From Research to Practice: Using Knowledge to Accelerate Progress in the Elimination of Child Labor and Forced Labor | NOI ILAB 18 02

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOI ILAB 18 02

The opportunity titled "From Research to Practice: Using Knowledge to Accelerate Progress in the Elimination of Child Labor and Forced Labor" is a Notice of Intent (NOI) from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). This means it is not yet an actual funding announcement and applications are not being accepted at this time. ILAB is signaling that, if funding is available, it expects to launch a competitive funding process later through a formal Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The anticipated funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically implies a more hands-on relationship with the government during implementation than a standard grant, including substantial involvement by the agency in guiding or collaborating on the work.

The core purpose of the future award is to speed up the real-world use of rigorous research in the global fight against child labor and forced labor. The emphasis is not just on producing research for academic purposes, but on ensuring that policymakers and practitioners can actually find, understand, and apply credible evidence, along with data collection and analysis tools, to design and improve laws, policies, and programs. In other words, ILAB is aiming to tighten the link between evidence and action so that research findings translate more quickly into practical strategies that reduce exploitation and protect workers and children.

ILAB outlines four main outcomes the project is expected to achieve. First, it seeks to increase the ability of policymakers and practitioners to access and use rigorous research, relevant datasets, and analytical tools that can inform interventions addressing child labor and forced labor internationally. Second, it aims to increase researchers' understanding of the most pressing policy and program questions and the specific knowledge gaps that still need to be answered to strengthen anti-exploitation efforts. Third, the project is expected to improve the capacity of researchers themselves to study child labor and forced labor, which could include improving methodological skills, strengthening research infrastructure, and supporting better data practices. Fourth, ILAB wants to increase engagement of skilled, multidisciplinary, policy-oriented researchers who can conduct high-quality studies that are directly relevant to decision-making and program design.

From the administrative details provided, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, under the activity category of Employment, Labor and Training, with CFDA number 17.401. The NOI is identified as "NOI ILAB 18 02" and was created on April 26, 2018. Although an "OriginalClosingDate" of July 31, 2018 is listed in the source data, the notice repeatedly clarifies that this is not an open solicitation and that no applications are being accepted under the NOI itself; any real deadline would be established only after the FOA is officially published. The notice indicates the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Office of Grants Management anticipated publishing the FOA as soon as possible and no later than July 2018, though it explicitly notes that timing could change.

In terms of funding expectations, the award ceiling listed is $2,800,000, with an expectation of 1 award noted in the source data, even though the narrative also references "one or more" cooperative agreements. Eligibility is broadly described as "Others," with a note to consult the eventual FOA for clarification on who can apply. For preparation purposes, interested organizations are directed to ILAB's grants webpage (http://www.dol.gov/ilab/grants/) for general guidelines and examples from previous cooperative agreement applications, which can help applicants understand typical expectations and submission components even before the FOA is released.

Finally, the notice stresses that it does not include the FOA itself or any attachments and should only be treated as a public signal of intent. Organizations interested in applying are advised to monitor www.grants.gov because that is where any eventual FOA would be posted, and no email or paper copies would be distributed. The practical takeaway is that this NOI is an early heads-up for organizations working at the intersection of labor exploitation, research, and evidence-based policy, giving them time to prepare partnerships, concepts, and capacity in advance of a formal competition.

• The Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "From Research to Practice: Using Knowledge to Accelerate Progress in the Elimination of Child Labor and Forced Labor" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 17.401.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 26, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 31, 2018 NOTE This is a Notice of Intent. An announcement is not related to this notice. We are not accepting applications at this time.. (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 $2,800,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOI ILAB 18 02

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