Regional Democracy Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 19.221
- Agency
-
Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
Department of State
- Grant awards
- 23 $20,127,833 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 19-4401-0-1-150
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs funds democracy and human rights initiatives in the Near East region under CFDA 19.221 (Regional Democracy Program), with the most recent grant award disbursed on February 1, 2023.
The program has demonstrated uneven activity over recent years. Twenty-three awards totaling $20.1 million in federal obligations have been disbursed since October 2018, but award cadence is inconsistent: the program issued four awards in 2018, one in 2019, one in 2020, then accelerated sharply to fifteen awards in 2022 before slowing to two in 2023. No grant opportunities have been posted recently; the source does not indicate whether solicitations are currently open.
Funded activities center on civil society capacity building, institutional development for human rights organizations, governance training for judicial and law enforcement officials, and cultural programming addressing social exclusion and human rights awareness. Representative recent awards include a $2.5 million Cooperative Agreement (SNEAAC22CA0027, awarded October 2022) and a $1.4 million Cooperative Agreement (SNEAAC22CA0017, awarded January 2023). Earlier awards supported youth extracurricular activities, trafficking-in-persons training for judges and police, and advocacy filmmaking; Project Grant SNEAAC22GR0012 provided $15 thousand for youth drama and literature activities in November 2020.
The program is predominantly structured as Cooperative Agreements, which account for 61 percent of awards (14 of 23), with Project Grants comprising the remainder (39 percent, nine awards). The Department of State Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs funds the overwhelming majority by count and dollar volume: 18 awards totaling $19.7 million. The Department of State Bureau of African Affairs contributed five awards totaling $410 thousand. Typical award magnitudes in the recent cohort range from $698 thousand to $2.5 million for Cooperative Agreements, with Project Grants generally smaller. Program grants average 24 months in duration, though length varies by award.
Applicants must coordinate pre-award with State's Near Eastern Affairs Office of Assistance Coordination; all proposals are screened for terror finance concerns. Eligible applicants include non-profit and for-profit organizations. Awards over $500 thousand trigger single audit requirements under OMB Circular A-133.
The program's three-year gap between the most recent award (February 2023) and today represents a material lapse in funding activity. Current pursuit depends on confirmation that new solicitations have been posted on grants.gov.
Objective and description
- Objective
To support democracy and human rights in the Near East region.
- Description
To support democracy and human rights in the Near East region.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Non-profit, for-profit organizations interested in partnering with the NEA/AC to promote democratic principles in the Near East.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Any award made using State/NEA funds requires the full complement of standard federal forms and budget documents, CVs of main program staff, as dictated by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Administration, and the relevant OMB circulars. See www.grants.gov for specific announcement. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.
- Uses of assistance
All funds for grants will comply with the restrictions on foreign assistance, as specified in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. See www.grants.gov for specific announcement. This depends on the individual award.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Although the average length is 24 months, the specific length of time for programming grants may vary from one award to another. Details for each can be found on the respective announcements. All assistance for Centralized Payments, Cash Management, Financial Reporting, Debt Management, and Audit Assistance is with the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Payment Management one of the two non-DoD grants payment systems for use by the entire Federal Government.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Pre-award coordination is required for all grantees applying for foreign assistance grants through the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC) . This coordination will take place between program officers in the field and the recipient agencies, or between program officers in Washington, DC and the recipient organizations. See www.grants.gov for specific announcement. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Proposals are selected on the basis of their alignment with the objectives listed in the respective program solicitation. All awards are screened for terror finance and/or support per the relevant U.S. Department of State and federal guidelines and regulations. See www.grants.gov for specific announcement.
- Award procedure
A technical review panel reviews proposals and scores them in accordance with published review criteria and determines priority program recommendations for final negotiation on the grant. Award procedures are defined by the U.S. Department of State, Administration Bureau in accordance with relevant OMB Circulars.
- Renewals
Renewals must be coordinated with the State/NEA program officer, the Representative of State/Administration Bureau grants officer, and the recipient.
Grant awards
| Award | Recipient | Federal obligations | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| See award specs | Asl19 Inc. | $698,422 | |
| See award specifics | Institute For War And Peace Reporting -US | $1,413,734 | |
| See award specifics | International Republican Institute | $1,150,997 | |
| See award specifics | Damavand Horizon Inc. | $105,368 | |
| See award specs | Deakin University | $853,640 | |
| See award specifics | Heartland Alliance International, Inc. | $1,456,192 | |
| See award specs | Brave New Software Project, Inc. | $2,500,000 | |
| See award specifics | National Democratic Institute For International Affairs | $2,500,000 | |
| See award specifics | The Miaan Group Inc. | $1,190,000 | |
| See award specifics | International Research And Exchanges Board Inc. | $2,500,000 |
Latest 10 of 23 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asl19 Inc. | $2,872,238 | 14% |
| 2 | Brave New Software Project, Inc. | $2,500,000 | 12% |
| 3 | International Research And Exchanges Board Inc. | $2,500,000 | 12% |
| 4 | National Democratic Institute For International Affairs | $2,500,000 | 12% |
| 5 | Heartland Alliance International, Inc. | $1,456,192 | 7% |
| 6 | Institute For War And Peace Reporting -US | $1,413,734 | 7% |
| 7 | Eurasia Foundation (The) | $1,385,441 | 7% |
| 8 | The Miaan Group Inc. | $1,190,000 | 6% |
| 9 | International Republican Institute | $1,150,997 | 6% |
| 10 | E-Collaborative For Civic Education | $1,000,000 | 5% |
10 of 17 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2022 | $19,712,833 |
| FY2020 | $15,000 |
| FY2019 | $150,000 |
| FY2018 | $250,000 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 19.221?
Assistance Listing 19.221 is Regional Democracy Program, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (Department of State).
What is the CFDA number for Regional Democracy Program?
Its CFDA number is 19.221: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 19.221 awarded?
23 grant awards under 19.221 have obligated $20,127,833 in federal funds to 17 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 19.221?
The recipients obligated the most under Regional Democracy Program are Asl19 Inc. ($2,872,238), Brave New Software Project, Inc. ($2,500,000) and International Research And Exchanges Board Inc. ($2,500,000).
On GovTribe
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