Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0014022

The Strengthening Civil Society and Governance in South Asia Fund is a U.S. Department of State grant opportunity seeking a single organization to serve as the Fund Manager for a regional program that supports civil society efforts to improve governance, transparency, and accountability across South Asia. The Fund was established in 2019 and has already supported a large cohort of local organizations by providing sub-grants and hands-on capacity-building. The next award continues that model by selecting one managing organization to oversee how funds are distributed and how participating civil society groups are strengthened to deliver results.

The program is focused on five South Asian countries where prior support has been concentrated: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The intent is to help civil society organizations play a more effective role in governance-related work, including monitoring government performance and advocating for reforms that increase openness and reduce opportunities for corruption or misuse of public resources. In practice, this means the Fund Manager would be responsible for running a structured sub-grant program and providing technical assistance so local partners can execute stronger projects, improve compliance and financial management, and demonstrate measurable impact.

The Fund prioritizes four broad thematic areas. First, it emphasizes increasing public sector accountability and transparency, with particular attention to infrastructure procurement and public spending. This can include monitoring procurement processes, tracking public expenditures, and supporting watchdog or oversight activities that help citizens understand how public money is allocated and used. Second, it supports strengthening democratic institutions and practices, including work that counters disinformation. That can involve efforts to strengthen civic information ecosystems, promote election integrity or institutional checks and balances, and build resilience against coordinated misinformation campaigns. Third, it recognizes emerging concerns such as environmental governance, reflecting growing demand for civil society engagement on climate, natural resource management, pollution, and the integrity of environmental decision-making. Fourth, it aims to promote civic participation in all these areas, reinforcing the idea that improvements in governance are more durable when citizens and communities have the tools and opportunities to participate in public decision-making.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued under a cooperative agreement, which typically implies a more collaborative relationship with the U.S. government during implementation than a standard grant. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $2,595,000 and anticipates making one award, meaning the selected organization would manage the full program budget and act as the central hub coordinating sub-awards, partner support, and reporting. The opportunity number is DFOP0014022, the assistance listing is tied to CFDA 19.108, and the original application closing date was July 1, 2024, with a posting/creation date of May 3, 2024.

Eligibility, as provided in the source data, is limited to nonprofits that do not have 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education). In effect, the Department is looking for an organization capable of operating as a regional fund manager: designing and running sub-grant competitions, conducting due diligence, overseeing compliance and monitoring, providing capacity-building, and ensuring that supported civil society organizations can carry out effective governance and accountability initiatives across the target countries.

  • The Bureau of Counterterrorism in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening Civil Society and Governance in South Asia Fund" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.108.
  • This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-03.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-01. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,595,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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