Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0009294
The DRL FY22: Global Equality Fund LGBTQI+ Programs opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0009294) is a U.S. Department of State grant competition run by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL). It supports projects that strengthen the rights, safety, and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) people by equipping communities and organizations with practical tools and support to advance human rights and equality. This is a discretionary funding opportunity under CFDA 19.345, with an overall approach that is flexible about where and how programs are implemented as long as they clearly advance LGBTQI+ rights and protection.
The core purpose is framed around four broad project goals. First, proposals can focus on empowering local LGBTQI+ movements and communities, meaning efforts that build leadership, organizational capacity, networks, advocacy skills, or community-driven strategies that help local actors set priorities and sustain long-term work. Second, proposals may aim to prevent, mitigate, and support recovery from violence, discrimination, stigma, and other human rights abuses affecting LGBTQI+ people. This can include interventions that improve community safety, strengthen documentation of abuses, expand access to services, and help survivors and communities respond and recover. Third, projects may promote full social inclusion, which typically means reducing exclusion in public life and expanding equal participation in social, civic, educational, workplace, and community settings. Fourth, projects can address critical issues of justice, a category that can include advancing legal protections, improving access to justice mechanisms, strengthening accountability for abuses, or supporting rights-based reforms and fair treatment under law and policy.
Geographically, the opportunity is intentionally broad. Applicants may propose programs that are global in scope or that focus on a single country, multiple countries, a specific region, or multiple regions. This structure allows organizations to tailor proposals to the realities LGBTQI+ communities face in different contexts, whether the need is rapid response to threats, longer-term movement building, improving inclusion, or strengthening justice and accountability efforts. The announcement signals that DRL is open to a wide range of program designs as long as the project clearly connects to the stated goals and is grounded in human rights outcomes for LGBTQI+ people.
A central expectation is meaningful LGBTQI+ leadership and participation. DRL indicates that projects are intended to be led by LGBTQI+ organizations or, at minimum, to have strong support from and active participation by LGBTQI+ organizations and communities. In practical terms, this emphasizes community-driven planning and implementation rather than top-down programming, and it suggests that strong proposals should demonstrate authentic partnerships, local ownership, and mechanisms for LGBTQI+ stakeholders to shape decisions, priorities, and activities throughout the project lifecycle.
In terms of funding scale and competitiveness, the award ceiling is $1,500,000, and DRL anticipated making approximately six awards. The opportunity was posted on December 29, 2022, with an original closing date of March 1, 2023. The eligible applicant category is listed as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full notice, indicating that eligibility may extend beyond a narrow set of applicants but should be confirmed against the full funding announcement requirements. Overall, this opportunity is designed to resource impactful, rights-based LGBTQI+ programming that either strengthens movements, reduces harm and abuse, expands social inclusion, or advances justice, while centering leadership and participation from LGBTQI+ communities themselves.Apply for SFOP0009294
- The Department of State, 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 "DRL FY22: Global Equality Fund LGBTQI+ Programs" 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 29, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 01, 2023. (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 $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the DRL FY22: Global Equality Fund LGBTQI+ Programs opportunity?
This is a U.S. Department of State grant competition run by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL). It supports projects that strengthen the rights, safety, and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) people by equipping communities and organizations with practical tools and support to advance human rights and equality.
2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SFOP0009294.
3) Which U.S. government office is administering this competition?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL).
4) Is this considered a discretionary grant opportunity?
Yes. It is described as a discretionary funding opportunity under CFDA 19.345.
5) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 19.345.
6) What kinds of projects does this funding support?
The opportunity supports rights-based LGBTQI+ programming that advances LGBTQI+ rights and protection. DRL indicates flexibility in where and how programs are implemented, as long as the project clearly advances LGBTQI+ human rights outcomes and aligns with the stated goals.
7) What are the main project goals that proposals should align with?
The notice frames four broad project goals. Proposals can focus on one or more of these areas:
- Empowering local LGBTQI+ movements and communities (leadership development, organizational capacity, networks, advocacy skills, and community-driven strategies).
- Preventing, mitigating, and supporting recovery from violence, discrimination, stigma, and other abuses (community safety, documentation of abuses, access to services, and survivor/community response and recovery).
- Promoting full social inclusion (reducing exclusion and expanding equal participation in social, civic, educational, workplace, and community settings).
- Addressing critical issues of justice (advancing legal protections, improving access to justice mechanisms, strengthening accountability, and supporting rights-based reforms and fair treatment under law and policy).
8) Does a proposal have to fit exactly one of the goals, or can it cover multiple?
Based on the description, proposals may focus on any of the four broad goals, and the opportunity is framed as flexible. The key requirement is that the project clearly connects to the stated goals and advances LGBTQI+ rights and protection.
9) What does “empowering local LGBTQI+ movements and communities” mean in this context?
It refers to efforts that build leadership and organizational capacity, strengthen networks, develop advocacy skills, and support community-driven strategies that help local actors set priorities and sustain long-term work.
10) What does DRL mean by supporting projects related to violence, discrimination, and stigma?
This includes interventions designed to prevent harm, mitigate impacts, and support recovery from violence, discrimination, stigma, and other human rights abuses affecting LGBTQI+ people. Examples mentioned include improving community safety, strengthening documentation of abuses, expanding access to services, and helping survivors and communities respond and recover.
11) What is meant by “promoting full social inclusion”?
In this notice, social inclusion generally means reducing exclusion in public life and expanding equal participation in social, civic, educational, workplace, and community settings.
12) What does the “critical issues of justice” goal cover?
This category can include advancing legal protections, improving access to justice mechanisms, strengthening accountability for abuses, and supporting rights-based reforms and fair treatment under law and policy.
13) Where can projects be implemented geographically?
The geographic scope is intentionally broad. Applicants may propose programs that are global in scope or focused on a single country, multiple countries, a specific region, or multiple regions.
14) Does DRL require a specific country or region focus?
No specific country or region requirement is stated in the summary provided. The opportunity is designed to allow applicants to tailor proposals to different contexts, including global or regional approaches.
15) How important is LGBTQI+ leadership and participation in the proposal?
It is described as a central expectation. Projects are intended to be led by LGBTQI+ organizations or, at minimum, have strong support from and active participation by LGBTQI+ organizations and communities.
16) What does “meaningful leadership and participation” imply for project design?
It emphasizes community-driven planning and implementation rather than top-down programming. Strong proposals are expected to show authentic partnerships, local ownership, and mechanisms for LGBTQI+ stakeholders to shape decisions, priorities, and activities throughout the project lifecycle.
17) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $1,500,000.
18) How many awards did DRL anticipate making?
DRL anticipated making approximately six awards.
19) When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on December 29, 2022.
20) What was the original closing date for applications?
The original closing date was March 1, 2023.
21) Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant category is listed as “Others,” with additional eligibility details referenced in the full notice. Based on the summary provided, eligibility may extend beyond a narrow set of applicants, but applicants should confirm eligibility requirements in the full funding announcement.
22) Does the notice indicate whether projects must be rapid response or long-term?
The announcement suggests flexibility and notes that proposals can be tailored to different realities, including rapid response to threats and longer-term movement building, as long as the project clearly aligns with the goals and human rights outcomes.
23) What is the overall approach DRL is taking with this funding opportunity?
The approach is described as flexible about where and how programs are implemented, provided that the work clearly advances LGBTQI+ rights and protection and is grounded in human rights outcomes for LGBTQI+ people.
24) What is the core theme tying together all supported activities?
The core theme is advancing human rights and equality for LGBTQI+ people by strengthening rights, safety, and inclusion, while centering LGBTQI+ leadership and participation.
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| Support for Libyan Customs College Apply for SFOP0009305 Funding Number: SFOP0009305 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $987,654 |
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