Opportunity Information: Apply for EAP EAPAQM 16 015
Apply for EAP EAPAQM 16 015
- The Department of State, Bureau of East Asian Pacific Affairs in the business and commerce, community development, employment, labor and training, law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Promoting 21st Century Gender-Related Labor Reforms in Malaysia or Vietnam" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.801.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 27, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 05, 2016 No Explanation. (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 $396,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
Promoting 21st Century Gender-Related Labor Reforms in Malaysia or Vietnam is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, specifically its Office of Economic Policy. The program is designed to advance gender-related labor reforms in either Malaysia or Vietnam, with an emphasis on reforms that align with internationally recognized worker rights. The core idea is to strengthen labor systems in ways that improve protections and opportunities for workers, while also ensuring that women are better able to participate in and benefit from economic growth. In practical terms, the opportunity is aimed at projects that connect labor rights, gender equity, and institutional capacity building, rather than isolated one-off activities.
A central feature of this opportunity is its link to U.S. trade-related labor commitments under the Trans-Pacific Partnership framework. Funded activities are meant to support implementation of either the TPP U.S.-Malaysia Labor Consistency Plan or the TPP U.S.-Vietnam Plan for Enhancement of Trade and Labour Relations. That framing signals that proposals should be grounded in policy-relevant labor reform priorities and should plausibly contribute to measurable progress in labor governance and compliance. While the announcement highlights gender-related reforms, it also explicitly ties success to broader outcomes such as promoting worker rights and strengthening the ability of worker organizations to advocate effectively for women in the workplace.
The program’s objectives cluster around three themes. First, it seeks to promote internationally recognized worker rights, which commonly includes issues like freedom of association, collective bargaining, and protections against discrimination and abusive labor practices. Second, it aims to broaden women’s participation in the economy, which can involve reducing barriers to entry and advancement, improving workplace conditions, addressing gender discrimination, and expanding access to fair employment opportunities. Third, it focuses on building the capacity of worker organizations to support women, suggesting an interest in strengthening unions, worker associations, or related civil society groups so they can represent women’s interests, provide services, engage in social dialogue, and contribute to reform implementation in a sustained way.
In terms of funding structure, the opportunity anticipated a single award, with an expected award count of 1 and an award ceiling of $396,000. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the opportunity category is discretionary, meaning proposals would be competitively reviewed and selected based on program priorities and merit rather than formula allocation. The funding activity categories span business and commerce, community development, employment, labor and training, and law/justice/legal services, which reflects the cross-cutting nature of labor reform work that often combines policy, training, institutional development, and stakeholder engagement.
Eligibility is fairly broad across higher education and nonprofit sectors. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (so long as they are not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit categories listed). This eligibility profile indicates the program was open to universities, research centers, and civil society organizations that can credibly design and implement labor and gender-focused initiatives, including training, technical assistance, stakeholder coordination, and policy-support work.
Key administrative details in the source information include the funding opportunity number (EAP EAPAQM 16 015), CFDA number 19.801, and the timeline indicating it was created June 27, 2016 with an original closing date of August 5, 2016. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted, policy-aligned grant meant to produce practical improvements in labor rights and gender equity outcomes in Malaysia or Vietnam, with a clear expectation that projects will help advance the labor reform commitments reflected in the relevant TPP-related labor plans.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Promoting 21st Century Gender-Related Labor Reforms in Malaysia or Vietnam.
Which U.S. government office is offering this grant?
This is a U.S. Department of State opportunity under the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, specifically the Office of Economic Policy.
Is this a formula grant or a competitive grant?
It is a discretionary grant opportunity, which means proposals are competitively reviewed and selected based on program priorities and merit rather than awarded by formula.
What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument is a grant.
How many awards are expected?
The opportunity anticipated a single award, with an expected award count of 1.
What is the maximum award amount (ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $396,000.
Which countries are eligible for project focus under this opportunity?
Projects are intended to advance gender-related labor reforms in either Malaysia or Vietnam.
What is the overall purpose of the program?
The program is designed to advance gender-related labor reforms aligned with internationally recognized worker rights, strengthen labor systems, and improve protections and opportunities for workers while ensuring women can participate in and benefit from economic growth.
What kinds of projects does the opportunity emphasize?
The opportunity emphasizes projects that connect labor rights, gender equity, and institutional capacity building, rather than isolated one-off activities.
How is this opportunity connected to trade-related labor commitments?
Funded activities are meant to support implementation of U.S. trade-related labor commitments under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) framework, specifically either the TPP U.S.-Malaysia Labor Consistency Plan or the TPP U.S.-Vietnam Plan for Enhancement of Trade and Labour Relations.
What does it mean that proposals should be "policy-relevant"?
Based on the opportunity description, proposals are expected to be grounded in labor reform priorities tied to the relevant TPP-related labor plans and to plausibly contribute to measurable progress in labor governance and compliance.
Is the program only about gender issues, or also about broader labor rights?
While the announcement highlights gender-related reforms, it explicitly ties success to broader outcomes such as promoting worker rights and strengthening the ability of worker organizations to advocate effectively for women in the workplace.
What are the main objectives of the program?
The objectives cluster around three themes: (1) promoting internationally recognized worker rights, (2) broadening women's participation in the economy, and (3) building the capacity of worker organizations to support women.
What worker rights are referenced by "internationally recognized worker rights" in this announcement?
The announcement notes that this commonly includes issues such as freedom of association, collective bargaining, and protections against discrimination and abusive labor practices.
What does "broadening women's participation in the economy" include in the context of this grant?
The description indicates this can involve reducing barriers to entry and advancement, improving workplace conditions, addressing gender discrimination, and expanding access to fair employment opportunities.
What does "building the capacity of worker organizations to support women" mean here?
The opportunity suggests strengthening unions, worker associations, or related civil society groups so they can represent women's interests, provide services, engage in social dialogue, and contribute to reform implementation in a sustained way.
What funding activity categories are associated with this opportunity?
The listed activity categories are business and commerce, community development, employment, labor and training, and law/justice/legal services.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (for the nonprofit categories listed, so long as they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories).
Are universities and research centers eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education, which indicates universities and similar higher education entities were eligible to apply.
Are nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status eligible?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (with the stated condition regarding the nonprofit categories listed and institutions of higher education).
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is EAP EAPAQM 16 015.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number provided is 19.801.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on June 27, 2016.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date listed is August 5, 2016.
What results is the program aiming to achieve?
Based on the description, the program aims for practical improvements in labor rights and gender equity outcomes, including stronger labor systems, improved labor governance and compliance, and enhanced ability of worker organizations to advocate for women.
Does the program expect sustained reform work rather than one-time events?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes institutional capacity building and describes interest in sustained contributions to reform implementation, rather than isolated, one-off activities.
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