Opportunity Information: Apply for DRL 10 PROP 01 LIFELINE 110207
Apply for DRL 10 PROP 01 LIFELINE 110207
- 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 "Lifeline Embattled NGO Global Assistance Fund" 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 Feb 7, 2011 and posted on Feb 7, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 7, 2011 Applicants must submit proposals using www.grants.gov by 1159 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on March 7, 2011. 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.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Lead applicants submitting proposals must meet the following criteria Be a U.S. non profit organization meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3) or a comparable organization headquartered internationally. Have demonstrated experience administering successful and preferably similar projects. 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. Be a registered user of grants.gov. Have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with in country entities and relevant stakeholders including industry and non government organizations. Organizations must form consortia and submit a joint proposal. However, one organization must be designated as the lead applicant. An OMB policy directive published in the Federal Register on Friday, June 27, 2003, requires that all organizations applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements must provide a Dun and Bradstreet (DB) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying for all Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after October 1, 2003. Please reference http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/062703grantidentifier.pdf for the complete OMB policy directive.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Lifeline Embattled NGO Global Assistance Fund is a U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) grant opportunity designed to deliver fast, practical support to local civil society organizations that are facing harassment, repression, or direct attacks because of their watchdog and advocacy work. The program is built around two core functions: (1) rapid emergency assistance to help targeted NGOs and their staff respond immediately to threats and harm, and (2) small grants that let local organizations carry out focused, short-term activities that strengthen civic space, boost visibility, and build solidarity and capacity among groups operating under pressure.
On the emergency side, the fund is meant to cover urgent needs that arise when activists and organizations are “under siege.” Examples listed in the announcement include paying for legal representation and related legal costs such as appeals or trial monitoring, covering medical bills tied to abuse, paying transportation expenses for prison visits when staff or members are detained, and replacing equipment that has been damaged or confiscated as part of intimidation efforts. A key point is that this is intended to be small-amount, quickly deployable aid that helps people and organizations keep operating, protect themselves, and respond to immediate crises without waiting for slower, traditional grant cycles.
Alongside that rapid-response function, Lifeline also provides small grants for discrete project activities that help embattled civil society groups push back against repression and connect with allies. DRL highlights several examples of eligible activities, such as sending delegations of local NGO representatives to international meetings to raise awareness and build external support, launching public advocacy campaigns inside countries to oppose repressive measures, and creating opportunities for regional networking among civil society groups under threat so they can exchange best practices and share legal expertise. In other words, the small-grants component is not just humanitarian help; it is also meant to enable targeted, strategic actions that increase resilience and collective capacity.
DRL plans to make a single award, structured as a cooperative agreement, with an estimated total funding amount of $2,000,000 (with an award floor and ceiling both listed at $2,000,000). The cooperative agreement format signals close involvement by DRL in setting conditions, approving processes, and making final decisions. The recipient is expected to move funds out to local civil society beneficiaries efficiently, while still meeting U.S. government compliance, documentation, and vetting requirements. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Eligibility and structure are central to this opportunity. DRL is looking for a consortium of international NGOs with genuine global reach, led by one primary applicant. The consortium must include at least three international NGO partners from non-U.S. geographic regions, and these partners must play real implementation roles rather than being symbolic affiliates. The lead organization is expected to document the partnership with letters of intent from each international partner and to submit a detailed program plan that clearly lays out each partner’s responsibilities, how decisions will be made, and what criteria will be used to evaluate and approve emergency assistance requests and small-grant awards. The lead applicant must be a nonprofit organization registered in the United States with 501(c)(3) status (the notice also references the possibility of a comparable organization headquartered internationally), and it must show a track record of successfully administering projects across multiple countries, ideally including similar rapid-response or small-grants mechanisms.
Operationally, the program is designed to push as much funding as possible directly to embattled NGOs, with overhead kept low. Emergency support is expected to be distributed through the recipient’s local partners and/or established networks, reflecting the need for trusted channels that can identify legitimate cases quickly and deliver help safely. At the same time, accountability standards are explicit: the recipient must obtain receipts and/or reimbursement documentation for expenditures over $10,000, and for expenditures under $10,000 “to the fullest extent possible.” DRL also requires standard U.S. government vetting, and the recipient must pass information about requests to the appropriate DRL officer, who will coordinate with relevant U.S. government officials to evaluate legitimacy and complete vetting before assistance is approved.
The application also needs to address how the fund will be publicized so that at-risk organizations actually learn it exists and understand how to request support. DRL indicates it will negotiate with the awardee on the final conditions and criteria for both emergency assistance and small grants, and it emphasizes that final award decisions ultimately rest with DRL. All sub-awards and activities must comply with the same standards, laws, and regulations that apply to other Department of State grant recipients.
Administratively, the opportunity is listed as DRL 10 PROP 01 LIFELINE 110207 under CFDA 19.345 (International Programs to Support Democracy, Human Rights and Labor). It was posted February 7, 2011, with proposals due through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on March 7, 2011 (and archived April 6, 2011). Applicants were required to be registered in Grants.gov and to have a DUNS number as part of standard federal assistance application requirements. The overall intent is a global, consortium-led mechanism that can move quickly, remain credible and compliant, and provide concrete assistance that helps threatened civil society organizations survive immediate attacks while also maintaining the ability to advocate, organize, and connect with allies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Lifeline Embattled NGO Global Assistance Fund?
The Lifeline Embattled NGO Global Assistance Fund is a U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) grant opportunity designed to provide fast, practical support to local civil society organizations that face harassment, repression, or direct attacks because of their watchdog and advocacy work.
What are the two main functions of the program?
The program is built around two core functions: (1) rapid emergency assistance to help targeted NGOs and their staff respond immediately to threats and harm, and (2) small grants for focused, short-term activities that strengthen civic space, increase visibility, and build solidarity and capacity among groups operating under pressure.
Who is the fund intended to help?
The fund is intended to support embattled local civil society organizations and their staff who are "under siege" due to repression linked to their watchdog and advocacy activities.
What types of needs can rapid emergency assistance cover?
Examples listed include legal representation and related legal costs (such as appeals or trial monitoring), medical bills tied to abuse, transportation expenses for prison visits when staff or members are detained, and replacement of equipment that has been damaged or confiscated as part of intimidation efforts.
Is the emergency assistance meant to be large, long-term funding?
No. The emergency assistance is described as small-amount, quickly deployable aid meant to help people and organizations continue operating and respond to immediate crises without waiting for slower, traditional grant cycles.
What kinds of activities can the small-grants component support?
DRL highlights examples such as sending delegations of local NGO representatives to international meetings to raise awareness and build external support, launching public advocacy campaigns inside countries to oppose repressive measures, and creating opportunities for regional networking among threatened civil society groups to exchange best practices and share legal expertise.
How is the small-grants component different from emergency assistance?
Emergency assistance focuses on immediate, urgent needs arising from threats or harm. The small-grants component supports discrete, short-term project activities intended to push back against repression, increase resilience, strengthen civic space, and build solidarity and capacity.
What is the total amount of funding DRL expects to award?
DRL plans to make a single award with an estimated total funding amount of $2,000,000. The award floor and ceiling are both listed at $2,000,000.
How many awards does DRL plan to make under this opportunity?
DRL indicates it plans to make a single award.
What type of award instrument will be used?
The award is expected to be structured as a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
The cooperative agreement format signals close involvement by DRL, including negotiating final conditions and criteria and retaining final decision-making authority for approvals and awards.
Is cost-sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply as the lead applicant?
The lead applicant is expected to be a nonprofit organization registered in the United States with 501(c)(3) status (the notice also references the possibility of a comparable organization headquartered internationally) and to demonstrate a track record of successfully administering multi-country projects, ideally including rapid-response or small-grants mechanisms.
What kind of applicant is DRL looking for overall?
DRL is looking for a consortium of international NGOs with genuine global reach, led by one primary applicant.
How many partners must be included in the consortium?
The consortium must include at least three international NGO partners from non-U.S. geographic regions.
Do consortium partners need to have real implementation responsibilities?
Yes. The partners are expected to play real implementation roles and not function as symbolic or affiliate-only participants.
What documentation is required to show the consortium partnership?
The lead organization is expected to document the partnership with letters of intent from each international partner.
What must the program plan include regarding partner roles and decision-making?
The application should include a detailed program plan that clearly lays out each partner's responsibilities, how decisions will be made, and what criteria will be used to evaluate and approve emergency assistance requests and small-grant awards.
What is the program's approach to overhead and directing funds?
The program is designed to push as much funding as possible directly to embattled NGOs, with overhead kept low.
How is emergency support expected to be distributed?
Emergency support is expected to be distributed through the recipient's local partners and/or established networks to enable trusted, rapid identification of legitimate cases and safe delivery of assistance.
What documentation is required for expenditures?
The recipient must obtain receipts and/or reimbursement documentation for expenditures over $10,000, and for expenditures under $10,000, documentation is required "to the fullest extent possible."
Are U.S. government vetting requirements part of this program?
Yes. DRL requires standard U.S. government vetting, and requests must be coordinated through the appropriate DRL officer, who will work with relevant U.S. government officials to evaluate legitimacy and complete vetting before assistance is approved.
Who has final authority over award decisions and approvals?
DRL emphasizes that final award decisions ultimately rest with DRL, and it will negotiate final conditions and criteria with the awardee.
Does the application need to address outreach and awareness?
Yes. The application needs to explain how the fund will be publicized so that at-risk organizations learn it exists and understand how to request support.
Do sub-awards and activities have to follow U.S. Department of State rules?
Yes. All sub-awards and activities must comply with the same standards, laws, and regulations that apply to other Department of State grant recipients.
What is the funding opportunity identifier and CFDA number?
The opportunity is listed as DRL 10 PROP 01 LIFELINE 110207 under CFDA 19.345 (International Programs to Support Democracy, Human Rights and Labor).
When was the opportunity posted and when were proposals due?
It was posted on February 7, 2011. Proposals were due through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on March 7, 2011. The opportunity was archived on April 6, 2011.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted through Grants.gov by the stated deadline.
Were there standard federal registration requirements to apply?
Yes. Applicants were required to be registered in Grants.gov and to have a DUNS number as part of standard federal assistance application requirements.
What is the overall intent of the Lifeline mechanism?
The overall intent is to create a global, consortium-led mechanism that can move quickly, remain credible and compliant, and provide concrete assistance that helps threatened civil society organizations survive immediate attacks while also maintaining the ability to advocate, organize, and connect with allies.
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