The Department of State Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor awarded $1,150,000 to St. Cloud State University through the International Programs to Support Democracy, Human Rights and Labor federal grant program (CFDA 19.345) to promote full participation of deaf citizens. Key products and services include conducting rights-based education, establishing educational standards for interpreter education programs, and developing a national testing system to assess and certify qualified sign language interpreters. The period of performance is September 30, 2022 through September 30, 2025. The funding will support targeted programs to address human rights abuses and open political space globally, in line with the goals of the International Programs to Support Democracy, Human Rights and Labor grant program.