Fundamental Freedoms Fund | DRLA DRLAQM 16 032

Opportunity Information: Apply for DRLA DRLAQM 16 032

The Fundamental Freedoms Fund (FFF) is a U.S. government grant opportunity run by the Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) designed to support quick, flexible action when core civil liberties come under pressure. The program focuses on protecting and advancing four specific fundamental freedoms: freedom of association, freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion. It is aimed at situations in countries where these freedoms are not just occasionally restricted, but routinely and systematically infringed, creating recurring and fast-changing needs for support on the ground.

This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, which signals a closer working relationship between DRL and the recipient and is intended to enable faster decision-making and deployment of resources. The central concept is to establish a pre-approved funding vehicle that can respond rapidly as new threats, crackdowns, or openings emerge. Instead of building a separate award every time an urgent situation arises, DRL uses the consortium arrangement to keep an implementation platform ready, so assistance can be disbursed quickly when timing is critical.

DRL expects to make one award under this opportunity, with an award ceiling of $2,970,297. The single award will go to a consortium made up of at least four non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with global reach. Among those partners, one organization must serve as the lead organization and primary applicant, meaning it will be the main recipient responsible for managing the cooperative agreement and coordinating the consortium's work. The design favors a networked approach, presumably to combine complementary regional coverage, technical expertise, and operational capacity across multiple organizations rather than relying on a single implementer.

Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations, including those with IRS 501(c)(3) status and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under an "Other" funding activity category, with CFDA number 19.345. The funding opportunity number is DRLA DRLAQM 16 032. The original closing date listed for applications was January 19, 2016, and the opportunity record shows a creation date of November 17, 2015.

In practical terms, the FFF is meant to operate as a standing rapid-response capability. By selecting a globally capable consortium through a competitive process and then using a cooperative agreement framework, DRL sets up a mechanism that can move resources quickly to address emerging threats to civic space and religious freedom, or to seize short-lived opportunities to strengthen protections for these rights in restrictive environments.

• The Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fundamental Freedoms Fund" 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 2015-11-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-01-19. (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 $2,970,297.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: 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.

Apply for DRLA DRLAQM 16 032

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