF) supports innovative “venture capital” programs that uphold democratic principles, support and strengthen democratic institutions, promote human rights, and build civil society in countries and regions of the world that are geo-strategically important to the United States. HRDF funds projects that have the potential to have an immediate impact leading to long-term sustainable reforms. Projects should have potential for continued funding beyond HRDF resources. HRDF projects must not duplicate or simply add to efforts by other entities.
DRL will not consider Statements of Interest that reflect any type of support for any member, affiliate, or representative of a designated terrorist organization, whether or not elected members of government.
The bulk of project activities must take place in-country where feasible and last between 1 and 3 years. U.S.-based activities, study tours, scholarships or exchange projects will not be deemed competitive. Projects that have a strong academic, research, conference, or dialogue focus will not be deemed competitive. DRL strongly discourages health, technology, or scientific projects unless they have an explicit component related to the requested program objectives listed above. Projects that focus on commercial law or economic development also will not be rated as competitive.
The Bureau will make available approximately $4,000,000 in HRDF funds for international religious freedom. The Bureau anticipates making awards in amounts of $300,000 - $800,000 to support program and administrative costs required to implement these programs. The Bureau will strive to ensure regional diversity in the disbursement of program funds. Proposals that request less than the award floor or more than the award ceiling may be deemed technically ineligible.
APPLICANT/ORGANIZATION CRITERIA
Organizations submitting statements must meet the following criteria:
- Be a registered U.S. non-profit organization meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3). Applicants in the process of registration must submit proof that they are seeking non-profit status from the Internal Revenue Service at the time of proposal submission. Should the applicant be selected for a grant award, funding will be contingent upon 501(c)(3) status; or
- Be a U.S. university or research institution meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3); and
- Have demonstrated experience administering successful projects, preferably targeting the requested country and/or region, or similarly challenging program environment. DRL reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering federal grant awards. These applicants may be subject to limited funding on a pilot basis; and
- Have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with organization(s) in the target country and/or region.
- Organizations may form consortia and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant.
REVIEW PROCESS
Following a review of all submissions, organizations may be invited to submit full proposals. Invitations will be based on a subjective evaluation of how the project meets the criteria outlined below, U.S. foreign policy objectives, and the priority needs of DRL.
1) Quality of Program Idea
Proposals should be responsive to the solicitation and exhibit originality, substance, precision, and relevance to the Bureau's mission. The bureau typically does not fund continuation programs but innovative, stand-alone programs.
2) Program Planning/Ability to Achieve Objectives
A relevant work plan should demonstrate substantive undertakings and logistical capacity of the organization. The work plan should adhere to the program overview and guidelines described above. Objectives should be ambitious, yet measurable and achievable. For complete proposals, applicants should provide a monthly timeline of project activities.
3) Multiplier Effect/Sustainability
Proposed programs should address long-term institution building with an emphasis on moving towards sustainability, garnering other donor support, or demonstrating capacity-building results.
4) Program Evaluation Plan
Programs should demonstrate the capacity for engaging in impact assessments and providing objectives with measurable outputs and outcomes. Projects that propose an independent evaluation with a clear plan will be viewed favorably in this category.
5) Institution’s Record and Capacity
The Bureau will consider the past performance of prior recipients and the demonstrated potential of new applicants. Proposals should demonstrate an institutional record of successful programs, including responsible fiscal management and full compliance with all reporting requirements for past grants. Proposed personnel and institutional resources should be adequate and appropriate to achieve the project's objectives. Roles and responsibilities of primary staff should be provided.
6) Cost Effectiveness
The overhead and administrative components of the proposal, including salaries and honoraria, should be kept as low as possible. All other items should be necessary and appropriate. Given that the majority of DRL-funded programs take place overseas, US-based costs should be kept to a minimum. Cost sharing is strongly encouraged and is viewed favorably by DRL reviewers.
DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Applicants must submit SOIs using www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) December 21, 2009. Please note that over the next several months www.grants.gov will experience higher than normal application volume due to Recovery Act-related opportunities. DRL will still require applications to be submitted via www.grants.gov but will work with applicants who have trouble in the actual submission process.
Please note: In order to safeguard the security of applicants’ electronic information, www.grants.gov uses a credential provider. It is the process of determining, with certainty, that someone really is who they claim to be.
The credential provider for www.grants.gov is Operational Research Consultants (ORC). Applicants MUST register with ORC to receive a username and password which you will need to register with www.grants.gov as an authorized organization representative (AOR). Once your organization's E-Business point of contact has assigned these rights, you will be authorized to submit grant applications through Grants.gov on behalf of your organization.
Each organization will need to be registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and you will need to have your organization's DUNS number available to complete this process. After your organization registers with the CCR, you must wait approximately 3-5 business days before you can obtain a username and password. This may delay your ability to post your proposal. Therefore, DRL strongly urges applicants to begin this process on www.grants.gov well in advance of the submission deadline.
No exceptions will be made for organizations that have not completed the necessary steps to post applications on www.grants.gov.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The information contained in this solicitation is binding and may not be modified by any Bureau representative. Explanatory information provided by the Bureau that contradicts this language will not be binding. Issuance of the solicitation does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government. The Bureau reserves the right to reduce, revise, or increase proposal budgets in accordance with the needs of the program evaluation requirements.
This call for Statements of Interest will also appear on www.grants.gov and DRL’s website, www.state.gov/g/drl.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT
For questions related to proposal submissions, please contact Landon Taylor at 202-647-1212 or TaylorLR@state.gov or Rozina Damanwala at 202-674-3561 or DamanwalaRR@state.gov.
Once the deadline has passed, U.S. Government officials - including those in the Bureau, the Department and at embassies/missions overseas - must not discuss this competition with applicants until the entire review process is completed.
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