Opportunity Information: Apply for DRLA DRLAQM 16 044
Apply for DRLA DRLAQM 16 044
- The DOS-DRL in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening Engagement between Parliament and Civil Society in the Southern African Development Community (SADC)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.345.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 23, 2015 and posted on Dec 23, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 22, 2016. (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 $990,099.00 in funding.
- 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, For profit organizations other than small businesses.
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Opportunity Summary:
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) offered a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Strengthening Engagement between Parliament and Civil Society in the Southern African Development Community (SADC)" (Funding Opportunity Number: DRLA DRLAQM 16 044). The program was designed to support projects that improve government accountability by strengthening how national parliaments work with domestic civil society organizations (CSOs). The underlying idea is that when parliaments engage CSOs in a structured, practical way, lawmakers are better positioned to respond to public needs, oversee government performance, and take action on issues that matter most nationally.
The geographic focus for this competition was Botswana, Lesotho, and Malawi, with the option to include other SADC member states if an applicant could make a strong case for why expansion beyond the core countries was necessary and beneficial. DRL allowed flexibility in program design, meaning proposals could be country-specific or regional in scope, as long as they clearly advanced the central goal: stronger accountability through improved parliamentary action that is informed, reinforced, or monitored through collaboration with civil society around a key issue of national importance. In practice, this kind of framing typically points toward initiatives such as creating or improving consultation mechanisms between parliamentary committees and CSOs, supporting evidence-based policy engagement, improving public participation channels, or strengthening oversight and transparency processes where CSOs can contribute credible research, community feedback, and monitoring.
Funding was to be provided through either a grant or a cooperative agreement, indicating that DRL might have expected varying levels of involvement in the implementation depending on the award type. The listed maximum award amount (award ceiling) was $990,099. While the number of expected awards was not specified in the source data, the ceiling signals a mid-sized program scale where a single strong regional project or a robust country program could be supported, potentially including multiple components such as training, convenings, applied research, and structured engagement platforms.
A fairly broad set of applicants were eligible. This included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, U.S.-based nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions), and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. The opportunity was cataloged under CFDA number 19.345 and was posted on December 23, 2015, with an application deadline (closing date) of February 22, 2016. Overall, the opportunity centered on practical, issue-driven collaboration between parliaments and civil society as a pathway to more responsive governance and stronger democratic accountability across selected SADC countries.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Strengthening Engagement between Parliament and Civil Society in the Southern African Development Community (SADC)."
Which U.S. government office offered this opportunity?
It was offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DRLA DRLAQM 16 044.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity was cataloged under CFDA 19.345.
What is the main goal of the program?
The central goal is to improve government accountability by strengthening how national parliaments work with domestic civil society organizations (CSOs), so parliamentary action is better informed, reinforced, or monitored through structured collaboration on key issues of national importance.
How does DRL describe the accountability pathway this program is trying to strengthen?
The program is based on the idea that when parliaments engage CSOs in a structured and practical way, lawmakers are better positioned to respond to public needs, oversee government performance, and take action on nationally important issues.
Which countries were the primary geographic focus?
The primary focus countries were Botswana, Lesotho, and Malawi.
Can projects include other SADC member states beyond the three core countries?
Yes. Applicants could include other SADC member states if they made a strong case that expanding beyond Botswana, Lesotho, and Malawi was necessary and beneficial to the program.
Does DRL require a country-specific project, or can proposals be regional?
DRL allowed flexibility in design. Proposals could be country-specific or regional in scope, as long as they clearly advanced the central goal of stronger accountability through improved parliamentary action informed by collaboration with civil society.
What kinds of activities would fit the program’s intent?
The opportunity emphasized practical, issue-driven collaboration between parliaments and CSOs. Examples of activity types suggested by the framing include creating or improving consultation mechanisms between parliamentary committees and CSOs, supporting evidence-based policy engagement, improving public participation channels, and strengthening oversight and transparency processes where CSOs can provide research, community feedback, and monitoring.
What is meant by “structured” engagement between parliament and civil society in this context?
Based on the description, “structured” engagement points to practical mechanisms and processes that enable regular, usable collaboration (for example, consultation mechanisms tied to parliamentary committees, or formalized channels for public participation and oversight input from CSOs).
Is this opportunity focused on a specific sector or issue area?
The opportunity did not limit applicants to a single sector. Instead, it emphasized collaboration around a “key issue of national importance,” with the requirement that the work strengthens accountability through improved parliamentary action and engagement with civil society.
What funding instrument types were available?
Funding was to be provided through either a grant or a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that awards could be grants or cooperative agreements?
The listing indicates that DRL anticipated varying levels of involvement in implementation depending on the award type, with flexibility for the agency to be more or less engaged based on whether the instrument is a grant or a cooperative agreement.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The maximum award amount (ceiling) listed was $990,099.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The number of expected awards was not specified in the provided information.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on December 23, 2015.
What was the application deadline?
The closing date (application deadline) was February 22, 2016.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, U.S.-based nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions), and for-profit organizations other than small businesses.
Are U.S.-based nonprofits required to have 501(c)(3) status to be eligible?
Not necessarily. The eligibility list included both U.S.-based nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses were listed as eligible applicants.
Are higher education institutions eligible?
Yes. Both public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education were eligible.
What types of program components might a competitive project include at this funding level?
The description suggests a mid-sized program where a strong regional project or robust country program could be supported, potentially including multiple components such as training, convenings, applied research, and structured engagement platforms between parliaments and CSOs.
What is the core performance logic applicants were expected to address?
Applicants were expected to show how their project would strengthen accountability by improving parliamentary action that is informed, reinforced, or monitored through collaboration with civil society on a key national issue.
Does the opportunity emphasize practical implementation or broad advocacy?
Based on the text provided, the emphasis is on practical, issue-driven collaboration and usable engagement mechanisms that help parliaments respond to public needs and oversee government performance.
What regional context does the opportunity reference?
The opportunity references the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and focuses on strengthening engagement between parliaments and civil society within that regional context.
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