US Department of State Funding Opportunity to combat trafficking in persons

US Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons has announced an open competition for fiscal year 2012 funding of projects to combat trafficking in persons.

In this context, in the first stage of competition eligible organizations are invited to submit two-page Statements of Interest (SOI).  The proposals for projects must address recommendations identified in the 2011 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

Funding Priorities and Countries

Thirty-two countries and three regions have been identified as priorities for this solicitation. The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons is most interested in SOIs for projects that are in the priority countries and regions listed below, and that are responsive to the country-specific recommendations listed in the 2011 TIP Report. Under limited circumstances, the Office may fund projects in countries that are not listed below.

The 32 countries and regions selected for priority funding consideration in this solicitation are listed below.

Africa Region (AF): Botswana, Burundi, DRC, ROC, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Southern Sudan, Tanzania, Africa Region

East Asia and the Pacific Region (EAP): Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Vietnam

EAP Region: Pacific Islands, including Kiribati, Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia

Europe and Eurasia Region (EUR):  Albania,  Azerbaijan

Near East Region (NEA:  Egypt,  Iraq, Jordan, Tunisia

South and Central Asia Region (SCA): Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka

Western Hemisphere Region (WHA: Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Regional Caribbean, including Barbados, St. Lucia, and The Bahamas.

Types of Projects Eligible for Funding

The following serve as examples of the types of projects that are sought for funding through this competitive grant process. This is not an exhaustive list.

• Technical support and training of law enforcement, including designated TIP units, prosecutors, and the judiciary in victim-centered investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases;
• Building cooperative efforts between NGOs and government agencies;
• Improving policies and practices for law enforcement, immigration, and other agencies to proactively identify and assist victims of trafficking;
• Development or enhancement of aftercare services for trafficking victims, especially those that provide alternatives to detention or deportation-based responses;
• Expert consultation to draft or improve anti-trafficking legislation and promote its implementation;
• Prevention activities that are designed to meet specific local or national needs or that reduce the demand for commercial sex or slavery-tainted goods; and
• Research and evaluation activities that enable policy makers and practitioners to focus limited anti-TIP resources most effectively.

Funding Size

Pending fiscal year 2012 appropriations, the Office anticipates awarding grants of up to $750,000 per project.

Eligibility Criteria

U.S.-based and foreign NGOs, PIOs, institutions of higher education, and for-profit organizations are eligible to apply. Some projects may be accomplished by USG implementers through Interagency Agreements. For-profit organizations, including small and disadvantaged businesses, may apply, but such organizations may not generate a profit from activities funded by the Office.

Note. Only those applicants, whose Statements of Interest are reviewed favorably, will be invited to submit proposals in the second stage.

Last date for submission of SOIs is November 18, 2011

For more information, visit this link and search by Funding Opportunity Number for: “AT-ATC-12-002″