Combatting Transnational Organized Crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina through Enhanced Forensic Accounting

The U.S. Department of State, through its Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), is offering a funding opportunity to combat transnational organized crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina by strengthening forensic accounting capabilities. INL’s mission focuses on enhancing global security by addressing crime, illegal drug trafficking, and instability abroad through coordinated foreign assistance and law enforcement support. This funding opportunity is aligned with that mission and targets systemic weaknesses in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s criminal justice sector, particularly in financial investigations related to organized crime. The purpose of this grant is to build sustainable forensic accounting expertise within Bosnia and Herzegovina by transforming an academic institution into a permanent training hub for prosecutors and law enforcement professionals. The program is designed to improve the ability of these professionals to trace illicit financial flows, analyze complex financial records, and support prosecutions against transnational criminal organizations. These organizations are known to exploit the Balkan region as a transit route for narcotics, weapons, and human trafficking, generating significant illicit financial activity that undermines regional stability and U.S. national security interests. Funding will support the development and delivery of specialized training curricula, hands-on instruction, and institutional capacity building. Activities include curriculum development, training delivery, and long-term sustainability planning for the academic institution. The program emphasizes practical, practice-oriented learning, including digital evidence handling and financial crime analysis. The award also requires the establishment of a continuing education system that can operate independently after the grant period, ensuring long-term impact without ongoing U.S. funding. Eligible applicants include U.S. and foreign nonprofit organizations and educational institutions, provided they meet registration requirements such as obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier and maintaining active registration in SAM.gov. Cost sharing is not required but is encouraged, and applicants must demonstrate the ability to track and document any proposed cost share contributions. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes a comprehensive set of documents such as standard federal forms, a proposal narrative, performance monitoring plan, risk analysis, and detailed budget documentation. Applications will be evaluated based on technical merit, including project design, feasibility, monitoring and evaluation planning, organizational capacity, and cost effectiveness. The review process involves a technical evaluation committee and final approval by INL leadership. Applicants must clearly demonstrate how their proposed activities will lead to measurable outcomes, including increased financial crime investigations and improved prosecution success rates. Key deadlines include a question submission deadline of June 15, 2026, and a final application deadline of July 15, 2026. The anticipated project start date is October 2026, with a performance period of 24 to 36 months. Successful applicants will be notified several months after submission, and reporting requirements include quarterly performance reports through INL’s DevResults system. Points of contact for this opportunity include Marco Horta and Iva Komsic, who can be reached via their official State Department email addresses for inquiries.

Ensure strong evidence-based theory of change; align activities directly to measurable outcomes; demonstrate institutional capacity and prior experience; provide detailed and realistic budget justification; address implementation risks thoroughly