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The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that support Religious Freedom globally. "Religious freedom" refers to the right set out in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including the freedom to adopt a religion or beliefs, change your beliefs, practice and teach your beliefs (which may include through publications, public and private speech, and the display of religious attire or symbols), gather in community with others to worship and observe your beliefs, and teach your beliefs to your children. Proposed programming must be responsive to restrictions on religious freedom and must be in line with the U.S. Government's religious freedom, democracy, governance, and human rights goals. Helpful resources for applicants include the annual country-specific International Religious Freedom Reports https://www.state.gov/international-religious-freedom-reports/ and annual country-specific Human Rights Reports https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/. Applicants will be responsible for ensuring program activities and products are implemented in accordance with the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. DRL programming will engage youth to foster an environment of greater inter-communal and intra-communal respect and peaceful coexistence among religious communities in Pakistan promoting the rights of all people to live free from discrimination, abuse, and violence on account of their religious identity, practices, or affiliation. Proposals should be gender inclusive and include religious minorities.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that support the research, development, and implementation of secure human rights (HR) documentation solutions. In support of the 2017 National Security Strategy, DRL's goal is to promote accountability for perpetrators of genocide and mass atrocity. Further, in support of the U.S. government's policy to "promote an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet that fosters efficiency, innovation, communication, and economic prosperity, while respecting privacy and guarding against disruption, fraud, and theft," as described in E.O. 13800, DRL supports the development of secure communications tools and platforms, as well as digital safety training. These goals will be advanced through research, development, and implementation of secure human rights documentation solutions. DRL invites organizations interested in potential funding to submit proposals outlining program concepts that reflect this goal.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) invites organizations interested in potential funding to submit proposals for for projects that will promote democracy, human rights, and religious freedom through a global program that includes one or more of the following countries/region: Angola, Laos, Vietnam, Morocco, Peru, and Central Asia. Other countries would be considered as appropriate. *For a definition of religious freedom see International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Article 18. Programs contingent upon funding.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects to address the potential negative human rights and labor rights impacts of international mega-sporting events.

The Office of Citizenship (OoC), within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is charged with promoting instruction and training on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. USCIS recognizes that naturalization is an important milestone in the civic integration of immigrants. Naturalization requirements, such as knowledge of English and of U.S. history and civics, encourage civic learning and build a strong foundation upon which immigrants can exercise their rights and responsibilities. Through preparing for naturalization, immigrants will gain the tools to become successful citizens-ready to exercise their rights and meet their responsibilities as United States citizens. The goal of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program is to expand the availability of high quality citizenship preparation services for lawful permanent residents in communities across the nation. Additional activities that support this goal include making citizenship instruction and naturalization application services accessible to low-income and other underserved lawful permanent resident populations; developing, identifying, and sharing promising practices in citizenship preparation; supporting innovative and creative solutions to barriers faced by those seeking naturalization; increasing the use of and access to technology in citizenship preparation programs; working with local libraries which serve as a vital resource for immigrant communities; and incorporating strategies to foster welcoming communities as part of the citizenship and civic integration process.

DRL invites interested organizations to submit applications for programs supporting internationally recognized labor rights in Bangladesh and Sub-Saharan Africa, and to promote the human and labor rights of migrant workers. Programs contingent upon availability of funding.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) invites organizations interested in potential funding to submit proposals for projects that will promote democracy, human rights, and religious freedom in Central Asia particularly Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. Programs contingent upon funding.

Through the program, twenty individuals from across the United States will each receive $50,000 to pursue a project or initiative in the fields of civil rights, climate change and environmental justice, immigration and refugee rights, and/or LGBTQIA and women's rights. In addition to the funds, the fellowship includes tailored support for each activist as he or she launches a new initiative or amplifies an existing early-stage project. Five fellows will be selected in each of the issue areas.

The Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor announces the availability of approximately $4 million total costs for one cooperative agreement to fund a technical assistance project in Colombia to improve compliance with Colombia's labor laws and relevant labor standards. The objective of this project is the improved ability of workers in priority sectors of Colombia to understand and exercise their labor rights. The strategy for achieving the project objective is creating worker-driven labor law enforcement centers that will effectively reach workers, educate them on their rights, train them to identify potential labor law violations in workplaces, and then assist workers to submit and track well-supported, well-articulated, justiciable claims to initiate labor inspections and pursue legal remedies. If labor law enforcement centers are able to submit well-supported and well-articulated claims, then the labor ministry and other relevant government agencies will be able to address labor rights violations more effectively and improve compliance with Colombia's labor laws and relevant labor standards. The project must target workers in priority sectors, specifically rural workers in the palm oil, sugar, and mine sectors and workers in the port and cut-flower sectors.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) invites organizations interested in potential funding to submit proposals for projects that will promote democracy, human rights, and religious freedom in Central African Republic by working with displaced CAR communities in Cameroon.Programs contingent upon funding.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) invites organizations interested in potential funding to submit proposals for projects that promote democracy, human rights, and religious freedom in Egypt.Programs contingent upon funding.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects focusing on the synthesis and dissemination of evaluative research and learning materials for the democracy and rights community.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) from organizations interested in submitting Statements of Interest (SOI) for programs that support the policy objective to foster respect for human rights in China.

The United States Agency for International Development in Bangladesh (USAID/Bangladesh) seeks to invest in people, networks and institutions to make democracy in Bangladesh more accountable, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of its citizens. USAID/Bangladesh is interested in supporting vibrant civil society organizations (CSO) active in advocating for rule of law, human and other democratic rights enshrined in the constitution and international commitments of the Government of Bangladesh. The purpose of this notice of Expression of Interest is to identify potential partners to implement a five year project entitled "Promoting Advocacy and Rights" (PAR), jointly funded by USAID and UK's Department for International Development (DFID). Organizations responding to this notice will receive a Notice of Funding Opportunity "NOFO" with problem statement for the proposed PAR activity, so that they can develop and submit a full technical and cost application.

The Center for the Study of Southern Culture (CSSC) and the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi announce a $1,000 research grant to catalyze scholarship on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the desegregation of Southern restaurants.

USDOL/ILAB intends to award up to USD 2 million for one cooperative agreement to fund a technical assistance project in Peru. The purpose for funding this project is to help build the labor law enforcement capacity of the Peruvian labor inspectorate, with a focus on the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion (MTPE)'s newly-formed National Superintendency of Labor Inspection or Superintendencia Nacional de Fiscalización Laboral (SUNAFIL). The project will help the MTPE in its transition from a decentralized to a more centralized labor law enforcement system and will help ensure more effective labor law enforcement at the national and regional levels. The project will focus particularly on improving the MTPE's enforcement of laws, regulations, and other legal instruments governing subcontracting/outsourcing and the use of short-term employment contracts, especially in the nontraditional export sectors (e.g., mining, agriculture, fishing, and textiles). The duration of the project funded by this announcement is up to 4.5 years (54 months) from the effective date of award. The project start date will be negotiated upon award of the individual cooperative agreement but will be no later than December 31, 2014. ILAB's mission is to use all available international channels to improve working conditions, raise living standards, protect workers' ability to exercise their rights, and address the workplace exploitation of children and other vulnerable populations. ILAB is authorized to award and administer cooperative agreements by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, Pub. Law 113-76. Cooperative agreements awarded under this solicitation will be administered by the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and technically managed by ILAB's Office of Trade and Labor Affairs (OTLA). The mission of OTLA is to implement trade-related labor policy and coordinate international technical cooperation in support of the labor provisions in free trade agreements; to

The U.S. Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica announces a Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to strengthen citizen security through economic and social opportunity. U.S. Embassy San Jose intends to issue five awards in an amount not to exceed $1,500,000 in total funding. The anticipated start date for this activity is September 30, 2016, and project periods should not exceed two years. This funding will support United States government objectives under the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). Within Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama), the United States works with partner nations to strengthen institutions to counter the effects of organized crime, uphold the rule of law, and protect human rights. Institution building is coupled with prevention projects that dissuade at-risk youth from turning to crime and gangs and community policing projects that engage local communities on citizen security issues. U.S. Embassy San Jose invites qualified U.S. non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS or overseas-based NGOs, U.S. and overseas-based public and private institutions of higher education, and public international organizations to submit proposals that include an implementation strategy to address the following objective: Objective: Provide workforce development, education, or entrepreneurship opportunities designed to reduce poverty, particularly among youth and women, in historically marginalized and economically-disadvantaged communities. Proposals should help create safe streets by providing economic opportunities as attractive alternatives for at-risk populations that might otherwise turn to crime and illicit drugs for their livelihood. U.S. Embassy San Jose reserves the right to fund any or none of the applications submitted and will determine the resulting level of funding for the award.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The U.S. Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica announces a Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to create social and economic opportunity to strengthen citizen security, and promote government transparency to encourage a culture that resists corruption. U.S. Embassy San Jose intends to issue four awards in an amount not to exceed $900,000 in total funding. The anticipated start date for this activity is September 30, 2015, and project periods should not exceed two years. This funding will support United States Government (USG) objectives under the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). Within Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama), the United States works with partner nations to strengthen institutions to counter the effects of organized crime, uphold the rule of law, and protect human rights. Institution building is coupled with prevention projects that dissuade at-risk youth from turning to crime and gangs and community policing projects that engage local communities on citizen security issues. U.S. Embassy San Jose invites qualified U.S. non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs) having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS or overseas-based NGOs, U.S. and overseas-based public and private institutions of higher education, and public international organizations to submit proposals that include an implementation strategy to address one of the following two objectives: 1. Provide job creation opportunities for youth and women in economically-disadvantaged communities. Proposals should help create safe streets by providing economic opportunities in these communities as attractive alternatives for at-risk populations that may turn to crime and illicit drugs for their livelihood. 2. Promote and improve government transparency to increase citizens' access to and awareness of all levels and formats of government services with an emphasis on e-government. Proposals should promote st

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces a Request for Proposals (RFP) from organizations interested in submitting proposals for projects in the following project areas: Enhancing strategy, communication, and tactics by activists in Cambodia; Providing support for the expansion and greater independence of civil society in Laos; Building Cross-country Networks and Action for Women's Rights in Papua New Guinea.

INCREASING WOMEN'S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION USAID/HAITI OFFICE OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND GOVERNANCE BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeks opportunities to co-create, co-design, co-invest, and collaborate in basic and applied research and development for increasing women's political participation in Haiti. The United States Agency for International Development Haiti's Office of Democracy, Human Rights and Governance (USAID/Haiti/DRG) invites organizations and companies to participate with USAID/Haiti, as described below, to create innovations and technologies that increase women's political participation in Haiti. Cost Sharing, Matching, or Leveraging. Whether cost share, match, and/or leverage are required will be determined by the final award type, and/or the mutual agreement of the parties. Applicants/offerors are encouraged to suggest creative approaches to resourcing projects.