Opportunity Information: Apply for DRL 3 IRAQ PROP 08202010
Apply for DRL 3 IRAQ PROP 08202010
- The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Iraq Womens Democracy Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.345 International Programs to Support Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 20, 2010 and posted on Aug 20, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 17, 2010 Applicants must submit proposals using www.grants.gov by 1159 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on September 17, 2010. Applicants have until midnight (1200 a.m.), Washington, D.C. time of the closing date to ensure that their entire application has been uploaded to www.grants.gov. There are no exceptions to the above deadline. Applications uploaded to the site after midnight of the application deadline date will be automatically rejected by the www.grants.gov system and will be technically ineligible.. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- APPLICANT/ORGANIZATION CRITERIA Organizations submitting proposals must meet the following criteria Be a non profit organization meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3). Be a U.S. university or research institution meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3). Have demonstrated experience administering successful projects, preferably in Iraq, or similarly challenging program environment. DRL and S/GWI reserve 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. Have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with organization(s) in Iraq. Organizations may form consortia and submit a combined proposal. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Iraq Women's Democracy Initiative is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity led by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) together with the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues (S/GWI). It seeks proposals for practical, Iraq-focused projects that respond to urgent challenges facing women and girls and that measurably increase women's inclusion in Iraq's social, political, and economic life. The core idea behind the initiative is that women’s rights and equal civic participation are essential to a stable, thriving society, so the funding is aimed at programs that produce concrete, trackable results and fill gaps not already addressed by existing or planned efforts in Iraq. Applicants are expected to show they can operate effectively in Iraq (or similarly difficult environments), build genuine local buy-in, and work with Iraqi partners, including local NGOs, communities, and when possible the Government of Iraq, while also demonstrating cultural awareness and strong participant safety planning.
Funding comes from FY 2010 Economic Support Funds (ESF), with roughly $10 million total available and an intention to support two major tracks at about equal levels. Individual awards are expected to be between $500,000 and $1,000,000, and projects must run 18 to 36 months with most activities taking place inside Iraq. Each organization may submit up to two proposals, but proposals must choose one track only; applicants are not allowed to combine activities across the two tracks within a single proposal. The first track, Economic Empowerment, has about $5 million available and focuses on helping Iraqi women and girls build tangible economic capacity through literacy, entrepreneurship, and career skills aligned with local market realities. Competitive concepts include training that does not stop at workshops but includes follow-on components like job placement support, coordination with Iraqi NGOs that can deliver results, and partnerships with the private sector. The economic track also encourages efforts that help women access microloan opportunities from other sources to launch or grow small and medium businesses, as well as training that supports entry-level to middle-management business skills and public-private partnerships.
The second track, Civil Society, Human Rights, and Justice Sector, also has about $5 million available and targets women’s participation and protection within civic and legal systems. This includes training and professional support for women in justice-related roles (lawyers, judges, prosecutors) and work with community organizations, potentially paired with job placement support in relevant agencies or civil society roles. A major emphasis is combating violence against women by strengthening monitoring and response, improving women’s inclusion and effectiveness within the judiciary and legal system, and increasing access to justice for survivors. Proposals may also address institutional and service-response gaps for crimes affecting women, explicitly including honor crimes, domestic violence, and female genital mutilation, with attention to timely referrals and access to direct victim assistance. Other eligible areas in this track include leadership training for women as voters, candidates, officials, and advocates, with the goal of increasing women’s influence at all levels of government, including provincial councils and the Council of Representatives. Capacity building is also supported, particularly media advocacy and public outreach designed to reach grassroots women who typically do not receive formal rights training.
Across both tracks, DRL and S/GWI encourage applicants to intentionally include women who are isolated, disabled, and/or illiterate, and to conduct outreach beyond major urban centers, including rural areas across diverse regions. Proposals are expected to be realistic about cultural sensitivities and to explain how participant safety will be managed. Sustainability matters: applicants should show how the work will continue through local ownership, partnerships, and multiplier effects rather than relying on one-off events. At the same time, the program is clear about what it does not want to fund. Projects centered on U.S.-based activities, study tours, scholarships, or exchanges are considered uncompetitive, as are proposals that are primarily academic, research-oriented, or conference-driven. Work focused on commercial law is also flagged as unlikely to rate competitively. In addition, proposals cannot involve any support to members, affiliates, or representatives of designated terrorist organizations.
Eligibility is limited primarily to U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, including U.S. universities or research institutions that meet the same 501(c)(3) requirement. Applicants should demonstrate experience managing successful projects, preferably in Iraq or comparable settings, and show they either already have active Iraqi partnerships or can realistically build them. Consortia are permitted, but one organization must act as the lead applicant. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated for this opportunity, though applicants may propose cost share if desired and should explain it clearly.
Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Number DRL 3 IRAQ PROP 08202010, with the closing deadline set at 11:59 p.m. EDT on September 17, 2010 (with the system enforcing a strict midnight Washington, D.C. cutoff for completed uploads). The technical package is detailed and closely tied to DRL’s March 2010 Proposal Submission Instructions, including strict formatting rules and a specific set of required components: standard federal forms (SF-424 series), a one-page table of contents, a one-page executive summary, a proposal narrative capped at ten pages, a budget narrative, a detailed line-item budget in spreadsheet form, and limited attachments (including a monitoring and evaluation plan, staff roles and short bios, and a timeline). Proposals are reviewed based on standard performance-oriented criteria such as program quality, planning and ability to achieve objectives, sustainability and multiplier effect, and the organization’s track record and capacity. Final funding decisions are contingent on available funds and require internal approvals within DRL, S/GWI leadership, and the Office of Acquisitions Management, with awards anticipated in fall 2010.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the Iraq Women's Democracy Initiative?
The Iraq Women's Democracy Initiative is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity led by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) together with the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues (S/GWI). It seeks practical, Iraq-focused projects that respond to urgent challenges facing women and girls and measurably increase women's inclusion in Iraq's social, political, and economic life.
2) What is the overall goal of this funding opportunity?
The initiative is built on the idea that women's rights and equal civic participation are essential to a stable, thriving society. Funding is aimed at programs that produce concrete, trackable results and fill gaps not already addressed by existing or planned efforts in Iraq.
3) How much funding is available in total?
Approximately $10 million in FY 2010 Economic Support Funds (ESF) is available for this initiative, with an intention to support two major tracks at about equal levels.
4) What are the two funding tracks, and how is funding divided?
There are two tracks: (1) Economic Empowerment and (2) Civil Society, Human Rights, and Justice Sector. Each track has approximately $5 million available.
5) What is the expected award size per project?
Individual awards are expected to range from $500,000 to $1,000,000.
6) How long can projects run?
Projects must run between 18 and 36 months.
7) Where must project activities take place?
Most activities are expected to take place inside Iraq. Projects centered on U.S.-based activities are considered uncompetitive.
8) Can an organization submit more than one proposal?
Yes. Each organization may submit up to two proposals.
9) Can a single proposal include activities from both tracks?
No. Proposals must choose one track only, and applicants are not allowed to combine activities across the two tracks within a single proposal.
10) What types of projects are competitive under the Economic Empowerment track?
The Economic Empowerment track focuses on helping Iraqi women and girls build tangible economic capacity through literacy, entrepreneurship, and career skills aligned with local market realities. Competitive concepts include training that goes beyond workshops and includes follow-on components like job placement support, coordination with Iraqi NGOs, and partnerships with the private sector.
11) Does the Economic Empowerment track support microloans?
The track encourages efforts that help women access microloan opportunities from other sources to launch or grow small and medium businesses, alongside relevant training.
12) What skill levels does the Economic Empowerment track emphasize?
It supports training aligned with local market realities, including entry-level to middle-management business skills, and encourages public-private partnerships.
13) What types of projects are supported under the Civil Society, Human Rights, and Justice Sector track?
This track targets women's participation and protection within civic and legal systems. It includes training and professional support for women in justice-related roles (such as lawyers, judges, and prosecutors) and work with community organizations, potentially paired with job placement support in relevant agencies or civil society roles.
14) Is combating violence against women a priority in this initiative?
Yes. A major emphasis is combating violence against women by strengthening monitoring and response, improving women's inclusion and effectiveness within the judiciary and legal system, and increasing access to justice for survivors.
15) What forms of violence or crimes affecting women may proposals address?
Proposals may address institutional and service-response gaps for crimes affecting women, explicitly including honor crimes, domestic violence, and female genital mutilation. Attention to timely referrals and access to direct victim assistance is included in the described priorities.
16) Does the civil society track support political leadership and participation activities?
Yes. Eligible areas include leadership training for women as voters, candidates, officials, and advocates, with the goal of increasing women's influence at all levels of government, including provincial councils and the Council of Representatives.
17) Are media advocacy and grassroots public outreach eligible?
Yes. Capacity building is supported, particularly media advocacy and public outreach designed to reach grassroots women who typically do not receive formal rights training.
18) Are proposals expected to include hard-to-reach women?
Yes. Across both tracks, DRL and S/GWI encourage applicants to intentionally include women who are isolated, disabled, and/or illiterate.
19) Is outreach beyond major cities expected?
Yes. Applicants are encouraged to conduct outreach beyond major urban centers, including rural areas across diverse regions.
20) What expectations are there for cultural sensitivity and participant safety?
Proposals are expected to be realistic about cultural sensitivities and to explain how participant safety will be managed. Applicants are also expected to demonstrate cultural awareness and strong participant safety planning.
21) What does the initiative mean by sustainability?
Sustainability is emphasized. Applicants are expected to show how the work will continue through local ownership, partnerships, and multiplier effects rather than relying on one-off events.
22) What types of projects are considered uncompetitive?
Uncompetitive concepts include projects centered on U.S.-based activities, study tours, scholarships, or exchanges. Proposals that are primarily academic, research-oriented, or conference-driven are also considered uncompetitive. Work focused on commercial law is flagged as unlikely to rate competitively.
23) Are there restrictions related to designated terrorist organizations?
Yes. Proposals cannot involve any support to members, affiliates, or representatives of designated terrorist organizations.
24) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited primarily to U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, including U.S. universities or research institutions that meet the same 501(c)(3) requirement.
25) What experience or capabilities are applicants expected to demonstrate?
Applicants should demonstrate experience managing successful projects, preferably in Iraq or comparable settings. They are expected to show they can operate effectively in Iraq (or similarly difficult environments), build genuine local buy-in, and work with Iraqi partners such as local NGOs, communities, and when possible the Government of Iraq.
26) Are Iraqi partnerships required?
Applicants should show they either already have active Iraqi partnerships or can realistically build them.
27) Are consortium applications allowed?
Yes. Consortia are permitted, but one organization must act as the lead applicant.
28) Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement is stated for this opportunity. Applicants may propose cost share if desired and should explain it clearly.
29) How were applications submitted and under what funding opportunity number?
Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Number DRL 3 IRAQ PROP 08202010.
30) What was the application deadline and cutoff time?
The closing deadline was 11:59 p.m. EDT on September 17, 2010, with the system enforcing a strict midnight Washington, D.C. cutoff for completed uploads.
31) What proposal instructions and formatting expectations apply?
The technical package is described as detailed and closely tied to DRL's March 2010 Proposal Submission Instructions, with strict formatting rules and a specific set of required components.
32) What are the required application components?
Required components include standard federal forms (SF-424 series), a one-page table of contents, a one-page executive summary, a proposal narrative capped at ten pages, a budget narrative, a detailed line-item budget in spreadsheet form, and limited attachments. Attachments mentioned include a monitoring and evaluation plan, staff roles and short bios, and a timeline.
33) How will proposals be evaluated?
Proposals are reviewed based on performance-oriented criteria such as program quality, planning and ability to achieve objectives, sustainability and multiplier effect, and the organization's track record and capacity.
34) Who makes the final funding decisions?
Final funding decisions are contingent on available funds and require internal approvals within DRL, S/GWI leadership, and the Office of Acquisitions Management.
35) When were awards anticipated?
Awards were anticipated in fall 2010.
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