Empowering Women and Girls in Supply Chains | FOA ILAB 18 07

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Empowering Women and Girls in Supply Chains (FOA ILAB 18 07)

What is the name and funding opportunity number of this grant?

The opportunity is called Empowering Women and Girls in Supply Chains, with Funding Opportunity Number FOA ILAB 18 07.

Which agency is offering this opportunity?

This opportunity was launched by the U.S. Department of Labor, specifically the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB).

How much funding is available?

ILAB set aside about $5,000,000 in total funding, contingent on the availability of federal funds.

How many awards does ILAB plan to make?

ILAB anticipated making one award total, meaning applicants would compete for a single, large project award rather than multiple smaller awards.

What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?

The award ceiling was listed as $5,000,000.

What type of award is it?

The funding was planned as a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement means the Department of Labor expects to be more actively involved than under a typical grant, including closer collaboration and oversight while the project is carried out.

What is the overall purpose of the project?

The project is intended to support a single, large technical assistance effort aimed at reducing serious labor rights abuses affecting women and girls in global supply chains, using economic empowerment as a strategy that is clearly linked to preventing labor exploitation.

Who is the primary target population?

The focus is on vulnerable women and girls who are at risk of child labor, forced labor, and other labor rights violations within a targeted supply chain in a selected country.

What does ILAB mean by "economic empowerment" in this opportunity?

In this context, economic empowerment is framed as a practical way to reduce vulnerability to exploitation by improving access to safe paid options, strengthening bargaining power, and reducing the conditions that can lead to child labor, forced labor, and other abuses.

Does the project have to focus on both individuals and businesses?

Yes. The opportunity is designed to work at both the worker level and the business level, recognizing that harmful labor conditions are driven by a mix of household vulnerability and private-sector practices.

What are the two main outcomes applicants are expected to achieve?

The opportunity is organized around two outcomes:

• Improve the economic participation of women and girls vulnerable to child labor, forced labor, and other labor rights violations within the targeted supply chain.
• Improve business practices among private-sector actors in that supply chain so companies have stronger systems and incentives to prevent child labor, forced labor, and related violations affecting women and girls.

What does "improve the economic participation" of women and girls imply?

Based on the description, it implies interventions that increase access to safer work, skills, income opportunities, or other practical pathways that make exploitation less likely for vulnerable women and girls in the targeted supply chain.

What does it mean to "improve business practices" in the supply chain?

It means engaging private-sector actors (such as companies, producers, and intermediaries) so that they strengthen their systems and incentives to prevent child labor, forced labor, and related labor rights violations affecting women and girls, including issues that can stem from business policies and purchasing practices.

Does the project have to be limited to one country?

The opportunity describes a targeted intervention focused on a specific country and a defined supply chain, indicating the project is meant to be anchored in one country context rather than spread across multiple countries.

Are there restrictions on which country an applicant can select?

Yes. Applicants must select a country that appears in the Department of Labor's Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor (issued under the Trade and Development Act of 2000).

Why is the "Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor" list important for eligibility?

This requirement narrows the scope to countries where the U.S. has identified ongoing concerns related to the worst forms of child labor, aligning the project with established U.S. government monitoring and reporting.

Does the project have to focus on a particular supply chain?

Yes. The project must be anchored in a defined supply chain, and the targeted good must be exported to the United States.

Does the targeted good have to be connected to the U.S. market?

Yes. A design requirement is that the targeted good in the supply chain must be exported to the United States.

Does the targeted good need to be on a specific Department of Labor list?

The supply chain must involve either:

• a good listed on the Department of Labor's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor (often referred to as the TVPRA List), or
• a good not on that list, as long as the applicant provides substantive evidence showing indicators of child labor or forced labor in that supply chain.

If the good is not on the TVPRA List, can it still qualify?

Yes. The good can still qualify if the applicant can provide substantive evidence showing indicators of child labor or forced labor in that supply chain.

What does ILAB mean by an "evidence-driven" approach here?

The design emphasizes demonstrated risk: the supply chain must either be tied to a good on the TVPRA List or supported by substantive evidence of indicators of child labor or forced labor if the good is not listed.

Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?

Yes. The program is categorized as a discretionary funding opportunity.

What is the activity area for this funding opportunity?

The activity area is listed as Employment, Labor and Training.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The CFDA number provided is 17.401.

When was the opportunity originally posted?

The opportunity was originally posted on July 6, 2018.

What was the original application deadline?

The original deadline was August 20, 2018, with applications due by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others", with the note that additional clarification would be expected in the full announcement (typically detailing which organization types can apply and under what conditions).

Does this opportunity suggest what kinds of organizations might be eligible?

It indicates that the full announcement would typically clarify eligible organization types such as nonprofits, universities, international organizations, or similar entities, but the specific eligible categories are not fully detailed in the summary provided.

What makes this opportunity different from a standard grant focused only on beneficiaries?

Two features stand out in the description provided: (1) it requires work at both the worker and business levels, and (2) it is a cooperative agreement, implying closer Department of Labor involvement during implementation.

What kinds of labor rights abuses is the opportunity trying to reduce?

The opportunity is explicitly focused on reducing serious labor rights abuses affecting women and girls, including child labor, forced labor, and other labor rights violations that can occur in global supply chains.

What is the core logic behind combining economic empowerment with private-sector engagement?

The underlying logic described is that reducing household and individual vulnerability (through economic empowerment) and strengthening corporate safeguards (through improved business practices) together can lower the likelihood of labor exploitation in the parts of the supply chain where women and girls are most exposed.