Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0006840
The DRL Labor Program to Combat Slavery in West Africa (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0006840) is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) discretionary grant competition designed to reduce and ultimately eliminate descent-based slavery in West Africa while helping people impacted by slavery fully re-enter and participate in society. Even though slavery has been legally abolished across the region, DRL notes that slavery-like practices persist in various forms, particularly where status is inherited and where people labeled as slaves or slave descendants face entrenched discrimination and exclusion. The program is built around the idea that ending descent-based slavery requires both direct case action (identifying victims and pursuing accountability) and longer-term social and economic reintegration so survivors are not forced back into dependency.
Projects are expected to operate in no more than two West African countries and to combine practical assistance with systems-level change. A core expectation is systematic documentation of identified slavery cases, paired with clear follow-up, tracking, and monitoring of what happens in each case. This emphasis on documentation and case management signals that DRL wants applicants to show credible methods for verifying cases, recording them consistently, and demonstrating outcomes over time rather than relying only on awareness campaigns or one-time interventions.
The opportunity highlights several illustrative activities. One major focus is legal support for victims and for civil society organizations working on anti-slavery efforts, including accompaniment through civil or criminal proceedings and sustained tracking of case progress. DRL also points to strategic litigation as an option, suggesting support for cases that can set precedents, strengthen enforcement of existing laws, or clarify government obligations. In parallel, applicants may propose work to improve the capacity of legal and judicial actors to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate slavery-related cases in ways that actually hold perpetrators accountable. This can include training, professional development, and practical tools that make legal protections more usable in real settings.
Beyond the courtroom, DRL explicitly calls for efforts that address the economic, legal, and social exclusion that often keeps survivors trapped. The grant encourages engagement with key stakeholders to expand non-discriminatory access to education, socioeconomic opportunities, and other services so that people leaving slavery can establish independent livelihoods and reduce vulnerability to re-enslavement or coercive dependence. It also highlights support for helping slaves, former slaves, and slave descendants exercise rights that already exist under national laws, including securing formal identity documents. Identity documentation can be a crucial gateway to schooling, employment, social services, voting, property claims, and legal standing, and DRL is signaling that practical assistance in navigating these systems is an important component of reintegration.
Another consistent thread is strengthening civil society coordination and participation. The program supports efforts that help anti-slavery organizations collaborate more effectively, while also promoting the integration of survivors and slave descendants into civil society organizations, which can shift power dynamics and increase legitimacy and representation. DRL further encourages advocacy for a transparent and fair process for civil society organization authorization and registration, reflecting an awareness that restrictive or politicized registration systems can weaken anti-slavery organizing and limit the ability of affected communities to form or join formal groups.
In terms of funding and administrative details, the program is offered as a grant with an award ceiling of $900,000 and an expectation of one award. It is listed under CFDA 19.345 and was posted on April 21, 2020, with an original application deadline of June 5, 2020. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others" with reference to additional eligibility guidance in the full announcement, indicating that a range of organizations may apply depending on the specific requirements stated in the complete notice. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at applicants that can credibly combine survivor-centered casework, legal accountability, access to services and livelihoods, and coordinated civil society action within a focused geographic scope.Apply for SFOP0006840
- 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 Labor Program to Combat Slavery in West Africa" 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 Apr 21, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 05, 2020. (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 $900,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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