Opportunity Information: Apply for DRLA DRLAQM 12 067
Apply for DRLA DRLAQM 12 067
- The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor in the business and commerce community development employment, labor and training law, justice and legal services other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Labor Strengthening and Capacity Building in the Middle East and Burma" 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 Jun 12, 2012 and posted on Jun 12, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 10, 2012 N/A. (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.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Labor Strengthening and Capacity Building in the Middle East and Burma" (Funding Opportunity Number DRLA-DRLAQM-12-067) is a discretionary grant program offered by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) under CFDA 19.345, which supports international programs advancing democracy, human rights, and labor. The program was posted on June 12, 2012, with an application deadline of July 10, 2012, and it anticipated making roughly three awards. Individual awards were expected to fall between $200,000 and $1,000,000, with no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
At a high level, the opportunity aims to strengthen labor rights and democratic participation by building the capacity of independent trade unions and worker organizations, especially in environments where labor movements are newly emerging or operating under political and legal constraints. DRL frames unions not only as workplace institutions, but also as civic actors that can contribute to peaceful political and economic reform when they are representative, inclusive, and capable of engaging in constructive dialogue. The funding supports practical capacity-building, relationship-building, and institutional development that helps labor organizations advocate effectively, comply with and improve labor law implementation, and participate in policy discussions.
The solicitation is structured around three geographic components with distinct funding levels and objectives. First is a Middle East regional track with approximately $600,000 available. This portion focuses on supporting fledgling independent trade union movements across the region while also placing a strong emphasis on women's empowerment within the labor movement and in the workplace. A central goal is to build relationships among independent Arab trade unions so they can cooperate regionally, share best practices, and coordinate strategies to pursue labor rights. Proposed activities are expected to promote regional cooperation and encourage union-to-union collaboration, with the idea that peer learning and cross-border networks can accelerate professionalization and resilience for newer or reform-oriented labor groups. Proposals under this regional track must target some or all of the following countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen.
Second is a Morocco-specific track with approximately $1,000,000 available, making it the largest funding allocation in the announcement. DRL signals that Morocco is at a "critical time" and prioritizes projects that strengthen institutional and participatory mechanisms around labor governance and social dialogue. The objectives are fourfold: (1) improving tripartite institutional capacity, meaning the ability of government, employers, and workers' representatives to engage effectively in structured social dialogue; (2) improving the application and enforcement of existing labor laws rather than focusing only on drafting new laws; (3) promoting inclusiveness within trade union structures, which typically includes expanding meaningful participation for groups that may be underrepresented such as women, youth, or marginalized workers; and (4) building the capacity of trade unions to participate in national and political dialogue, positioning labor organizations as credible contributors to broader reform conversations beyond narrow workplace disputes.
Third is a Burma (Myanmar) track with approximately $450,000 available. This portion is tailored to a pre-transition environment and targets workers' rights through capacity building and technical support to nascent unions and worker organizations. DRL's stated objective here is to help these emerging organizations develop the internal foundations they need to function effectively and responsibly, so that they can play constructive roles in supporting a peaceful transition. In practice, this kind of "internal foundations" language usually points to basic organizational development needs such as governance structures, member representation systems, leadership development, financial management, strategic planning, and the technical skills required to advocate for workers while maintaining organizational stability and legitimacy.
Eligible applicants include a range of U.S.-based and other qualifying entities commonly involved in democracy, rights, and labor programming: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity categories connected to the opportunity span employment and labor training, law and justice/legal services, business and commerce, community development, and regional development, reflecting DRL's view that labor strengthening intersects with legal enforcement, economic governance, and civic participation.
Overall, the opportunity is designed to produce stronger, more connected, and more inclusive labor institutions in targeted Middle East countries, Morocco in particular, and Burma, with an emphasis on practical capacity, regional cooperation, women’s empowerment within labor structures, improved implementation of labor protections, and increased ability for unions and worker groups to engage in social and political dialogue in ways that support stability and reform.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the official title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Labor Strengthening and Capacity Building in the Middle East and Burma".
2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DRLA-DRLAQM-12-067.
3) Which U.S. government office is offering this funding?
This is a discretionary grant program offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL).
4) What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 19.345, which supports international programs that advance democracy, human rights, and labor.
5) When was the opportunity posted and when was the application deadline?
The opportunity was posted on June 12, 2012, and the application deadline was July 10, 2012.
6) How many awards were anticipated?
The announcement anticipated making roughly three awards.
7) What is the expected award size?
Individual awards were expected to range from $200,000 to $1,000,000.
8) Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
9) What type of funding instrument will be used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
10) What is the overall goal of the program?
At a high level, the program aims to strengthen labor rights and democratic participation by building the capacity of independent trade unions and worker organizations, particularly in environments where labor movements are newly emerging or constrained by political and legal conditions.
11) How does DRL frame the role of trade unions in this program?
DRL frames unions not only as workplace institutions but also as civic actors that can contribute to peaceful political and economic reform when they are representative, inclusive, and able to engage in constructive dialogue.
12) What kinds of activities does the funding support?
The funding supports practical capacity-building, relationship-building, and institutional development so labor organizations can advocate effectively, support labor law implementation and improvement, and participate in policy discussions.
13) How is the solicitation structured geographically?
The solicitation is structured around three geographic components with distinct funding levels and objectives: (1) a Middle East regional track, (2) a Morocco-specific track, and (3) a Burma (Myanmar) track.
14) What is the Middle East regional track and how much funding is available for it?
The Middle East regional track has approximately $600,000 available. It focuses on supporting fledgling independent trade union movements across the region and places a strong emphasis on women's empowerment within the labor movement and in the workplace.
15) Which countries can be targeted under the Middle East regional track?
Proposals under the regional track must target some or all of the following countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen.
16) What is a central objective of the Middle East regional track?
A central goal is to build relationships among independent Arab trade unions so they can cooperate regionally, share best practices, and coordinate strategies to pursue labor rights.
17) What types of collaboration are encouraged under the Middle East regional track?
Proposed activities are expected to promote regional cooperation and encourage union-to-union collaboration, with an emphasis on peer learning and cross-border networks to support professionalization and resilience.
18) What is the Morocco-specific track and how much funding is available for it?
The Morocco-specific track has approximately $1,000,000 available, making it the largest funding allocation in the announcement.
19) Why does the announcement prioritize Morocco?
DRL signals that Morocco is at a "critical time" and prioritizes projects that strengthen institutional and participatory mechanisms related to labor governance and social dialogue.
20) What are the main objectives for the Morocco track?
The Morocco track lists four objectives:
- Improve tripartite institutional capacity (government, employers, and workers' representatives participating effectively in structured social dialogue).
- Improve application and enforcement of existing labor laws (not only drafting new laws).
- Promote inclusiveness within trade union structures (including expanding meaningful participation for underrepresented groups such as women, youth, or marginalized workers).
- Build the capacity of trade unions to participate in national and political dialogue as credible contributors to broader reform conversations.
21) What is meant by "tripartite institutional capacity" in this context?
In this solicitation, tripartite institutional capacity refers to the ability of government, employers, and workers' representatives to engage effectively in structured social dialogue.
22) Does the Morocco track emphasize drafting new labor laws?
The stated emphasis is on improving the application and enforcement of existing labor laws rather than focusing only on drafting new laws.
23) What is the Burma (Myanmar) track and how much funding is available for it?
The Burma (Myanmar) track has approximately $450,000 available and targets workers' rights through capacity building and technical support to nascent unions and worker organizations.
24) What is the goal of the Burma (Myanmar) track?
The stated objective is to help emerging worker organizations develop the internal foundations needed to function effectively and responsibly, so they can play constructive roles in supporting a peaceful transition.
25) What does "internal foundations" mean for Burma (Myanmar) projects, based on the announcement's description?
As described, "internal foundations" points to organizational development needs such as governance structures, member representation systems, leadership development, financial management, strategic planning, and technical skills required to advocate for workers while maintaining organizational stability and legitimacy.
26) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
27) What thematic or activity areas are connected to this opportunity?
The activity categories connected to the opportunity span:
- Employment and labor training
- Law and justice / legal services
- Business and commerce
- Community development
- Regional development
This reflects DRL's view that labor strengthening intersects with legal enforcement, economic governance, and civic participation.
28) What kinds of labor organizations does the program emphasize supporting?
The program emphasizes strengthening independent trade unions and worker organizations, especially those that are newly emerging or operating under political and legal constraints.
29) What cross-cutting priorities appear across the tracks?
Across the announcement, recurring priorities include practical capacity, relationship-building (including regional cooperation where applicable), inclusiveness in labor institutions, women's empowerment (explicitly emphasized in the Middle East regional track), improved implementation of labor protections, and stronger ability for unions and worker groups to engage in social and political dialogue that supports stability and reform.
30) What is the intended longer-term impact of supporting unions as civic actors?
Within DRL's framing, representative and inclusive labor organizations that can engage in constructive dialogue may contribute to peaceful political and economic reform, helping strengthen democratic participation alongside labor rights.
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