Enhanced Anti-corruption case processing and conviction through integrated training in Pakistan | INL22GR0020 CORRUPTION PAKISTAN 032922

Opportunity Information: Apply for INL22GR0020 CORRUPTION PAKISTAN 032922

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is seeking grant proposals for a Pakistan-focused project aimed at strengthening how public corruption cases are investigated, charged, and prosecuted. The opportunity is designed to improve real-world case outcomes by building stronger coordination between law enforcement investigators and prosecutors, and by increasing the technical capacity and professional skills needed to handle complex, high-profile, and politically sensitive corruption matters. At its core, the grant targets a persistent weakness in corruption casework: investigations and prosecutions often move forward in parallel without enough alignment on strategy, evidence needs, legal requirements, timelines, and division of responsibilities, which can lead to weak charges, delays, or unsuccessful outcomes in court.

The project emphasizes integrated, concurrent training for both investigators and prosecutors rather than training each group separately. The intent is to improve accountability and case processing by ensuring both sides understand not only their own roles, but also what the other side requires to build a complete and persuasive case. This includes helping participants identify the distinct activities that make public corruption cases different from other criminal matters, and then translating those activities into a coordinated workflow that runs from initial allegation to investigation planning, evidence collection, charging decisions, and courtroom prosecution. A central feature is mentoring and training-of-trainers, meaning the program is expected to develop local trainers who can continue delivering instruction beyond the life of the grant, while also providing direct training and support to working practitioners.

INL lays out clear performance-oriented objectives. The grant is meant to increase the number of appropriate public corruption charges brought by law enforcement, improve the effectiveness of prosecutions within legally compressed or time-sensitive procedural windows, and ultimately raise the number of successful prosecutions in public corruption cases. To get there, the project must help investigators and prosecutors map out the essential components of a public corruption prosecution and clarify responsibilities for each step. Just as importantly, it requires buy-in from leadership on both sides so that there are agreed lines of responsibility, consistent coordination, and fewer institutional frictions throughout the life of a case. In practical terms, this signals that INL is looking for a program that does more than classroom teaching; it should establish shared procedures, communication habits, and joint expectations that make collaboration routine rather than ad hoc.

The opportunity also highlights the context and key obstacles in Pakistan that the program should address. These include limited cooperation between investigative bodies and prosecutors, insufficient investigative capacity to support complex corruption prosecutions and dismantle broader criminal enterprises, and an underdeveloped skills base for handling politically sensitive cases that can involve pressure, interference, or heightened public scrutiny. INL links these shortcomings to public trust: when major corruption cases are mishandled or stalled, confidence in the justice system drops. The longer-term vision presented is that impartial and non-political charging and prosecution of corruption cases will strengthen public confidence that the justice system applies fairly across social class, income, and background.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number INL22GR0020; CFDA 19.703) under the Law, Justice and Legal Services category. The opportunity was posted March 29, 2022, with an original closing date of May 31, 2022. INL anticipated making up to two awards, with an award ceiling of $1,000,000. Eligible applicants are listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, indicating it is likely open to certain types of organizations that can credibly deliver specialized training, mentoring, and program coordination in the rule of law and anti-corruption space.

Overall, the grant is best understood as a targeted capacity-building and systems-coordination effort: it aims to strengthen corruption case outcomes in Pakistan by aligning investigators and prosecutors around shared case strategies, clearer division of labor, better evidence development, and faster, more effective prosecutions, with the ultimate goal of increasing conviction rates in legitimate cases and reinforcing public confidence in the justice system.

• The Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics-Law Enforcement in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enhanced Anti-corruption case processing and conviction through integrated training in Pakistan" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.703.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 29, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 31, 2022. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for INL22GR0020 CORRUPTION PAKISTAN 032922

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