Opportunity Information: Apply for H NOFO 23 103
The grant opportunity titled "Developing A Framework To Counter Cyber-enabled Human Trafficking (CEHT)" is a U.S. Department of State program, run through the U.S. Mission to India and specifically announced by the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad. It funds a single project designed to bring structure, shared terminology, and practical policy direction to the problem of cyber-enabled human trafficking, with a focus on how the issue is showing up in India and selected Asian countries. The core idea is to convene the right mix of experts and affected communities through a combination of virtual and in-person consultations, then translate what is learned into a concrete, India-focused draft National Plan of Action that can be presented to the appropriate government the following year for potential adoption.
The project is meant to do two tightly linked things. First, it should help define what "cyber-enabled human trafficking" means in practice, since online tools can facilitate trafficking at many stages, including recruitment, grooming, advertising, coordination, payments, coercion, and control. Second, it should document and analyze how CEHT is currently being observed in select Asian contexts, drawing on the experience of Indian and international practitioners. These consultations are not intended to be purely academic; they are meant to produce a working understanding of the threat landscape, the actors and methods involved, the gaps in detection and enforcement, and the barriers survivors face when seeking help or justice. The expectation is that this knowledge is captured and organized in a way that is usable for policy and operational planning, not just discussion.
A major deliverable is a draft National Plan of Action for India to counter CEHT, developed through a multi-stakeholder process. The opportunity explicitly calls for involvement from a broad cross-section of stakeholders across the country, including trafficking survivors, NGO leaders, cyber experts, lawyers, law-enforcement officers, and local government officials. That mix signals the program is looking for a plan that balances survivor-centered approaches with legal and technical realities, and that accounts for how trafficking and cybercrime are handled at different levels of government and across jurisdictions. The plan would ideally outline roles and responsibilities, recommend prevention and awareness strategies, propose improved reporting and referral mechanisms, address investigative and prosecutorial needs, consider victim protection and rehabilitation services, and suggest coordination models for government, civil society, and relevant private-sector stakeholders where appropriate.
Funding is offered under a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning the funder typically expects ongoing engagement and coordination during implementation rather than a fully hands-off grant. The award ceiling is USD 150,000, with an expectation of one award. The activity categories listed for the opportunity include business and commerce, community development, education, and health, reflecting how CEHT intersects with multiple systems, from labor markets and online platforms to community vulnerability, public awareness, and trauma-informed support services. The assistance listing is under CFDA number 19.040.
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and U.S. nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions). The opportunity was created on April 11, 2023, and the original closing date was May 26, 2023. In practical terms, this competition sought an organization capable of running high-quality convenings across disciplines and geographies, synthesizing diverse inputs into a coherent framework, and drafting a credible, actionable national plan that can stand up to scrutiny from government and practitioner communities.Apply for H NOFO 23 103
- The Department of State, U.S. Mission to India in the business and commerce, community development, education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Developing A Framework To Counter Cyber-enabled Human Trafficking (CEHT)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 11, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 26, 2023. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Developing A Framework To Counter Cyber-enabled Human Trafficking (CEHT)."
Which U.S. government entity is offering this program?
This is a U.S. Department of State program, run through the U.S. Mission to India and specifically announced by the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad.
What is the overall purpose of the project?
The project is designed to bring structure, shared terminology, and practical policy direction to the problem of cyber-enabled human trafficking (CEHT), with attention to how the issue is showing up in India and selected Asian countries.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of one award.
What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling is USD 150,000.
What kind of award mechanism will be used?
Funding is offered under a discretionary cooperative agreement, which typically means the funder expects ongoing engagement and coordination during implementation rather than a fully hands-off grant.
What is the key concept behind "cyber-enabled human trafficking" in this opportunity?
The opportunity treats CEHT as trafficking that is facilitated by online tools at multiple stages, including recruitment, grooming, advertising, coordination, payments, coercion, and control.
What are the two main things the project is expected to do?
The project is meant to do two tightly linked things: (1) help define what "cyber-enabled human trafficking" means in practice, and (2) document and analyze how CEHT is currently being observed in select Asian contexts using the experience of Indian and international practitioners.
Are the consultations intended to be academic research only?
No. The consultations are explicitly not intended to be purely academic. They are meant to produce a working understanding that can be used for policy and operational planning.
What methods or activities are expected to be used to gather input?
The core approach is to convene the right mix of experts and affected communities through a combination of virtual and in-person consultations.
What kinds of insights are the consultations expected to produce?
The consultations are expected to surface and organize practical insights such as the CEHT threat landscape, the actors and methods involved, gaps in detection and enforcement, and barriers survivors face when seeking help or justice.
What is the major deliverable of the project?
A major deliverable is a draft National Plan of Action for India to counter cyber-enabled human trafficking, developed through a multi-stakeholder process.
How will the National Plan of Action be used?
The draft plan is intended to be presented to the appropriate government the following year for potential adoption.
Who is expected to be involved in developing the draft National Plan of Action?
The opportunity calls for involvement from a broad cross-section of stakeholders across India, including trafficking survivors, NGO leaders, cyber experts, lawyers, law-enforcement officers, and local government officials.
Why does the opportunity emphasize a broad mix of stakeholders?
The stated mix suggests the program is looking for a plan that balances survivor-centered approaches with legal and technical realities, and that accounts for how trafficking and cybercrime are handled at different levels of government and across jurisdictions.
What topics should the draft National Plan of Action ideally cover?
The plan would ideally outline roles and responsibilities; recommend prevention and awareness strategies; propose improved reporting and referral mechanisms; address investigative and prosecutorial needs; consider victim protection and rehabilitation services; and suggest coordination models for government, civil society, and relevant private-sector stakeholders where appropriate.
Which geographies are in scope?
The opportunity focuses on India and selected Asian countries, drawing on Indian and international practitioner experience.
Does the opportunity specify that the plan must be India-focused?
Yes. The project is expected to translate consultation findings into a concrete, India-focused draft National Plan of Action.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and U.S. nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education institutions).
Are non-U.S. nonprofits listed as eligible applicants in the provided information?
No. Based on the information provided, eligibility explicitly includes U.S. nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and higher education institutions (public/state-controlled and private). No other applicant categories are listed in the description.
What capabilities would a competitive applicant likely need (based on the opportunity description)?
The competition sought an organization capable of running high-quality convenings across disciplines and geographies, synthesizing diverse inputs into a coherent framework, and drafting a credible, actionable national plan suitable for review by government and practitioner communities.
What are the activity categories associated with this opportunity?
The listed activity categories include business and commerce, community development, education, and health.
Why are the activity categories so broad?
The categories reflect that CEHT intersects with multiple systems, including labor markets and online platforms, community vulnerability and awareness, and trauma-informed support and health-related needs.
What is the CFDA number for this assistance listing?
The assistance listing is under CFDA number 19.040.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on April 11, 2023.
What was the original application closing date?
The original closing date was May 26, 2023.
What does it mean that the grant is designed for a single project?
It means the funding is intended to support one integrated effort that links consultations and analysis directly to the production of a draft National Plan of Action, rather than multiple unrelated projects.
What kind of output is expected besides convenings?
Beyond convenings, the project is expected to capture and organize knowledge into a usable framework and produce a concrete draft National Plan of Action that can inform policy and operational planning.
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