The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) invites civil society organizations (CSOs) to submit proposals for projects that provide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) communities with the tools to empower local movements and communities, prevent, mitigate, and recover from violence, discrimination, stigma, and human rights abuses, promote full social inclusion, or address critical issues of justice in the East Asia and Pacific region, with a particular focus on Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and/or Vietnam.

The overall goal of this program is to advance the human rights of persons who face discrimination, violence, or abuse on account of their real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics in the East Asia and Pacific region. DRL encourages proposals for regional or single country programs. Regional programming should be conducted in multiple target countries, as appropriate and safe to do so.

DRL invites organizations to submit proposals that respond to the Global Equality Fund’s strategic framework, which includes, but are not limited to the following areas:

• Freedom from Violence: LGBTI individuals, organizations and communities are safe and secure from all forms of violence, including threats, intimidation, harassment, abuse, sexual violence, and psychological or physical harm.
• Access to Justice: Civil society works to ensure that equal protection under the law is extended to the LGBTI community through improved jurisprudence on the human rights of LGBTI people, and that the rule of law is fairly and consistently implemented and enforced to affirm and include LGBTI people.
• Empowered & Inclusive Movements & Organizations: The LGBTI community –alongside other grassroots human rights movements –secure their fundamental rights of freedom of expression and assembly.
• Social Inclusion: The human dignity of LGBTI persons is affirmed and protected, and the community is included in economic and human development as equal members of society in line with guidance such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.

Funding Information

• Funding Floor: $750,000
• Funding Ceiling: $1,000,000
• Period of Performance (example 12-18 months, 2 -5 years): 24-48 months
• Anticipated Time to Award (pending availability of funds): 2-8 months

Eligibility Criteria

• DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernment organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses. DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.
• Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.