Emergency Assistance for Fundamental Freedom Defenders
Closed Posted
This opportunity was posted again on . See the latest posting
- Opportunity number
- DFOP0019749
- Agency
-
Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor
Department of State
- Applications due
- Award size
- $983,500
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Other
- Eligible applicants
- Not on record
- Points of contact
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor seeks applicants for emergency cooperative agreements to provide short-term funding to individuals and organizations defending fundamental freedoms, with applications due September 8, 2026. Support targets defenders facing imminent threat of attack, arbitrary arrest, detention, prosecution, or other harm due to their work promoting democratic government, human rights reform, and the freedoms of speech, peaceful assembly, and association.
The program operates under Assistance Listing 19.345 (International Programs to Support Democracy, Human Rights and Labor). The cooperative agreement structure signals collaborative implementation with federal oversight rather than pass-through grants. Emergency funding is designed for on-demand deployment, enabling recipients to sustain operations during acute security or legal threats without standard project-cycle delays.
The source does not specify award ceilings, floors, expected number of awards, period of performance, place of performance, eligible applicant categories, cost share requirements, or evaluation criteria. Three government files are attached: the 2026 Proposal Submission Instructions, the Emergency Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity, and budget templates with Modified Total Direct Cost calculation guidance, indicating that indirect cost treatment follows standard federal cost accounting standards.
The portfolio history under 19.345 shows 743 awards since 2009 with $4.25 billion in federal obligations. Recent activity includes multiple opportunities posted in July and August 2026 spanning transitional justice, independent media, journalist safety, freedom of expression, and accountability documentation. Funding is concentrated within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor itself, which has awarded 581 of 743 grants totaling $3.93 billion.
Synopsis
The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) seeks to make available on-demand, emergency support for individuals and organizations that face imminent threat due to their work to promote and defend fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of speech, peaceful assembly, and association articulated in the United States' founding documents. The program will provide assistance to defenders who are facing threat of attack, arbitrary arrest, detention, prosecution, or are otherwise at imminent risk of harm, through a program that provides short-term emergency funding to enable them to continue their work pressing for democratic government and reform and respect for human rights.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| MTDC Calculation Table.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Emergency Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity.pdf | ||
| Budget Template FY26 with MTDC Calculation_Final (1).xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| 2026 Proposal Submission Instructions Updated.pdf |
Posting history
| Listing | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity | ||
| Opportunity |
On GovTribe
Work this opportunity
- Track it in your pipeline
- Find teaming partners
- Similar grant opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this opportunity