Emergency Assistance for Fundamental Freedom Defenders
Limited submission
This grant offers emergency funding to individuals and organizations at imminent risk due to their efforts to defend fundamental freedoms like speech, assembly, and association.
Funder: Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor
Due Dates: September 8, 2026 (Full application deadline, 11:59 PM ET)
Funding Amounts: One award of $983,500 for a project period of up to 18 months; no cost sharing required.
Summary: Supports rapid, emergency assistance for individuals and organizations under imminent threat due to their work defending fundamental freedoms and human rights worldwide.
Key Information: Only one proposal per organization; global scope (excluding Iran and DPRK); applicants must have active SAM.gov registration and UEI.
Description
This funding opportunity, issued by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), aims to provide on-demand, emergency support to individuals and organizations facing imminent threats due to their work promoting and defending fundamental freedoms—such as freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, and association—outside the United States. The program is designed to offer flexible, short-term emergency financial support, as well as referrals for medium-term services (e.g., legal support, digital security, trauma counseling), to enable defenders to continue their efforts in challenging environments.
The awardee will be responsible for rapidly identifying and assisting beneficiaries under threat, in close coordination with the Department of State, and must be able to provide on-demand emergency support globally (with the exception of Iran and the DPRK). The program will support a variety of interventions, including cash transfers, in-kind support, legal aid, safe housing, psychosocial assistance, equipment replacement, and more. The recipient organization must also be prepared to refer beneficiaries to other networks and service providers as needed.
