Colombian Law Enforcement Scholarship Program | INL20CA0059 BECAS COLOMBIA 08062020

Opportunity Information: Apply for INL20CA0059 BECAS COLOMBIA 08062020

The Colombian Law Enforcement Scholarship Program is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) grant opportunity designed to strengthen Colombia's public security institutions by helping the Colombian National Police (CNP) and the Colombian navy recruit and train more qualified personnel. The central idea is to expand access to police and navy training for applicants from economically disadvantaged rural areas, with an intentional focus on increasing participation among women and members of Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities. By lowering financial barriers to entry, the program aims to improve staffing levels and operational readiness within both services while also creating legitimate, stable career pathways for rural youth.

A major strategic goal of the program is prevention-oriented. By offering scholarships and a viable route into formal security-sector employment, the program is intended to reduce the risk that young people in rural communities are recruited by illegal armed groups. It also seeks to discourage involvement in illicit crop cultivation by providing an alternative economic opportunity. Over time, the program is framed as a way to build greater trust in Colombian public security institutions, particularly in areas where state presence may be limited and communities may feel excluded from national opportunities.

In terms of scale, the scholarship support is substantial. Each year, the program is expected to fund training for approximately 900 CNP students and 161 navy students pursuing non-commissioned officer tracks, as well as about 100 CNP students and five navy students pursuing commissioned officer studies. These scholarships are meant to cover core cost drivers that can prevent otherwise qualified candidates from enrolling, including required uniforms and equipment, tuition and meals, and other expenses directly tied to participation in CNP and navy training courses.

The grant is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the awardee is expected not only to administer funds but also to work closely with INL and Colombian counterparts on implementation. The organization receiving the award would manage more than USD 4.2 million annually in U.S. government funds. A key operational responsibility is ensuring timely monthly payments through electronic funds transfers to the individual bank accounts of scholarship recipients, which requires strong financial controls, reliable payment processes, and careful tracking to ensure funds reach participants as scheduled and for intended purposes.

Beyond financial administration, the awardee is expected to play an active programmatic role in recruitment and oversight. This includes advising the CNP and navy on practical methods to increase interest in the scholarship program, organizing outreach and public information campaigns in target rural areas, and collaborating with both institutions to pre-select candidates for INL Bogota's review and consideration. The awardee must also gather, maintain, and report statistical performance information on scholarship recipients within their respective institutions, supporting monitoring of outcomes such as retention, academic or training progress, and broader program effectiveness.

The opportunity was posted under Funding Opportunity Number INL20CA0059 (BECAS COLOMBIA 08062020) within the Law, Justice and Legal Services category (CFDA 19.704). It was offered as a discretionary funding opportunity by INL, with an anticipated single award and an award ceiling of USD 5,000,000. The original posting date was August 6, 2020, with an original closing date of October 6, 2020, and eligibility was listed broadly as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the official eligibility section of the announcement.

• 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 "Colombian Law Enforcement Scholarship Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.704.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 06, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 06, 2020. (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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for INL20CA0059 BECAS COLOMBIA 08062020

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