Reducing Barriers that Impede Access to Education and Decent Work for LGBTQI+ Youth in Brazil and the Latin American and Caribbean Region | FOA ILAB 24 32

Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA ILAB 24 32

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) is offering a single cooperative agreement of up to about $4,000,000 (depending on the availability of federal funds) to support a technical assistance project focused on LGBTQI+ youth in Brazil and across the Latin American and Caribbean region. The core purpose of the grant is to strengthen how existing laws, public policies, and national plans are put into practice, specifically to reduce the real-world barriers that prevent LGBTQI+ young people from accessing education and moving into decent work. In other words, the funding is aimed less at creating brand-new legal frameworks and more at improving implementation, coordination, and practical outcomes so that protections and inclusion policies translate into safer schools, fairer hiring, and better job opportunities.

The project is expected to deliver progress in three main outcome areas. First, it should raise knowledge among key labor stakeholders about the obstacles LGBTQI+ youth face in education and in accessing decent work. This implies activities such as evidence gathering, stakeholder learning, training, research-to-practice products, and dissemination that help decision-makers and practitioners understand discrimination pathways, exclusion patterns, and what "decent work" looks like for LGBTQI+ youth in different contexts. Second, the project should improve coordination among those labor stakeholders so that efforts to expand decent work opportunities for LGBTQI+ youth are aligned rather than fragmented. This can include strengthening referral pathways, linking education-to-work initiatives with worker protection systems, aligning public and private sector efforts, and improving collaboration among government, employers, unions, training institutions, and civil society so that youth support is not isolated in one program or city. Third, the project should build the capacity of LGBTQI+ labor stakeholders to provide safe and affirming environments for LGBTQI+ youth, pointing toward practical improvements such as safer workplace and training settings, inclusive support services, stronger organizational practices, and enhanced ability of LGBTQI+ organizations and allies to deliver youth-centered assistance without exposing participants to additional risk.

This opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant using a cooperative agreement instrument, meaning the Department of Labor is likely to maintain a more active partnership role than it would under a standard grant. The funding opportunity number is FOA ILAB 24 32, it is associated with CFDA number 17.401, and ILAB anticipates making one award. The posted closing date is 2024-10-11, and the opportunity was created on 2024-07-22. Interested organizations are encouraged to monitor Grants.gov and use the subscription feature for updates tied to this specific funding opportunity.

Eligibility is broad. Commercial organizations, international organizations, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations can apply, including faith-based groups, community-based organizations, and public international organizations, as long as they are capable of carrying out work that improves implementation of laws, policies, and national plans related to LGBTQI+ youth access to education and decent work in Brazil and the wider region. Importantly, the notice emphasizes that not having prior experience with U.S. Department of Labor cooperative agreements, grants, or contracts does not prevent an organization from being eligible, which signals that new or smaller implementers may still be considered if they can demonstrate capacity and a credible approach.

On the compliance and registration side, applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) before they apply. The same requirement extends to subrecipients: if the selected applicant plans to issue subawards, those subrecipients must also have UEIs before the Department of Labor will approve subawards. For administrative preparation, the opportunity references the UEI and SAM registration resources (including SAM.gov) that applicants typically need to complete well ahead of submission deadlines to avoid last-minute delays.

For questions specifically about the forecasted funding opportunity announcement, the contact provided is ortiz.carlie@dol.gov.

• The Bureau of International Labor Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Reducing Barriers that Impede Access to Education and Decent Work for LGBTQI+ Youth in Brazil and the Latin American and Caribbean Region" 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 2024-07-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-10-11. (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 $4,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for FOA ILAB 24 32

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