Establish, Develop, and Operationalize the East Africa Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Center of Excellence and Counter-messaging Hub in East Africa

SUMMARY The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism announces a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for organizations interested in submitting proposals to support the U.S. Government’s countering violent extremism (CVE) objectives in East Africa. Toward this goal, proposal efforts should be directed at supporting the establishment, development, and operationalization of the recently-announced East Africa CVE Center of Excellence and Counter-messaging Hub. The Government of Djibouti has agreed to provide a physical location for the Center. The purpose of the hub (hereafter the “Center”) is to serve as a platform in the region for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the East Africa sub-regional body, and its member states to conduct training and other capacity-building programs, as well as research related to CVE (including counter-messaging) for governments (national and sub-national) and civil society. It will also provide a platform for delivery of CVE training and capacity-building programs by international and multilateral actors for East African government and civil society organizations in the region. CT invites organizations to submit applications outlining concepts and capacities for developing and providing technical support to promote the CVE center. CT will interface with IGAD, Specific project activities include providing a range of administrative, legal, and technical support for the establishment and staffing of the Center and developing a long-term strategic plan for the Center’s work. Key training topics and areas of focus for the Center include, but are not limited to: the development and implementation of comprehensive national CVE strategies for specific IGAD member states; counter-messaging and promoting alternative narratives; research and analysis on drivers of violent extremism and effective communication methods for countering extremism; strengthening community partnerships with law enforcement and justice sector officials; countering prison radicalization and promoting rehabilitation and reintegration of former violent extremists; and strengthening civil society’s role in CVE. Organizations should submit applications separately for each project they propose to implement. All applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov or GrantSolutions.gov by 11:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on May 2, 2016.