NOFO: Countering Wildlife Trafficking in Kenya and Tanzania

Wildlife trafficking and natural resource crimes are lucrative forms of transnational organized crime (TOC) that have decimated populations of species, such as elephants, rhinos, pangolins, and more. Wildlife trafficking and natural resource crimes fuel corruption, threaten the rule of law and peace and security, spread disease, and destabilize communities that depend on wildlife for biodiversity and eco-tourism revenues. Criminal organizations are increasingly involved in this illicit trade, especially the illegal movement of these commodities from source countries to demand countries. Traffickers exploit porous borders and weak institutions to profit from trading in these commodities as they are transported through multilevel illicit networks of criminal intermediaries and government officials. 

This program seeks to enhance law enforcement and justice sector efforts to counter wildlife and timber trafficking, ultimately helping to disrupt trafficking operations, and removing opportunities for criminal organizations to profit from illicit proceeds derived from these illegal trades. 

Project Goal(s) and Objectives 

• To strengthen Sub-Saharan Africa’s domestic criminal justice institutions and regional coordination by supporting successful enforcement, investigative, and prosecutorial functions for wildlife crime. Proposed projects should be designed to strengthen the capacity of wildlife-related institutions and actors in countries most affected by wildlife trafficking in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Strategic Goals 

• For Kenya:
  • Goal 1: Kenyan law enforcement are properly trained and equipped to better interdict, investigate, and combat wildlife trafficking 
    • Objective 1.1: Rangers and other KWS law enforcement officers are trained professionals in basic, advanced, and specialized skills with clear career trajectories. 
    • Objective 1.2: KWS maintains robust technology systems and domain awareness platforms to inform KWS leadership and decision makers to wildlife trafficking threats across the country. 
    • Objective 1.3: KWS can effectively react to wildlife trafficking threats in border areas. 
    • Objective 1.4: KWS can protect critically endangered species from poaching threats in Tsavo West National Park. 
• For Tanzania: 
  • Goal 2: Strengthen Tanzanian law enforcement capacity to combat wildlife trafficking through improved training, resource optimization, and strategic coordination. 
    • Objective 1.1: TAWA law enforcement officers are trained professionals in basic, advanced, and specialized skills with clear career trajectories. 
    • Objective 1.2: TAWA can facilitate the integration of Tanzania’s updated National Strategy to Combat Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trade at the zonal level by aligning TAWA’s operational plans and activities with strategic priorities. 
    • Objective 1.3: TAWA can strengthen and expand their Rapid Reaction Team (RRT) framework to ensure comprehensive coverage and effective implementation across all key zones with the use of equipment and technology. 
    • Objective 1.4: Tanzanian law enforcement has a better understanding of wildlife and timberrelated offenses along Lake Tanganyika’s border with Zambia, DRC, and Burundi to inform targeted enforcement and transboundary collaboration. 

Funding Information

• Kenya 
  • Individual Award Ceiling: $: 1,500,000 
  • Individual Award floor: $1,00,000 
  • Anticipated number of Awards: 2-3 
• Tanzania 
  • Individual Award Ceiling: $1,000,000 
  • Individual Award floor: $300,000 
  • Anticipated number of Awards: 1-2 

Project Activities and Deliverables

• At a minimum, applicants should be prepared to provide INL with the following deliverables dependent upon the activities and interventions proposed: 
  • Training modules and curriculums (prior to release). 
  • All reports produced with INL support (trade analysis, gap analysis, baseline assessments) (prior to release). 
  • Summary outcomes of workshops and seminars convened with INL support. 
  • Additional deliverables may be identified following award. 

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply: 
  • U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations (NGOs); 
  • U.S.-based educational institutions subject to section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code or section 26 US 115 of the U.S. tax code; 
  • Foreign-based non-profits/non-governmental organizations (NGOs); 
  • Foreign-based educational institutions 

For more information, visit Grants.gov.