Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0005257
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) offered a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Internet Freedom: Advancing and Promoting Anti-Censorship Transport Libraries" (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0005257). The program focuses on strengthening internet freedom by supporting the long-term development and real-world deployment of censorship-defeating "pluggable transports" (PTs). Pluggable transports are interchangeable transport-layer obfuscation protocols that help users and internet freedom tools communicate even when governments or other actors try to detect, block, or throttle access. In practical terms, the grant is meant to fund the technical work and supporting infrastructure needed to build, maintain, and expand libraries of these anti-censorship transports so they remain effective as censorship tactics evolve.
The core intent of the opportunity is to advance an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet, consistent with broader U.S. policy described in Executive Order 13800. DRL frames this work as supporting privacy and resilience while guarding against disruption, fraud, and theft. Applicants were asked to submit proposals that lay out program concepts aligned with this mission, with an emphasis not just on creating new technical approaches, but also on sustaining them over time through core support, outreach to relevant communities, and implementation that gets the technology into actual use.
Financially, the opportunity listed an award ceiling of up to $2,000,000, with DRL expecting to make one award. The funding instrument was a grant, categorized under "Other" as the funding activity type (with details presumably clarified in the full notice). The CFDA number associated with the program was 19.345. The notice was created on July 12, 2018, and the original application closing date was November 9, 2018. Eligibility was broadly labeled as "Others," indicating that the full announcement likely provided specific eligibility details or restrictions beyond the summary fields.
Overall, this grant competition was designed for an organization capable of acting as a long-term steward of anti-censorship transport libraries: doing sustained research and engineering, supporting ongoing operations and maintenance, coordinating with users and partner projects through outreach, and ensuring deployment pathways so the transports are integrated into censorship circumvention tools and can be updated quickly when censors adapt.Apply for SFOP0005257
- The Department of State, Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Internet Freedom: Advancing and Promoting Anti-Censorship Transport Libraries" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.345.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 12, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 09, 2018. (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 $2,000,000.00 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).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Internet Freedom: Advancing and Promoting Anti-Censorship Transport Libraries."
Which U.S. government office is offering this funding?
The funder is the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SFOP0005257.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The program focuses on strengthening internet freedom by supporting the long-term development and real-world deployment of censorship-defeating "pluggable transports" (PTs) and the libraries that maintain and distribute them.
What are "pluggable transports" (PTs) in this context?
Pluggable transports are interchangeable transport-layer obfuscation protocols that help users and internet freedom tools communicate even when governments or other actors try to detect, block, or throttle access.
What does the grant mean by "anti-censorship transport libraries"?
In practical terms, the funding is meant to support the technical work and supporting infrastructure needed to build, maintain, and expand collections (libraries) of anti-censorship transports so they remain effective as censorship tactics evolve.
What kinds of activities does DRL emphasize beyond creating new technology?
DRL emphasizes sustaining the work over time through core support, outreach to relevant communities, and implementation that gets the technology into actual use, not only proposing new technical approaches.
What outcomes is DRL trying to achieve through this opportunity?
The intent is to advance an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet by supporting privacy and resilience while also guarding against disruption, fraud, and theft.
How does this opportunity relate to broader U.S. policy?
DRL describes the effort as consistent with broader U.S. policy described in Executive Order 13800.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is up to $2,000,000.
How many awards did DRL expect to make?
DRL expected to make one award.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
How is the funding activity type categorized?
The funding activity type is categorized as "Other" (with additional specifics presumably described in the full notice).
What CFDA number is associated with this program?
The CFDA number associated with the program is 19.345.
When was the notice created?
The notice was created on July 12, 2018.
What was the application closing date?
The original application closing date was November 9, 2018.
Who is eligible to apply based on the summary information provided?
Eligibility is broadly labeled as "Others," which suggests the full announcement likely contained the specific eligibility details or restrictions beyond the summary fields.
What kind of organization is this grant competition designed for?
It is designed for an organization capable of serving as a long-term steward of anti-censorship transport libraries, including sustained research and engineering, ongoing operations and maintenance, outreach and coordination with users and partner projects, and deployment pathways so transports can be integrated into circumvention tools and updated quickly as censors adapt.
Is the focus on research only, or also on deployment?
The focus includes both long-term development and real-world deployment, with an emphasis on implementation that results in actual use.
Why does the opportunity stress long-term maintenance and operations?
Because censorship tactics evolve over time, the program description emphasizes building, maintaining, and expanding transport libraries and the supporting infrastructure so the transports remain effective and can be updated as censors adapt.
What role does outreach play in the proposed work?
Outreach is highlighted as part of sustaining the work, including engagement with relevant communities and coordination with users and partner projects to support implementation and uptake.
What does interoperability mean in the context of this opportunity?
Based on the description, interoperability is part of the goal of an open internet and suggests the transports and their libraries should be usable in practice across relevant tools and contexts to support reliable communications under censorship pressure.
Does the summary specify any restrictions or detailed requirements?
The summary does not provide detailed restrictions or full requirements; it indicates that additional details (such as eligibility specifics and the meaning of the "Other" activity type) were likely clarified in the full funding notice.
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