Reducing Violent Extremis through strengthening of Youth Political Participation at the local level | PAS LOME FY2022 05

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAS LOME FY2022 05

The grant opportunity titled "Reducing Violent Extremism through strengthening of Youth Political Participation at the local level" is a U.S. government-funded project competition run by the U.S. Mission to Togo (U.S. Embassy in Lome). It sits under the broader U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability, which the White House highlighted on April 1, 2022, by naming priority countries and regions considered at elevated risk of instability. Togo is included within the Coastal West Africa priority region alongside Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo, and the overall purpose of the strategy is to reduce drivers of conflict and strengthen conditions for long-term stability. Within that framework, this specific funding call focuses on reducing violent extremism by expanding and strengthening youth participation in political processes at the local level.

The funding mechanism is a discretionary grant (Funding Opportunity Number PAS LOME FY2022 05), categorized under "Other" assistance activities and listed under CFDA 19.701. The opportunity was created on June 27, 2022, and had an original application deadline of July 27, 2022. The maximum award amount listed is $250,000. While the notice indicates "ExpectedAwards:" without a number provided in the source text, the key takeaway is that applicants were competing for grant funding up to that ceiling to implement a targeted program aligned with the Embassy's stabilization and prevention goals.

Geographically, the project is designed to operate across a defined set of local constituencies/communes in Togo: Kpendjal 1, Kpendjal Ouest 2, Tone 1, Oti Sud 1, Keran 1, Tchamba 1, Tchaoudjo 1, Anie 1, and Agoe-Nyive 4 (Zongo). Several of these areas are in northern Togo, where concerns about spillover insecurity and recruitment into extremist networks have been a growing regional issue, while Agoe-Nyive 4 (Zongo) is in the Lome area. By specifying these locations, the Embassy is signaling that proposals should be place-based and tailored to local dynamics rather than broad national campaigns.

Programmatically, the notice frames youth political participation as a practical way to reduce vulnerability to violent extremism. In plain terms, the grant is meant to support activities that help young people engage constructively with local governance: building civic knowledge, improving access to local decision-making spaces, strengthening youth voices in community problem-solving, and encouraging peaceful participation in political and civic life. Although the notice excerpt does not list required activities or performance indicators, the stated objective implies interventions such as youth civic education, leadership development, dialogue and consultation forums with municipal authorities, mentorship and coalition-building among youth groups, and initiatives that make local governance more responsive and inclusive for younger residents. The underlying logic is that when young people have credible nonviolent pathways to be heard and influence local priorities, it can reduce grievances, alienation, and the appeal of extremist messaging.

Eligibility is broad but clearly defined. Applicants may include not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations), public and private educational institutions, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. A specific note is directed at U.S. NGOs: they are expected to demonstrate strong in-country local expertise and include local experts to support implementation. That emphasis suggests the Embassy wants programming grounded in local context, local languages and norms, and existing community networks, and it also signals that partnerships with Togolese organizations or locally embedded staff are likely important for credibility and effectiveness.

Overall, this opportunity is a relatively targeted Embassy grant designed to connect prevention of violent extremism with practical, local-level civic and political engagement among youth in selected Togolese communities. Proposals would need to show a clear plan for increasing youth participation where it matters most day to day (local councils, community decision-making, and local accountability spaces), demonstrate the ability to operate in the listed localities, and present a realistic approach to working with local stakeholders while keeping the focus on stability, inclusion, and nonviolent political participation.

• The U.S. Mission to Togo in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Reducing Violent Extremis through strengthening of Youth Political Participation at the local level" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.701.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-06-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-07-27. (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 PAS LOME FY2022 05

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