Kenya: Crowd Control and Less-Than-Lethal Riot Response Training

The U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, known as INL, is offering the Kenya: Crowd Control and Less-Than-Lethal Riot Response Training funding opportunity under the Kenya Security Sector Reform Support program and Assistance Listing 19.705, Transnational Crime. INL's mission is to keep Americans safe by countering crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad through foreign assistance programs, diplomatic engagement, and policy coordination. This cooperative agreement is intended to address a security sector skills gap in Kenya that creates risks for U.S. citizens, businesses, investments, and diplomatic operations. The program focuses on strengthening Kenyan police command and control during critical incidents and improving public order management capabilities in advance of Kenya's August 2027 elections and other future civil disturbances. The project has two principal objectives. First, the implementing partner must conduct a comprehensive assessment of Kenyan law enforcement crowd control and riot response capabilities, identify important skill gaps, prepare a written assessment, and design a tailored training program that makes use of equipment and resources already available to Kenyan law enforcement. Second, the project must deliver targeted training to relevant Kenyan riot response personnel on less-than-lethal techniques and crowd control strategies so they can respond effectively and proportionately to public disorder. Proposed activities may address de-escalation and communication, less-than-lethal force application and safety, tactical crowd management, scenario-based training and simulations, intelligence-led policing and early warning systems, medical and humanitarian response coordination, leadership and command development, and train-the-trainer programming. Target audiences include riot response personnel and units within the Kenyan National Police Service. A total of USD 1,600,000 is available, with individual awards ranging from at least USD 500,000 to a maximum of USD 1,600,000. INL anticipates one to two awards, depending on award amounts. The initial period of performance is 12 months, with an anticipated November 2026 start. Cost sharing is recommended but is not required. If an applicant voluntarily proposes cost share, it must be properly documented, tracked, and reflected in the SF-424A, detailed budget, and budget narrative. Protective equipment such as full-body armor, shields, helmets, gloves, and gas masks may be proposed, although such procurement is not required. The overall strategy must rely on resources currently available to Kenyan law enforcement, and proposals may not include procurement of less-than-lethal weapon systems or munitions. Construction is not allowable or applicable, and other restrictions include alcohol, land purchases or leases, electoral campaign support, and certain other prohibited costs identified in the NOFO. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations, qualifying U.S.-based educational institutions, foreign-based nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations, foreign-based educational institutions, U.S.-based for-profit organizations, and foreign-based for-profit organizations. Applicants must have current registration under Kenya's Public Benefit Organizations Act 2013, formerly the NGO Coordination Act. The prime organization must perform most project activities in terms of both scope and budget; predominantly pass-through arrangements are ineligible. Public International Organizations are excluded. Organizations must also have a Unique Entity Identifier and active SAM.gov registration, and applicants may submit only one proposal per organization. Consortia are permitted if one organization serves as the lead applicant and the others are identified as subrecipient partners. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov. Required materials include the signed SF-424, SF-424A, a proposal narrative of no more than 25 pages, a Performance Monitoring Plan including a Change Map and Illustrative Performance Indicator Reference Sheet, a Project Risk Analysis, project timeline including a Sustainability Timeline, organizational biography, key personnel information, partner information when applicable, a required receiving-state letter of support, summary and detailed budgets, budget narrative, applicable indirect-cost documentation, history of U.S. Government federal assistance awards, the FY2026 INL Applicant Pre-Award Risk Survey and its required supporting documents, and an organizational audit or an explanation of why an audit is not required. The proposal narrative must address project context, theory of change and implementation, evidence, prior work, sustainability, and applicable procurement justification and institutional continuity considerations. Applications that fail to provide required documents or otherwise comply with the announcement may be deemed ineligible. Technically eligible applications will be evaluated using a 100-point framework. Project Analysis and Design accounts for 35 points, Program Monitoring and Risk for 30 points, Institution's Record and Capacity for 20 points, and Cost Effectiveness for 15 points. Review considerations include the accuracy and insight of the problem analysis, evidence supporting the theory of change, feasibility of implementation, sustainability, measurable indicators, data collection, risk and Do No Harm analysis, relevant institutional experience, receiving-state buy-in, staff qualifications, reasonable activity and personnel costs, appropriate administrative costs, and realistic procurement costs. If applications receive equivalent scores, the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate receives preference as a tie-breaking mechanism. INL first conducts a technical eligibility review, followed by committee evaluation and management and Grants Officer approval. The NOFO was issued July 16, 2026. Questions are due by August 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST, and applications are due September 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST through Grants.gov. The anticipated project start is November 2026, and unsuccessful applicants are expected to be notified by November 2026. The primary Grants Officer contact is Najar Starr at StarrND@state.gov; additional INL contacts listed in the NOFO include Maureen Mimnaugh at MimnaughM@state.gov and Jerry Chelulei. Grants.gov also identifies INLKenyaProposals@state.gov as a program contact. Recipients must provide participant information for Leahy vetting at least 60 calendar days before affected activities begin, submit required DevResults enrollment forms within 30 days of award, and provide quarterly performance reporting through DevResults. Final Change Map and Performance Indicator Reference Sheet documents, when not final at award, are due within 60 days of award.

Align proposed activities directly with both program objectives and Kenyan law enforcement skill gaps; ground the theory of change in evidence and lessons from previous interventions; demonstrate strong receiving-state buy-in and institutional ownership; provide a concrete sustainability roadmap that transitions responsibility to Kenyan counterparts by the end of the 12-month period; use quantitative and concrete monitoring indicators with a credible data-collection plan; address Do No Harm risks to both law enforcement beneficiaries and citizens; ensure activity, personnel, administrative, and procurement costs are realistic and clearly tied to objectives; support high-cost procurement with market analysis or cost comparison; ensure the prime organization performs most technical activities rather than functioning primarily as a pass-through entity.