DRL is offering this grant to advance policy priorities in China.

* Be a non-profit organization meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3) or a public international organization. Applicants in the process of registration must submit proof that they are seeking non-profit status from the Internal Revenue Service at the time of SOI submission. Should the applicant be selected for a grant award, funding will be contingent upon 501(c)(3) status; or

* Be a U.S. university or research institution meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c) (3); and

* Have demonstrated experience administering successful projects, preferably targeting the requested country and/or region, or a similarly challenging program environment. DRL reserves the right to request additional background information on organizations that do not have previous experience administering federal grant awards. These applicants may be subject to limited funding on a pilot basis; and

* Have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with organization(s) in the target country and/or region.

* Organizations may form consortia and submit a combined SOI. However, one organization should be designated as the lead applicant.

� Rule of Law: Legal reform; implementation of existing laws; public interest law; capacity development for legal actors and development of the legal profession; criminal defense; access to legal services for the underserved and vulnerable populations, measures to help China implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

� Civil Society: Developmental and capacity building for non-governmental entities; reform or establishment of underlying systems and institutions in the nonprofit sector; cross-sector collaboration

� Labor: Labor rights and working conditions; collective bargaining; workplace representation; mediation; migrant worker interests

� Religious Freedom: Religious pluralism and social harmony, particularly in minority areas, support for the capacity of religious groups to provide social services.

� Freedom of Information and Expression: Transparency and open government information, press freedom, media reform, and journalism

� Public participation: Processes and methodologies to improve the quality and scope of citizen input into government decision-making

Where applicable, projects should demonstrate the capacity to include persons with disabilities in programming. Funding for projects in Taiwan will only be considered to the extent that they are matched with sources other than the United States government. DRL seeks to fund projects that will have a direct and lasting impact by promoting reforms and structural changes. High preference will be given to cutting edge program concepts that use innovative approaches appropriate for the Chinese context.