Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0009358

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announced a discretionary grant opportunity titled "DRL Strengthening Independent Civil Society in Cuba to Advance Labor Rights and Empowering Cuban Entrepreneurs" (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0009358). The opportunity was issued as a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI), meaning the government is first seeking brief initial submissions from organizations that want to be considered for an invitation to submit fuller concept notes. The overall purpose is to support efforts that strengthen independent civil society in Cuba, with a particular focus on advancing labor rights and empowering Cuban entrepreneurs.

This opportunity is structured as a grant (rather than a contract), which typically indicates DRL is looking to fund programmatic initiatives that align with foreign assistance and human rights objectives, not the delivery of a predefined set of services. The activity category is listed as "Other," signaling the work may be cross-cutting or not easily placed into a single standard program area, but it is clearly anchored in democracy, rights, labor, and civil society strengthening. In practical terms, applicants would be expected to propose initiatives that help independent civic actors operate more effectively, connect with each other, and build capacity to advocate for labor rights while also supporting entrepreneurial activity in a challenging environment.

In terms of funding scale, the award ceiling is $750,000 per award, and DRL anticipated making two awards under this announcement. That suggests DRL was looking for a small number of comparatively substantial projects rather than many small grants. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 19.345, which corresponds to U.S. Department of State public diplomacy and foreign assistance programming administered through DRL and related offices.

Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. In many DRL opportunities, this category often includes nonprofit organizations, nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, and sometimes educational institutions or other qualified entities, depending on the specific eligibility language. The issuing agency is DRL within the Department of State, reflecting the program's emphasis on human rights, democratic governance, and labor protections.

The opportunity was created on February 17, 2023, and the original closing date was March 20, 2023. Because the announcement uses an RSOI format, the deadline likely applied to the initial statement of interest stage, after which selected organizations may have been invited to submit more detailed concept notes or full applications. Overall, this funding opportunity is best understood as targeted support for independent Cuban civil society actors and networks, aiming to improve conditions for labor rights advocacy and to strengthen the capacity and resilience of Cuban entrepreneurs through civic empowerment and related programming.

  • The Department of State, Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DRL Strengthening Independent Civil Society in Cuba to Advance Labor Rights and Empowering Cuban Entrepreneurs" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.345.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Feb 17, 2023.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 20, 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 $750,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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