Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA ILAB 17 08
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) released a discretionary funding opportunity, FOA ILAB 17 08, titled "Combating Forced Labor and Labor Trafficking of Adults and Children." The agency set aside about $6,000,000 in total funding and planned to issue up to three cooperative agreements, with each award capped at $2,000,000 in total costs. Because this is a cooperative agreement, awardees should expect an active partnership with ILAB during implementation, rather than a hands-off grant relationship, with technical coordination and ongoing engagement typical of this funding instrument.
The purpose of the program is to fund technical assistance projects that strengthen the ability of key labor stakeholders to recognize and respond to forced labor and labor trafficking. In practical terms, the opportunity is aimed at improving how people and institutions involved in labor governance and workplace compliance (such as labor ministries, labor inspectorates, employers and their associations, workers organizations, and other relevant partners) understand trafficking and forced labor risks, detect warning signs, and take action when abuses are suspected or confirmed. The overall emphasis is on capacity building and systems improvement rather than direct service delivery alone.
Each application must focus on a single country chosen by the applicant, and that country must already be identified by the Department of Labor as having relevant child labor or forced labor concerns. Specifically, eligible countries are those covered by the Department of Labor's Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor (under the Trade and Development Act of 2000) or included on the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor (as required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005). A major restriction applies to sector and geography: proposals that focus on work in the fisheries sector in the Asia-Pacific region will not be considered. ILAB also limited awards to no more than one per country, meaning applicants would be competing not just for funding, but for the single slot available for their selected country.
Within the chosen country, projects are expected to deliver three core outcomes. First, they must improve stakeholders understanding of indicators of forced labor and labor trafficking, which typically includes awareness of recruitment-related red flags, coercion and debt bondage indicators, restriction of movement, document retention, threats, violence, and other forms of control that distinguish trafficking and forced labor from other labor violations. Second, projects should improve the monitoring of working conditions by labor stakeholders so they are better able to identify and address indicators and incidents, which implies strengthened workplace assessment practices, reporting channels, coordination among institutions, and routine oversight that actually reaches at-risk workplaces and workers. Third, projects must strengthen the capacity of the labor inspectorate specifically to address forced labor and trafficking, pointing toward training, protocols, tools, referral pathways, and institutional improvements that help inspectors recognize trafficking indicators, respond appropriately, and coordinate with enforcement and protection actors when criminal conduct or victimization is found.
The performance period can be up to four years, with a maximum duration of 48 months from the effective date of the award. Applicants were allowed to submit up to three separate applications if they wanted to propose projects in different eligible countries, but they were not allowed to combine multiple countries into a single application. Each application had to request no more than $2,000,000 in total costs, aligning with the award ceiling and reinforcing that each country project is meant to be a contained, country-specific effort with clear results and deliverables.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was posted on September 11, 2017, with an original application deadline of October 11, 2017. Applications had to be received by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The program is associated with CFDA 17.401 and falls under the Employment, Labor and Training activity category. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full announcement, which typically signals that applicants should consult the FOA text for the precise list of eligible organization types and any documentation requirements.
Taken together, this FOA is designed to help countries with documented child labor or forced labor risks build stronger detection and response capacity within labor systems, especially through improved knowledge of trafficking indicators, better workplace monitoring, and a more capable labor inspectorate. The funding structure and one-award-per-country rule push applicants to propose focused, realistic, and well-coordinated country projects that can produce measurable improvements over a four-year window.Apply for FOA ILAB 17 08
- The Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Combating Forced Labor and Labor Trafficking of Adults and Children" 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 Sep 11, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 11, 2017 Applications must be received no later than 40000 p.m. Eastern Time.. (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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs - FOA ILAB 17 08: Combating Forced Labor and Labor Trafficking of Adults and Children
What is the name and number of this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Combating Forced Labor and Labor Trafficking of Adults and Children" and is identified as FOA ILAB 17 08.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB).
What type of award is being offered?
ILAB planned to make cooperative agreements, not traditional grants. This means awardees should expect active involvement from ILAB during implementation, including technical coordination and ongoing engagement.
How much total funding was available under this FOA?
ILAB set aside approximately $6,000,000 in total funding for this opportunity.
How many awards did ILAB plan to make?
ILAB planned to issue up to three cooperative agreements.
What is the maximum funding amount per award?
Each award was capped at $2,000,000 in total costs.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The purpose is to fund technical assistance projects that strengthen the ability of key labor stakeholders to recognize and respond to forced labor and labor trafficking of adults and children, with an emphasis on capacity building and systems improvement.
Is this opportunity focused on direct services or systems strengthening?
The overall emphasis is on capacity building and systems improvement within labor governance and workplace compliance, rather than direct service delivery alone.
Who are considered key labor stakeholders under this FOA?
The FOA targets stakeholders involved in labor governance and workplace compliance, such as labor ministries, labor inspectorates, employers and their associations, workers organizations, and other relevant partners within the chosen country.
Does each application have to focus on a single country?
Yes. Each application must focus on one country selected by the applicant. Applicants were not allowed to combine multiple countries into a single application.
Which countries are eligible to be selected for a project?
The selected country must already be identified by the Department of Labor as having relevant child labor or forced labor concerns. Specifically, eligible countries are those covered by the Department of Labor's Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor (under the Trade and Development Act of 2000) or included on the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor (required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005).
Are there any sector or regional restrictions?
Yes. Proposals that focus on work in the fisheries sector in the Asia-Pacific region were not to be considered.
How many awards could be made per country?
ILAB limited awards to no more than one per country, meaning there was only a single award slot available for each eligible country.
What are the required project outcomes?
Projects were expected to deliver three core outcomes within the selected country: (1) improved stakeholder understanding of indicators of forced labor and labor trafficking, (2) improved monitoring of working conditions by labor stakeholders to better identify and address indicators and incidents, and (3) strengthened capacity of the labor inspectorate to address forced labor and trafficking.
What does "improved understanding of indicators" mean in practice?
The FOA points to better awareness of forced labor and trafficking indicators such as recruitment-related red flags, coercion and debt bondage indicators, restriction of movement, document retention, threats, violence, and other forms of control that distinguish trafficking and forced labor from other labor violations.
What does "improved monitoring of working conditions" involve?
This outcome implies strengthened workplace assessment practices, reporting channels, coordination among institutions, and routine oversight that reaches at-risk workplaces and workers and supports identification and response to indicators and incidents.
Why is the labor inspectorate specifically emphasized?
One of the three required outcomes is to strengthen the labor inspectorate's capacity to address forced labor and trafficking, suggesting a focus on training, protocols, tools, referral pathways, and institutional improvements so inspectors can recognize indicators, respond appropriately, and coordinate with enforcement and protection actors when criminal conduct or victimization is found.
What is the maximum project length?
The performance period could be up to four years, with a maximum duration of 48 months from the effective date of the award.
How many applications could an applicant submit?
Applicants were allowed to submit up to three separate applications if proposing projects in different eligible countries. Multiple countries could not be combined into a single application.
What was the application deadline?
The original application deadline was October 11, 2017, and applications had to be received by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
When was the FOA posted?
The opportunity was posted on September 11, 2017.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The program is associated with CFDA 17.401.
What activity category is this FOA listed under?
It falls under the Employment, Labor and Training activity category.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the full announcement. Applicants would need to consult the FOA for the precise eligible organization types and any required documentation.
How should applicants think about project design given the one-award-per-country rule?
Because only one award could be made per country, applicants would be competing for the single slot for their selected country. This structure pushes applicants toward focused, realistic, and well-coordinated country proposals with clear results and deliverables over the project period.
What does ILAB's role look like during implementation under a cooperative agreement?
Under a cooperative agreement, ILAB indicated that awardees should expect an active partnership during implementation, including technical coordination and ongoing engagement rather than a hands-off relationship.
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| Building the Capacity of Civil Society to Combat Child Labor and Forced Labor and Improve Working Conditions Apply for FOA ILAB 17 10 Funding Number: FOA ILAB 17 10 Agency: Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
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| Engaging Young Adults with Community-Based Conservation and Recreation Opportunities Apply for P17AS00828 Funding Number: P17AS00828 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $80,000 |
| Expanding Explore Natural Communities Outreach to include other NCR Parks Apply for P17AS00826 Funding Number: P17AS00826 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Youth Employment and Education Programming at Fort McHenry NMHS and Hampton NHS Apply for NPS 17 NERO 0223 Funding Number: NPS 17 NERO 0223 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $83,000 |
| Conservation and Restoration Activities for Youth at Olympic National Park Apply for P17AS00835 Funding Number: P17AS00835 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $244,000 |
| Youth Engagement within Facilities Management at Southern Idaho Parks Apply for P17AS00842 Funding Number: P17AS00842 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $89,905 |
| Improving Landscape and Wildlife Viewing Opportunities through Vegetation Management Apply for P18AS00005 Funding Number: P18AS00005 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $95,121 |
| Natural Resource Education and Outreach Intern Apply for P18AS00012 Funding Number: P18AS00012 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $31,145 |
| Internships to Increase Public Access to Archival Resources in the NPS National Capital Region Apply for P18AS00039 Funding Number: P18AS00039 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $49,900 |
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| SCA Academy Orientation Week - NPS Alaska Region Apply for NPS DOIP18AC00186 Funding Number: NPS DOIP18AC00186 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $46,321 |
| Landscape Preservation-Youth Engagement Coordinator Apply for NPS 18 NERO 0015 Funding Number: NPS 18 NERO 0015 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $47,948 |
| Landscape Preservation-Youth Engagement Coord.(Boston) Apply for NPS 18 NERO 0016 Funding Number: NPS 18 NERO 0016 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $73,461 |
| PLC Youth Internship Program Apply for NPS 18 NERO 0017 Funding Number: NPS 18 NERO 0017 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $41,300 |
| Conservation Stewardship Corps Apply for NPS 18 NERO 0018 Funding Number: NPS 18 NERO 0018 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $48,882 |
| National Health Emergency (NHE) Dislocated Worker Demonstration Grants Apply for TEGL 12 17 Funding Number: TEGL 12 17 Agency: Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Planning Estimate for Program Year (PY) 2018 Allotments for the WIOA Youth, Adult, and Dislocated Worker Programs Apply for TEGL 13 17 Funding Number: TEGL 13 17 Agency: Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration Category: Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $117,927,789 |
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