Building Ukraine Law Enforcement’s Capacity to Investigate War Crimes | INL23GR0018 EAUKRAINE WARCRIMES 062923

Opportunity Information: Apply for INL23GR0018 EAUKRAINE WARCRIMES 062923

Building Ukraine Law Enforcement's Capacity to Investigate War Crimes is a discretionary U.S. Department of State grant opportunity (Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, or INL) designed to strengthen Ukraine's ability to investigate alleged war crimes during the ongoing conflict. The program is intended to bolster the practical, day-to-day capacity of Ukrainian law enforcement to sort, prioritize, document, and move forward with war crimes cases in a way that stands up to legal scrutiny and supports eventual accountability efforts. A core feature of the opportunity is that assistance should be directed to the National Police of Ukraine (NPU), the Ukrainian law enforcement body tasked with war crimes investigations.

The grant emphasizes applied support, not just classroom instruction. In addition to structured training, applicants are expected to provide direct technical assistance to Ukrainian officials working on specific war crimes investigations. That means hands-on guidance that can help investigators and units address real investigative challenges as they arise, including how to develop investigative plans, organize case files, identify and interview witnesses appropriately, and handle large volumes of allegations while still producing well-supported cases. The opportunity also highlights investigative best practices, with particular attention to evidence preservation and documentation, reflecting the central importance of maintaining the integrity and usability of evidence for domestic prosecutions and other accountability mechanisms.

Training is also a required component, especially training on international humanitarian law (IHL) and on sound investigative methods relevant to war crimes work. The notice specifies that basic IHL training should be delivered in person, and it should be short and focused, limited to 3 to 5 days. This points to a format that prioritizes practical understanding and immediate applicability for working investigators rather than long academic coursework. The opportunity encourages the inclusion of Ukrainian instructors, which suggests an intent to ground the training in local context, strengthen Ukrainian ownership of the content, and support longer-term sustainability by building an internal cadre of trainers and subject-matter specialists.

Operationally, the project is expected to be based in Kyiv, Ukraine, while still allowing for engagement beyond the capital. The scope can include support to war crimes units at NPU headquarters as well as technical assistance to field investigators across the country. This reflects the reality that war crimes documentation and investigative activity often occurs close to where incidents happened, requiring consistent standards and coordination across dispersed teams and jurisdictions. A successful program under this opportunity would therefore likely combine centralized support (such as standard operating procedures, case management guidance, and leadership advising) with field-facing assistance (such as mentoring investigators, improving evidence-handling practices, and reinforcing consistent documentation approaches).

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number INL23GR0018 (EAUKRAINE WARCRIMES 062923). It uses the grant funding instrument and falls under the Law, Justice and Legal Services activity category, with CFDA number 19.703. The award ceiling is $2,500,000, and the agency anticipated making up to two awards. The opportunity was created on June 29, 2023, with an original application closing date of July 31, 2023. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full notice.

In practical terms, the opportunity is geared toward implementers that can operate in Ukraine, coordinate closely with the NPU, and deliver a mix of mentoring, technical advising, and targeted training that improves investigative quality. The key deliverable is stronger investigative capability: better-organized war crimes caseloads, more consistent and legally sound evidence collection and preservation, and improved investigator readiness to handle complex, sensitive cases in line with international humanitarian law and recognized investigative standards.

• 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 "Building Ukraine Law Enforcement’s Capacity to Investigate War Crimes" 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 Jun 29, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 31, 2023. (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 $2,500,000.00 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).

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