Justice for Underserved Disabled Youth Initiative (JUDY Initiative)
The United States Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), has announced an important funding opportunity for organizations working to promote justice and inclusion for disabled youth. The Justice for Underserved Disabled Youth Initiative (JUDY Initiative) aims to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities in Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and/or Central Asia. This blog post provides an overview of the initiative, its objectives, eligibility, and the application process.
A. Project Description
The JUDY Initiative seeks to achieve three main objectives:
- Promote the inclusion of youth with disabilities in Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs).
- Strengthen advocacy capabilities of OPDs and civil society groups to hold governments accountable for the implementation and enforcement of disability laws and policies.
- Increase access to resources and protections provided under the law for persons with disabilities.
Projects funded under this initiative should focus on countries in the target regions that have signed or ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). Priority will be given to countries with significant recommendations from the UN CRPD review committee. It is essential for applicants to work directly with OPDs and utilize disability-specific and mainstreaming approaches to address gaps in legislation and implementation of universal standards and UN treaty commitments.
Proposals should identify two or more countries from Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and/or Central Asia for programming purposes and include a thorough analysis of the disability rights landscape. Specific areas of focus and opportunities for progress regarding the identified countries should be highlighted.
B. Federal Award Information
The funding opportunity allows primary organizations to submit one application in response to the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The U.S. government reserves the right to accept or reject applications, accept more than one application, and waive irregularities in the received applications.
DRL may award either a grant or cooperative agreement based on the needs and risk factors of the program. The final determination will be made by the Grants Officer. Cooperative agreements may require greater involvement from the Federal government in the project.
C. Eligibility Information
The JUDY Initiative welcomes applications from a range of organizations, including U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/non-governmental organizations (NGOs), public international organizations, private and public institutions of higher education, and for-profit organizations or businesses. DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities, but there may be instances where for-profit entities are best suited.
It’s important to note that for-profit entities may undergo additional review after the panel selection process. Additionally, profit is prohibited for for-profit or commercial organizations under the Department of State’s assistance awards.
D. Application Deadline and Process
The application deadline for the JUDY Initiative is 11:59 PM EST on June 30, 2023. Interested organizations should consult the proposal submission instructions (PSI) on the DRL website for detailed application information.
The proposal should include a comprehensive project description, budget, and plan of work. It is crucial for proposals to demonstrate collective action, encouraging civil society to take collective action around shared concerns for the protection of human rights and the dignity of all people.
Local leadership and community involvement are highly valued in the JUDY Initiative. Projects should focus on activities at the local and community level and allocate a minimum of 33% of the total proposed budget for sub-granting mechanisms to organizations led by and for persons with disabilities in the target countries. Budgets must also include a line item with a minimum of 3% of total funding for accommodations to program staff and/or participants.
Finally the purpose of Post writing
Provide latest information and opportunity for you . read our upcoming post and get more information . The Justice for Underserved Disabled Youth Initiative (JUDY Initiative) presents a significant funding opportunity for organizations. More information visit Department of State website links