Opportunity Information: Apply for OFOP0002496
Apply for OFOP0002496
- The Bureau of International Narcotics-Law Enforcement in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Countering Cartel Recruitment in Mexico" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.705.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-02-06.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-04-06. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
The "Countering Cartel Recruitment in Mexico" grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number OFOP0002496) is a discretionary funding program run by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). It is structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the U.S. government expects to be more actively involved during implementation than it would be under a standard grant. The core purpose is to support a project in Mexico that reduces recruitment by organized crime groups, with the broader intent of strengthening stability and the rule of law in Mexico in ways that also directly support U.S. national security interests.
The program is framed around a comprehensive strategy that combines prevention, prosecution, and legal reform rather than treating recruitment as a stand-alone issue. On the prevention side, the opportunity emphasizes intelligence-driven approaches, meaning the project is expected to use data, analysis, and locally grounded insight to identify where and how recruitment is happening and to target interventions accordingly. The initiative also calls for engaging stakeholders in key Mexican states, suggesting a place-based model that brings together local government actors, civil society, community leaders, and other relevant institutions to coordinate prevention efforts and reduce the factors that make recruitment easier for criminal groups.
On the enforcement and justice side, the grant highlights strengthening prosecutorial capacity. In practice, this points to activities such as training, technical assistance, and systems support that help prosecutors build stronger cases, navigate complex organized crime dynamics, and improve the likelihood of successful legal action. Alongside this, the opportunity explicitly includes public advocacy, indicating interest in strengthening public-facing campaigns or coalitions that can raise awareness, build political will, and encourage community reporting and resistance to recruitment pressures. Another major element is support for disengagement programs, which typically refers to initiatives that help people exit or avoid deeper involvement with criminal organizations through tailored services, protection measures, case management, and reintegration pathways.
A distinct priority is legislative reform aimed at criminalizing organized crime recruitment. That component suggests the project may include legal analysis, comparative research, policy design support, stakeholder convenings, and technical guidance that help Mexican partners develop, refine, and advance laws that address recruitment directly. By pairing that legal reform with improved prosecution and targeted prevention, the overall approach is designed to disrupt the human infrastructure criminal organizations rely on to sustain operations, including drug trafficking, violence, and facilitation of irregular migration flows that affect the United States.
Funding is capped at an award ceiling of $1,500,000, with the agency expecting to make one award. The opportunity was created on February 6, 2026, and the original application closing date is April 6, 2026. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofits/NGOs, U.S.-based educational institutions that qualify under 501(c)(3) or under 26 U.S.C. 115, as well as foreign-based nonprofits/NGOs and foreign-based educational institutions. The program is listed under CFDA number 19.705 and categorized under "Other" for the funding activity area, reflecting its cross-cutting nature across public safety, justice-sector strengthening, and rule-of-law reform.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Countering Cartel Recruitment in Mexico (OFOP0002496)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The grant opportunity is titled "Countering Cartel Recruitment in Mexico".
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is OFOP0002496.
Which U.S. government office is running this opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding program run by the U.S. Department of State, specifically the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
What type of award is being offered (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, which generally means the U.S. government expects to be more actively involved in implementation than it typically would be under a standard grant.
What is the core purpose of the program?
The core purpose is to support a project in Mexico that reduces recruitment by organized crime groups, with a broader intent to strengthen stability and the rule of law in Mexico in ways that also directly support U.S. national security interests.
Is the program focused only on prevention, or does it include justice-sector work too?
It is framed as a comprehensive strategy that combines prevention, prosecution, and legal reform, rather than treating recruitment as a stand-alone issue.
What does the opportunity mean by "intelligence-driven" prevention?
It emphasizes prevention approaches that use data, analysis, and locally grounded insight to identify where and how recruitment is happening and to target interventions accordingly.
Does the opportunity expect work in specific locations in Mexico?
It calls for engaging stakeholders in key Mexican states and suggests a place-based model that coordinates prevention efforts locally. The provided information does not list specific states.
Who are the stakeholders the project is expected to engage?
The opportunity describes bringing together a mix of local actors, including local government, civil society, community leaders, and other relevant institutions to coordinate prevention efforts and reduce factors that make recruitment easier for criminal groups.
What kinds of activities are implied under strengthening prosecutorial capacity?
The opportunity highlights strengthening prosecutorial capacity and points to activities such as training, technical assistance, and systems support to help prosecutors build stronger cases, navigate organized crime dynamics, and improve the likelihood of successful legal action.
Is public advocacy included as part of the program?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes public advocacy and indicates interest in public-facing campaigns or coalitions that can raise awareness, build political will, and encourage community reporting and resistance to recruitment pressures.
What are "disengagement programs" in the context of this opportunity?
Disengagement programs are described as initiatives that help people exit or avoid deeper involvement with criminal organizations through services such as tailored support, protection measures, case management, and reintegration pathways.
Is legislative reform part of the project scope?
Yes. A distinct priority is legislative reform aimed at criminalizing organized crime recruitment.
What types of work are suggested under legislative reform?
The opportunity suggests potential reform-support activities such as legal analysis, comparative research, policy design support, stakeholder convenings, and technical guidance to help Mexican partners develop, refine, and advance laws addressing recruitment.
How does this program connect recruitment reduction to broader security concerns?
The overall approach is intended to disrupt the "human infrastructure" criminal organizations rely on, supporting efforts to reduce impacts tied to organized crime, including drug trafficking, violence, and facilitation of irregular migration flows that affect the United States.
What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling is $1,500,000.
How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The agency expects to make one award.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on February 6, 2026.
What is the application deadline?
The original application closing date is April 6, 2026.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- U.S.-based nonprofits/NGOs
- U.S.-based educational institutions that qualify under 501(c)(3) or under 26 U.S.C. 115
- Foreign-based nonprofits/NGOs
- Foreign-based educational institutions
Is this opportunity limited to U.S.-based organizations?
No. The eligibility list includes both U.S.-based and foreign-based nonprofits/NGOs and educational institutions.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 19.705.
What is the funding activity area?
The funding activity area is categorized as "Other", reflecting the program's cross-cutting nature across public safety, justice-sector strengthening, and rule-of-law reform.
Does the opportunity indicate that the U.S. government will be involved during implementation?
Yes. Because it is a cooperative agreement, it typically implies a higher level of expected U.S. government involvement during implementation than a standard grant.
Is the program designed to treat recruitment as a stand-alone problem?
No. The opportunity explicitly frames recruitment reduction as part of a broader strategy that integrates prevention, prosecution, and legal reform.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Other
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Previous opportunity: Cartel Recruitment Understanding & Suppression Hub (CRUSH
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