Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0007653
The FY 2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity for Innovation in Child Protection: Intersectoral Approaches for Child Well-being is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0007653) designed to strengthen child protection outcomes for refugee and conflict-affected children in the context of COVID-19. The opportunity is built around the reality that the pandemic did not create child protection risks so much as it sharply intensified them, especially for displaced children who were already living with compounded vulnerabilities and limited access to services. PRM frames the problem as a convergence of stressors such as widespread poverty, prolonged school closures, rising health and psychosocial distress, and xenophobia, all of which are well-established drivers of negative child protection outcomes including child labor, early and forced marriage, family separation, and multiple forms of violence against children.
A central concern highlighted in the notice is the disruption of social protection and service delivery systems caused by COVID-19 mitigation measures. When schools, community centers, case management networks, and routine health and social services are interrupted, children become less visible to protection actors and less able to access help. At the same time, household-level stressors increase, and coping mechanisms can become harmful, which elevates the risk of exploitation, abuse, neglect, and violence. PRM also points to the broader economic contraction occurring during the pandemic, emphasizing that shrinking resources make it even more important for the sector to find approaches that prevent harm early and use existing platforms more effectively rather than relying only on stand-alone, resource-intensive protection programming.
The main strategic focus of the funding opportunity is innovation in intersectoral child protection, meaning activities that intentionally integrate child protection objectives, methods, and safeguards into programs led by other sectors. In practice, this can include embedding prevention, identification, and referral pathways into education, health, nutrition, livelihoods, WASH, shelter, or broader social assistance interventions. The notice reflects a consensus within the child protection community of practice that children should be placed at the center of humanitarian and protection responses, and that all sectoral interventions should actively look for ways to promote child well-being, prevent harm, and identify children who need specialized services. Rather than treating child protection as a separate vertical program, the opportunity emphasizes cross-sector design so that everyday service contact points can become consistent, practical channels for risk reduction and early detection.
PRM notes that the field already has a substantial body of technical guidance, tools, and standards supporting intersectoral approaches, but that a persistent gap remains in translating that guidance into routine implementation. The funding opportunity is therefore positioned as a bridge between global best practice and what is operationally feasible in diverse humanitarian settings. In particular, the pandemic is cited as exposing the urgency of getting these technical resources into the hands of field stakeholders, including local actors, and ensuring that effective practices are institutionalized across organizations rather than depending on isolated pilot projects or individual champions. The intent is not only to test new ideas, but to help normalize and embed intersectoral child protection approaches so they can be adapted and sustained across contexts.
From an administrative standpoint, the award instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally signals that the funding agency expects a higher level of ongoing engagement during implementation than a standard grant. The CFDA listing is 19.522, the maximum award amount listed is $1,000,000, and the opportunity was posted on February 17, 2021 with an original closing date of April 14, 2021. Eligibility is presented broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the original text field, indicating that applicants likely include a range of organizations involved in refugee assistance and humanitarian protection work, potentially including NGOs, international organizations, and other qualified entities depending on the specific eligibility language in the full notice.
Overall, this funding opportunity is aimed at practical, field-ready innovation that helps child protection principles and services function even when traditional systems are disrupted. The emphasis is on prevention and early identification through cross-sector programming, strengthening the ability of frontline services to recognize risk, connect children to support, and promote child well-being as a shared responsibility across the humanitarian response.Apply for SFOP0007653
- The Department of State, Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity for Innovation in Child Protection: Intersectoral Approaches for Child Well-being" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.522.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 17, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 14, 2021. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "FY 2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity for Innovation in Child Protection: Intersectoral Approaches for Child Well-being."
Which U.S. government office is offering this grant?
It is offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).
Is this a discretionary grant opportunity?
Yes. The notice describes it as a PRM discretionary grant opportunity.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SFOP0007653.
What is the CFDA listing for this opportunity?
The CFDA listing is 19.522.
What type of award instrument will be used?
The award instrument is a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
Based on the notice, a cooperative agreement generally indicates PRM expects a higher level of ongoing engagement during implementation than would typically occur under a standard grant.
What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum award amount listed is $1,000,000.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on February 17, 2021.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was April 14, 2021.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to strengthen child protection outcomes for refugee and conflict-affected children in the context of COVID-19 through innovation in intersectoral approaches that promote child well-being, prevent harm, and improve early identification and referral.
Why does PRM focus on child protection in the context of COVID-19?
PRM frames COVID-19 as sharply intensifying existing child protection risks rather than creating entirely new ones, especially for displaced children facing compounded vulnerabilities and limited access to services.
What child protection risks are highlighted in the notice?
The notice identifies stressors such as widespread poverty, prolonged school closures, rising health and psychosocial distress, and xenophobia, and connects these to negative outcomes including child labor, early and forced marriage, family separation, and multiple forms of violence against children.
What problem does the notice identify with social protection and service delivery during the pandemic?
It highlights disruption to systems and services due to COVID-19 mitigation measures. When schools, community centers, case management networks, and routine health and social services are interrupted, children can become less visible to protection actors and have fewer pathways to access help.
How does the notice describe the relationship between household stress and protection risks?
It states that when household-level stressors increase, coping mechanisms may become harmful, which raises the risk of exploitation, abuse, neglect, and violence.
How does PRM connect the economic contraction to the types of solutions it wants to fund?
PRM notes that shrinking resources during the pandemic make it more important to prevent harm early and to use existing platforms more effectively, rather than relying only on stand-alone, resource-intensive protection programming.
What does "innovation in intersectoral child protection" mean in this opportunity?
It refers to activities that intentionally integrate child protection objectives, methods, and safeguards into programs led by other sectors, so child protection becomes part of routine service delivery rather than a separate vertical program.
Which sectors are specifically mentioned as potential platforms for integration?
The notice mentions education, health, nutrition, livelihoods, WASH, shelter, and broader social assistance interventions as examples of sectors where child protection prevention, identification, and referral pathways can be embedded.
What kinds of integrated activities does the notice suggest?
Examples include embedding prevention, identification, and referral pathways into non-protection sector programs so that everyday service contact points can function as practical channels for risk reduction and early detection.
Does the opportunity treat child protection as a stand-alone program area?
No. The emphasis is on cross-sector design that places children at the center of humanitarian and protection responses and encourages all sectoral interventions to actively promote child well-being, prevent harm, and identify children who need specialized services.
Why does PRM emphasize translating guidance into routine implementation?
PRM notes that while there is substantial technical guidance, tools, and standards supporting intersectoral approaches, a persistent gap remains in translating that guidance into routine, operational implementation across diverse humanitarian settings.
Is the intent mainly to test new ideas, or to institutionalize existing best practices?
Both themes appear in the notice. It is positioned as a bridge between global best practice and what is operationally feasible, with an intent not only to test new ideas but also to normalize and embed intersectoral child protection approaches so they can be adapted and sustained.
How does the notice describe the role of local and field stakeholders?
It emphasizes getting technical resources into the hands of field stakeholders, including local actors, and ensuring effective practices are institutionalized across organizations rather than depending on isolated pilot projects or individual champions.
What population is the opportunity focused on?
It focuses on refugee and conflict-affected children, particularly in humanitarian settings where COVID-19 has disrupted services and increased risks.
What outcomes is PRM trying to achieve through this funding?
The notice emphasizes prevention and early identification through cross-sector programming, strengthening frontline services to recognize risk, connect children to support through referral pathways, and promote child well-being as a shared responsibility across the humanitarian response.
Who is eligible to apply according to the notice summary?
Eligibility is presented broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the original text field. The description suggests applicants likely include a range of organizations involved in refugee assistance and humanitarian protection work, potentially including NGOs, international organizations, and other qualified entities depending on the specific eligibility language in the full notice.
Does the summary provide the full eligibility language?
No. It indicates additional eligibility details are referenced in the original text field, implying the full notice contains the specific eligibility requirements.
Is this opportunity designed for field-ready approaches or primarily research/pilots?
It is aimed at practical, field-ready innovation that can function even when traditional systems are disrupted, and it emphasizes approaches that can be normalized and embedded rather than remaining isolated pilots.
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