Strengthening Philippine Maritime Legal Units

The Strengthening Philippine Maritime Legal Units funding opportunity is issued by the U.S. Department of State through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). INL’s mission is to enhance global stability and security by addressing crime, illegal drugs, and institutional weaknesses abroad. This program aligns with broader U.S. foreign policy objectives to support a rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific region. As outlined on page 1 of the NOFO, the initiative is part of the INL Philippines program and is funded under the Criminal Justice Systems category, with a total available funding amount of 2,500,000 U.S. dollars. The primary purpose of this grant is to strengthen maritime legal capacity within key Philippine justice institutions, particularly the Office of the Solicitor General and the Philippine Department of Justice. The program is designed to build sustainable, institutionalized legal expertise to address complex maritime governance challenges. According to the project description on page 4, the initiative aims to improve the Philippines’ ability to manage maritime disputes, enhance legal coordination across agencies, and promote adherence to international law frameworks such as UNCLOS. Funding will support a comprehensive set of technical assistance activities, including legal training, advisory services, professional exchanges, and the development of training curricula. The program emphasizes long-term institutional sustainability and prohibits the use of funds for operational maritime enforcement or equipment procurement. Allowable costs include training programs, workshops, monitoring and evaluation, and administrative support. Cost sharing is not required but is encouraged and must be properly documented if included in the proposal. Eligibility is limited to organizations, including U.S.-based and foreign-based nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. Applicants must demonstrate expertise in maritime or international law, experience in legal capacity building, and the ability to manage complex donor-funded programs. As detailed on page 8, for-profit organizations and public international organizations are not eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov and include a comprehensive proposal package consisting of standard federal forms, a detailed proposal narrative, performance monitoring plan, risk analysis, organizational documentation, and a full budget with narrative justification. The proposal narrative must address project context, theory of change, implementation plan, prior experience, and sustainability strategy. Evaluation criteria include project design, monitoring and risk management, institutional capacity, and cost effectiveness. The application timeline includes a question submission deadline of June 22, 2026, and a final application deadline of July 20, 2026, both by 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The anticipated project start date is January 2027, with a performance period of 36 months. Awards are expected to be announced by February 2027. The program is not described as recurring, and only one award is anticipated. Applicants may contact INL representatives Marco Horta or Elizabeth Hilburg via email for additional information. The selected recipient will be required to submit quarterly performance reports through INL’s DevResults system and comply with extensive federal reporting and compliance requirements. The program emphasizes measurable outcomes, sustainability, and alignment with both U.S. and Philippine strategic priorities in maritime governance.

Align proposal closely with evaluation criteria; demonstrate strong maritime legal expertise; provide clear theory of change and phased implementation; ensure detailed monitoring and risk planning