Countering Transnational Repression Through Evidence-based Research

The Countering Transnational Repression Through Evidence based Research funding opportunity is issued by the U.S. Department of State through the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. This federal program is part of the Democracy Fund and reflects the Department’s broader mission to promote human rights and democratic governance globally. The opportunity is structured as an open competition and supports a single award to an eligible applicant. The initiative focuses on addressing transnational repression, a growing concern involving foreign actors targeting diaspora communities across borders through coercion, surveillance, and manipulation of institutions. The primary purpose of this grant is to support rigorous, evidence based research that investigates how perpetrators of transnational repression infiltrate diaspora communities, including through faith based and quasi governmental organizations. The program aims to generate actionable findings that can inform protective measures, policy responses, and enforcement strategies. Applicants are expected to leverage open source intelligence methods, collaborate with diaspora networks, and produce research outputs that can be used by civil society, law enforcement, judicial authorities, and policymakers to counter these threats. Funding under this opportunity is capped at a maximum of 986679 dollars, with total available funding equal to the same amount, indicating a single anticipated award. The period of performance ranges from 18 to 24 months, and projects must be completed within 24 months or less. Funds are intended to support research activities, community engagement, training, documentation, reporting, and dissemination of findings. Restrictions include prohibitions on funding certain activities such as payments to specific international entities and activities that encourage migration caravans toward the United States border. The grant also requires compliance with federal regulations, anti discrimination laws, and specific policy frameworks. Eligibility for this funding opportunity is broad and inclusive. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, civil society groups, think tanks, public and private educational institutions, for profit organizations, individuals, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. Organizations must have a valid Unique Entity Identifier and active registration in SAM.gov, while individuals are exempt from this requirement. Cost sharing or matching is not required and does not improve competitiveness, which lowers barriers to entry for applicants with limited resources. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov or MyGrants and includes several mandatory components. Applicants must complete standard federal forms such as SF 424, SF 424A, and SF 424B, and provide a detailed proposal narrative of up to 15 pages. The proposal must outline the project’s objectives, methodology, timeline, partnerships, monitoring and evaluation plan, and sustainability strategy. Additional required documents include a budget justification narrative, key personnel descriptions, and letters of support. Applications must be submitted in English, formatted according to specified guidelines, and adhere strictly to submission requirements. Applications will be evaluated based on criteria including the quality and feasibility of the program idea, organizational capacity, clarity of objectives, budget realism, monitoring and evaluation plans, and sustainability of impact. A review committee will assess all eligible submissions, and risk factors such as financial stability and past performance will also be considered. Preference may be given to applicants with lower indirect cost rates in tie breaking situations. Successful applicants will receive formal award notices and must comply with reporting, branding, and administrative requirements throughout the grant period. The application deadline is August 10, 2026 at 1159 PM Eastern Time, with an anticipated project start date of September 30, 2026. The program is not explicitly stated as recurring, and no pre application requirements such as letters of intent are specified. Questions regarding the application process can be directed to the official email contact provided by the Department of State. Overall, this funding opportunity represents a significant investment in research and collaboration aimed at countering transnational repression and strengthening global human rights protections.

Focus on clear feasible program design strong monitoring and evaluation plan and demonstrated organizational capacity aligned with program objectives