Building the Capacity of Civil Society to Combat Child Labor and Forced Labor and Improve Working Conditions | FOA ILAB 18 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA ILAB 18 01

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) announced a discretionary funding opportunity (FOA ILAB 18 01) to strengthen the ability of civil society organizations to combat child labor and forced labor and to improve working conditions within a specific sector and/or supply chain. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning ILAB anticipates substantial involvement with the recipient during implementation, rather than providing a hands-off grant. The opportunity is explicitly focused on building practical, on-the-ground capacity so that civil society actors can better understand labor abuses, bring credible evidence to light, mobilize public and stakeholder attention, and carry out solutions that protect workers.

A central feature of this opportunity is that applicants must propose both the country and the sector or supply chain where the project will operate. The proposed country must be one that appears in either (or both) of the Department of Labor's key reference lists: the Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor and/or the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor. In other words, applicants cannot select any country at random; they must anchor the project in a context where the U.S. government has already identified child labor or forced labor concerns, and they must connect the project to a particular industry, commodity, or supply chain where risks are present and where targeted interventions could reasonably make a difference.

The project is designed to deliver three main outcomes. First, it aims to improve the capacity of civil society to identify and document accurate, independent, and objective information about the nature and scope of child labor and/or forced labor, as well as violations of acceptable conditions of work, within the chosen sector or supply chain. This is essentially an evidence-building outcome: strengthening skills and systems for fact-finding, documentation, and credible reporting so that findings are reliable, defensible, and useful for driving accountability and reform. Second, the opportunity seeks to improve civil society's capacity to raise awareness and advocate for the protection of workers from child labor and forced labor abuses and from substandard working conditions. This outcome emphasizes outreach, communication, and engagement with workers, communities, and other stakeholders so that risks are better understood, protections are demanded, and tolerance for exploitation is reduced. Third, it focuses on improving civil society's ability to implement initiatives that directly address child labor, forced labor, and unacceptable working conditions, including efforts that facilitate access to grievance mechanisms and/or remedies for victims of labor exploitation. This points to action-oriented programming that goes beyond reporting and awareness, helping connect affected workers to complaint channels, assistance, and remediation while supporting practical interventions that reduce exploitation.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was issued by the Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, under CFDA number 17.401 (Employment, Labor and Training). ILAB expected to make one award, with a maximum (ceiling) amount of $2,600,000, contingent on the availability of funds. The funding opportunity was created on May 22, 2018, with an original application deadline of July 2, 2018, and applications required submission by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with applicants instructed to consult the additional eligibility information in the full announcement for specifics, which typically clarifies which types of organizations (such as NGOs, CSOs, research institutions, or similar entities) may apply and under what conditions.

Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as an investment in civil society infrastructure and effectiveness within a defined high-risk environment. Rather than funding general anti-exploitation messaging, it prioritizes building durable local capabilities: generating trustworthy data, translating that information into awareness and pressure for change, and implementing concrete mechanisms that help prevent abuse and improve access to justice and remedies for workers affected by child labor or forced labor.

• The Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Building the Capacity of Civil Society to Combat Child Labor and Forced Labor and Improve Working Conditions" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 17.401.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 22, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 02, 2018 Applications must be received no later than 40000 p.m. Eastern Time.. (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 $2,600,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for FOA ILAB 18 01

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