Filling the educational gap in the fight against violent extremism in Togo: Design, Adoption, and Implementation of a dedicated Curriculum. | PDS LOME FY2022 03

Opportunity Information: Apply for PDS LOME FY2022 03

This grant opportunity, issued by the U.S. Embassy in Lome (U.S. Department of State), funds a program in Togo focused on preventing violent extremism through education. The core idea is to design, adopt, and begin implementing a dedicated curriculum that helps address the rising threat of violent extremism affecting northern Togo and the wider region. While Togo has historically been relatively stable compared with some neighbors, the spillover of violence from Burkina Faso has worsened the country security outlook, reflected in poor recent Global Terrorism Index scores. Togolese authorities report significant impacts already, including dozens of military deaths, over one hundred civilian deaths, and thousands of people displaced or forced to seek refuge outside the country. Against this backdrop, the Embassy is seeking proposals that use education as an upstream, preventative tool rather than relying only on security responses after violence occurs.

The opportunity is closely tied to the Togolese government National Strategy for the Prevention of Violent Extremism (SNAPLEV). During the national strategy validation workshop, stakeholders identified a major gap: prevention through education had been largely overlooked, including in prison settings where radicalization risks can be heightened. This grant is meant to fill that gap in a way that aligns with the intent and direction of the national strategy, rather than creating a parallel approach. The program is also framed as a way to showcase U.S. expertise and strengthen the growing U.S.-Togo partnership by supporting practical tools that Togolese institutions can use.

In practical terms, the Embassy is looking for a preventative curriculum approach that reaches both formal education and corrections environments. Expected deliverables include, first, the development of a teaching manual for schools that can support instruction on preventing violent extremism, likely incorporating themes such as resilience to recruitment, critical thinking, civic responsibility, social cohesion, and nonviolent conflict resolution. Second, the program should establish training and awareness clinics for prisons, indicating a hands-on model that equips prison staff and possibly incarcerated populations with knowledge and skills aimed at reducing vulnerability to extremist messaging and supporting rehabilitation and reintegration. The emphasis is on launching teaching and training functions, not only producing written materials, which implies that applicants should plan for stakeholder engagement, pilot activities, training-of-trainers elements, and practical implementation steps that make the curriculum usable inside institutions.

The award is a grant with an expected maximum funding level (award ceiling) of $250,000. The funding opportunity number is PDS LOME FY2022 03, published by the U.S. Mission to Togo under CFDA 19.979. The original application deadline listed is 2023-08-15. The notice is described as an open competition, meaning multiple organization types may apply as long as they can credibly carry out the work and meet any administrative requirements.

Eligibility is broad and includes not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations), public and private educational institutions, for-profit organizations, individuals, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. A specific note is directed at U.S.-based NGOs: they are expected to demonstrate real in-country expertise and to involve local experts who can support implementation effectively. In addition, applicants are responsible for negotiating prior agreements with relevant Togolese state institutions needed to carry out activities in schools and prisons. The Embassy Public Affairs Section may request evidence of these agreements, so proposals need to show they have secured, or can realistically secure, the necessary government coordination and permissions to operate in these sensitive settings.

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at creating durable prevention capacity inside Togolese systems by embedding counter-violent-extremism prevention into education and corrections programming. A strong application would therefore be one that is clearly aligned with SNAPLEV priorities, grounded in local context, practical about implementation in schools and prisons, and structured to leave behind tools and training capacity that Togolese partners can continue using after the grant period ends.

• The U.S. Mission to Togo in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Filling the educational gap in the fight against violent extremism in Togo: Design, Adoption, and Implementation of a dedicated Curriculum." and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.979.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-06-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-08-15. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for PDS LOME FY2022 03

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