NOFO: Early Warning and Response Program (United States)

Deadline: 25-Aug-2026

The Early Warning and Response in Nigeria Program provides $1,973,359 to support early warning and rapid response systems addressing anti-Christian violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. The 18–24-month initiative aims to strengthen community-based threat monitoring, improve communication with security authorities, enhance government response capacity, and establish accountability mechanisms for responding to emerging threats.

About the Program

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) is seeking applications for a cooperative agreement focused on strengthening early warning and rapid response mechanisms in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. The initiative responds to severe violence affecting Christian communities and seeks to close gaps in protection, threat detection and government response. The programme will connect civil society-led early warning networks with Nigerian government response systems to improve the identification and management of emerging security threats. Program Objectives The initiative has two primary objectives: Establish effective early warning and response networks across at-risk Christian communities. Strengthen the Nigerian government’s capacity to respond rapidly to credible warnings. The programme aims to enable earlier detection of threats, faster communication with relevant authorities and more effective deployment of security resources. What Activities Can Be Supported?

Supported activities may include:

Deploying community-based early warning monitors. Establishing secure communication channels between communities and security forces. Establishing coordination mechanisms between federal, state and local response teams. Providing training and resources to emergency response teams. Integrating early warning information into government response systems. Developing mechanisms to monitor and assess government response. Strengthening accountability for response effectiveness. Community-Based Early Warning A central component of the programme is the development of community-based monitoring networks. These networks are intended to help communities identify and report potential threats before violence escalates. Community monitors and trained local leaders may contribute to: Identifying emerging threats. Reporting incidents through secure channels. Assessing the seriousness of reported threats. Communicating information to relevant authorities. Supporting rapid notification and response. Government Response Capacity The programme also seeks to strengthen the ability of Nigerian authorities to act on early warning information. Joint coordination structures may connect federal, state and local emergency response teams with information generated by community-based monitoring networks. The initiative may also provide training and resources to improve the speed and effectiveness of government responses. Accountability and Monitoring Accountability is another important component of the programme. This information can help identify weaknesses in existing protection mechanisms and support better future responses. Funding Available The total funding available for this opportunity is: $1,973,359 The programme anticipates making one award. The expected project performance period is 18–24 months. The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, and continuation funding may be considered depending on programme performance and the availability of funds. Organizations applying must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and active registration in SAM.gov. Individuals are exempt from the UEI requirement. Application Restrictions Only one proposal per organization is permitted. Applicants should ensure that their proposal clearly demonstrates the organizational capacity, local partnerships and technical expertise needed to implement an early warning and rapid response programme in Nigeria. Key Elements of a Strong Proposal Demonstrate Local Understanding Applicants should show a strong understanding of the security environment and protection challenges affecting communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Build Community Trust The programme relies heavily on community-based monitoring. Proposals should therefore explain how community members, leaders and other stakeholders will be engaged safely and effectively. Strengthen Communication Applicants should provide a clear approach for establishing secure and reliable communication between communities, early warning networks and relevant authorities. Establish Measurable Response Systems Proposals should explain how warnings will be assessed, communicated and acted upon and how response performance will be measured. Include Accountability Mechanisms Applicants should demonstrate how they will track responses and identify gaps in government or emergency response systems. Key Facts at a Glance

Programme: Early Warning and Response in Nigeria

Lead agency: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

Country: Nigeria

Geographic focus: Middle Belt

Funding: $1,973,359

Expected awards: 1

Project duration: 18–24 months

Funding mechanism: Cooperative agreement

Main focus: Early warning and rapid response

Key beneficiaries: At-risk Christian communities

Registration: Organizations must have UEI and active SAM.gov registration

Proposal limit: One proposal per organization

Frequently Asked Questions What is the Early Warning and Response in Nigeria Program? It is a DRL-funded initiative designed to strengthen early warning networks and rapid response mechanisms addressing violence affecting Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. How much funding is available? The anticipated award is $1,973,359. How long will the project run? The expected performance period is 18–24 months. How many awards will be made? The opportunity anticipates making one award. What activities are supported? Activities can include community monitoring, secure communications, threat assessment, train