Strengthening the Civil Society capacity to combat corruption and impunity | INL21GR0050 WHPELSAL CIVILSOCIETY 081821

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this grant competition?

The discretionary grant competition is titled "Strengthening the Civil Society capacity to combat corruption and impunity."

Which U.S. government office is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

What country is the project focused on?

The grant focuses on efforts in El Salvador.

What is the main purpose of the grant?

The central purpose is to strengthen civil society organizations (CSOs) in El Salvador so they can better identify, prevent, investigate, and document corruption, and help move well-prepared cases toward prosecution or other formal accountability actions.

Why does the notice describe corruption as an economic burden in El Salvador?

The notice frames corruption as a major economic burden that affects daily life, particularly for people with fewer resources. It states that corruption increases costs and reduces access to essential services such as health care, education, and justice, and cites an estimate of about $1.3 billion per year (roughly 5 percent of GDP).

How does the opportunity describe the scale of the corruption problem?

It references Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index score for El Salvador (36 out of 100) as an indicator of the problem's seriousness.

What kinds of activities is INL trying to strengthen in civil society?

The opportunity emphasizes building concrete monitoring and investigative capacity, improving how corruption risks are detected and documented, and ensuring credible information can be organized and presented in ways that support legal or administrative action.

Is this grant focused on general advocacy or on technical capacity?

The description highlights support for CSOs to do more than general advocacy. The focus is on strengthening practical tools and technical capacity for monitoring, reporting, investigation, documentation, and case development tied to formal accountability processes.

What high-risk areas does INL want civil society to oversee more effectively?

The notice calls out accountability in areas such as national and local budgeting, public expenditures, and public service delivery.

What does the opportunity mean by "civil society oversight" and accountability?

It refers to stronger, more effective CSO monitoring and investigation so government institutions face real accountability, especially where public funds and services are involved, and so credible findings can lead to action through legal or administrative channels.

How does the opportunity connect citizen-driven tools with traditional oversight systems?

INL describes pairing citizen-driven accountability tools with improvements to established oversight channels, and reinforcing or modernizing traditional mechanisms such as political checks and balances, accounting and auditing systems, administrative rules, and legal procedures.

What are the three main results INL expects grantees to pursue?

The notice lists three expected results: (1) increased civil society participation in monitoring and analyzing potential corruption; (2) deeper public and institutional understanding of how corruption operates through reporting and investigations that emphasize evidence-based findings; and (3) broader dissemination of information about anti-corruption efforts across relevant parts of society.

What does "increased participation in monitoring and analyzing potential corruption" involve?

Based on the notice, it implies more systematic observation of public decisions, spending, procurement, and service delivery, and an improved ability to flag irregularities early.

What does the grant suggest about reporting and investigations?

It suggests an emphasis on promoting reporting and investigations that contribute to evidence-based understanding of corruption, rather than relying on purely anecdotal claims.

What does "broader dissemination" mean in this context?

The notice describes dissemination as sharing information about anti-corruption efforts across relevant parts of society, including informing the public, encouraging responsible reporting, and ensuring watchdog work is visible enough to deter wrongdoing and build trust in legitimate accountability efforts.

What type of funding instrument is being used?

The funding instrument is a grant.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this notice?

The Funding Opportunity Number is INL21GR0050 (WHPELSAL CIVILSOCIETY 081821).

What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number and program area?

The CFDA/Assistance Listing is 19.703, and the activity area is categorized as Law, Justice and Legal Services.

How many awards did the program anticipate making?

The program anticipated making around three awards.

What is the maximum award amount (ceiling) listed?

The award ceiling listed in the notice is $120,000.

When was the opportunity created and when did it originally close?

The opportunity was created on August 18, 2021, and the original closing date was October 18, 2021.

Who is eligible to apply, based on what is provided here?

Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with the specific categories clarified in the full eligibility section of the notice.

What kinds of organizations are this grant opportunity designed for?

The description indicates it is designed for organizations that can credibly strengthen CSO technical skills and practical anti-corruption tools in El Salvador, particularly those tied to public finance oversight, service delivery monitoring, structured reporting, and case development that can support prosecution or other formal accountability processes.

Does the notice emphasize short-term activities or durable capacity?

It emphasizes building durable capacity and reinforcing oversight systems so civil society can play a sustained, informed role in detecting corruption, limiting impunity, and increasing transparency in how government operates.

What ultimate outcomes is INL trying to support through this grant?

Based on the notice, the intended outcomes include stronger civil society oversight, improved detection and documentation of corruption risks, better-prepared cases that can move toward prosecution or formal action, reduced impunity, and increased transparency and accountability in government operations.