U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
March 29, 2005

U.S. Department of State Issues "Request for Applications" for Humanitarian Mine Action Grants

The Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (WRA) in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs is issuing a new Request for Applications for grants to advance humanitarian mine action. Grant applications will be accepted from non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and international organizations. The State Department may provide up to $2 million in funding for the grants for projects ranging from $20,000 to $500,000. Depending on the quality of the proposals and changes in programming assumptions, WRA reserves the right to make no awards.

Four specific categories are being considered: 1.) development of methodologies to support national mine action planning processes using current landmine impact survey data; 2.) enabling transition of mine action programs to host nation management; 3.) encouraging private sector support for mine action and destruction of abandoned ordnance; and 4.) to match funds raised from non-U.S. Government sources, up to a total of $100,000 maximum, for demining and mine risk education projects in countries that receive U.S. mine action assistance.

Applications for unsolicited projects relevant to WRA’s goals and objectives, including projects to abate small arms, light weapons and Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS), may also be submitted.

Details about the grants process; forms; WRA plans for countries to which it gives mine action assistance; requesting a Data Universal Numbers System (DUNS) Number; registering with the Central Contractor Registry; and electronic submission procedures are available at www.Grants.gov. For consideration, applications for this new round of grants must be electronically filed through the Grants.gov website no later than 12:00 midnight Eastern Time on Monday, May 2, 2005 and will not be accepted by other means unless approved in advance by Mr. Richard G. Stickels Jr., Grants Officer, telephone (202) 663-0107; email: Stickels@pmwra.org.

To examine the complete Request for Applications announcement on the Grants.gov website; click "Get Started" on the homepage; click "Browse by Agency," then click "Department of State;" and finally scroll to the entry posted by the WRA office.

General information about WRA office is available at:

www.state.gov/t/pm/wra.