Rule of Law Consortium (ARD/Checchi Joint Venture), C/O Grants Program, 1819 L Street, NW Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 861-0934 (fax)/0513 (message), e-mail: 74763.1652@CompuServe.com OR Rule of Law Consortium (ARD/Checchi Joint Venture), Slavic Grants Program, Dom Kino, 6 Saksaganskogo St., Kiev, Ukraine 252033, 7-044 220-8505 (fax), 7-044-227-4617, e-mail: mara@ruleoflaw2.kiev.ua

B -- RULE OF LAW SLAVIC GRANTS PROGRAM'S REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (3RD CYLE) DUE 091595 POC In the US: Dr. Barry O'Connor or Regina Dobrov, Esq. (202) 861-0513 (message), in Ukraine: Mara Moldwin 7-044-227-5017. The Rule of Law Consortium (ARD/Checchi Joint Venture), under the auspices of the United States Agency for International Development, announces a Grant Program to support the creation of a stable legal and political environment for facilitating the transition, through the rule of law, to a democratic, market-based society in Ukraine, Moldova and/or Belarus (grant activity must take place within the host country or countries). Specifically, projects should be designed to strengthen core legal institutions and processes of the justice sector, as well as civil society as it relates to legal development, in order to support general legal reform, encourage an orderly transition to a market economy, and protect human rights and limit the potential for arbitrary exercise of government power. An official application package, designed for Cycle III competition, is required for consideration. All applicants submitting against Cycle III competition must use the revised application. Types of projects which would meet this criteria might include, but are not limited to the following activities: 1) increasing public awareness and knowledge of laws and legal procedures through a variety of mediums, e.g., library and information systems development, including electronic networking or the mass media; 2) promoting the development of citizens' organizations to advocate for changes in the legal system; 3) strengthening representative institutions of the people to ensure effective protection of their individual and property rights; 4) assisting citizens to utilize the legal system for the adjudication of conflict; 5) developing organizational management and strategic skills; and 6) developing professional and trade associations. Proposals are requested from U.S. not-for-profit (501 C 3), non-governmental and private voluntary organizations and groups (NGOs/PVOs) in co-partnership with corresponding entities in Ukraine, Moldova and/or Belarus. Official public institutions (educational institutions, libraries, etc.) may also participate in special circumstances. Eligible NGOs/PVOs may include (but are not limited to) the following: law student associations; public interest law organizations; human rights organizations; community activist organizations; women's organizations; trade organizations, etc. Grant projects may be initiated by any partner to a co-partnership, but the administration of the grant or any sub-grants must be through a U.S. partner. Sub-grants to host-country indigenous organizations are permitted. A complete application package must demonstrate the following: 1) experience in providing assistance to indigenous groups through domestic or international projects; 2) a capacity to manage program logistics in a challenging environment; 3) an understanding of the critical needs of the ROL Project as manifested in the solicitation; 4) experience working with PVOs/NGOs in the NIS generally and in Ukraine, Moldova and/or Belarus in particular; and 5) a capacity to field staff persons with local language capability. Although applicants (especially those not officially registered with U.S.A.I.D.) are welcome to discuss projects with ROL staff--or submit concept papers two-to-three pages in length--they are advised that an official application package is required for funding consideration. Grants are awarded through an open, competitive, and merit-based review process. All proposals requires a 25% match from non-federal sources. The deadline for complete official applications is September 15, 1995. Decisions are anticipated in December 1995. Awards may range anywhere from $5,000 to $100,000 depending on the actual needs of the project. (193)

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