Understanding the Environmental Harm Resulting from Criminal Organizations’ Activities and their Facilitators in Latin America and the Caribbean | SFOP0008966

Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0008966

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is offering a discretionary funding opportunity focused on understanding and measuring the environmental damage linked to criminal organizations operating in Latin America and the Caribbean. The project is meant to go beyond general descriptions of harm by producing an assessment that can quantify impacts, connecting environmental degradation to specific illicit activities and, where relevant, to the facilitators who enable those activities. In practical terms, the work would likely involve identifying how organized crime contributes to environmental destruction in the region, estimating the scale of the damage, and producing findings that can inform law enforcement, policy, and international cooperation efforts.

This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the U.S. government expects to have substantial involvement during the life of the award. Rather than a purely hands-off grant, a cooperative agreement often includes ongoing coordination with INL on planning, implementation, and deliverables. The funding activity category is listed under Law, Justice, and Legal Services, reflecting INL's broader mission to strengthen rule of law and counter transnational organized crime, even when the immediate subject matter is environmental harm.

The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $1,125,000, and INL anticipates making one award. The opportunity was created on May 25, 2022, with an original application deadline of July 25, 2022. The CFDA (now often referred to as Assistance Listing) number associated with the program is 19.705. The funding opportunity number is SFOP0008966, and the official title is "Understanding the Environmental Harm Resulting from Criminal Organizations' Activities and their Facilitators in Latin America and the Caribbean."

Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with further clarification referenced in the full announcement under an "Additional Information on Eligibility" section. That wording usually signals that eligibility may include a range of entities such as non-profits, universities, think tanks, research organizations, or other qualified institutions, but applicants would need to confirm details in the complete notice to ensure they meet all requirements.

At its core, this competition seeks a capable organization to design and carry out a rigorous, evidence-based analysis of how criminal organizations in the LAC region drive environmental harm, and to translate that analysis into quantifiable findings. The expected result is a clearer, data-supported picture of the environmental consequences of organized criminal activity, providing actionable knowledge that can support justice-sector responses, policy decisions, and potentially future enforcement or prevention strategies.

• The Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics-Law Enforcement in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Understanding the Environmental Harm Resulting from Criminal Organizations’ Activities and their Facilitators in Latin America and the Caribbean" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.705.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 25, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 25, 2022. (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 $1,125,000.00 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 SFOP0008966

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