Data for Jurisdictional Sourcing: Spurring Jurisdictional Approaches and REDD+ Action | SFOP0006918

Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0006918

The grant opportunity titled "Data for Jurisdictional Sourcing: Spurring Jurisdictional Approaches and REDD+ Action" is a U.S. Department of State funding program designed to help reduce deforestation connected to global commodity supply chains by strengthening how subnational jurisdictions collect and use data. It is structured as a cooperative agreement, which generally means the federal agency expects to have substantial involvement during implementation rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The core idea is to make jurisdictional sourcing approaches more workable in practice by improving the underlying agricultural, social, and environmental information available at the state, province, district, or similar subnational level.

The main problem the program targets is a capacity and systems gap. Many subnational governments and key local actors do not have the technical expertise, tools, or institutional systems needed to routinely identify, gather, store, manage, and interpret the data that international commodity buyers and sustainability programs rely on. Without credible and well-organized information, jurisdictions struggle to participate in or demonstrate progress under jurisdictional sourcing initiatives, and that lack of participation can limit incentives to reduce deforestation while improving livelihoods and governance. This opportunity focuses on closing that gap by supporting practical improvements in data readiness and data management at the jurisdictional scale.

The activities envisioned by the program center on building technical capacity and establishing or improving systems that can support jurisdictional engagement with international sourcing frameworks. This includes helping jurisdictions figure out what information is needed, how to collect it consistently, and how to manage it so it is usable for decision-making and for external verification or reporting. While the announcement does not list a fixed menu of tasks, the emphasis clearly falls on the "data backbone" that enables jurisdictional programs to function: processes for data collection, methods and tools for integrating multiple data types (for example, agricultural production statistics alongside social indicators and environmental monitoring), and governance or institutional arrangements that keep the system working over time.

A key feature of the opportunity is its explicit alignment with well-known jurisdictional sourcing and assessment programs. The grant is meant to help jurisdictions prepare for or participate in initiatives such as the Commodities Jurisdictions Approach (CJA), Verified Sourcing Area (VSA), and LandScale. These kinds of programs typically require a jurisdiction to demonstrate credible progress and transparency on issues like land-use change, deforestation risk, legality, social safeguards, and the performance of major commodity sectors. By investing in data and information systems, this cooperative agreement aims to make it easier for jurisdictions to meet participation requirements and to attract or retain commodity sourcing commitments that are tied to reduced deforestation and improved sustainability outcomes. The title also references REDD+ action, signaling that the improved data systems should be relevant to broader forest and climate objectives, including approaches that measure and manage emissions reductions from deforestation and forest degradation.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was issued by the Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, and categorized under the Environment funding activity area. It was listed as a discretionary funding opportunity under CFDA number 19.017. The funding opportunity number is SFOP0006918. The posting indicates an award ceiling of $715,000, with an expectation of one award, meaning it was intended as a single, relatively focused project rather than multiple smaller grants. The opportunity was created on May 6, 2020, and originally closed on July 3, 2020. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with further clarification intended to be found in the additional eligibility text in the full announcement, which typically means applicants may include certain types of organizations or partnerships beyond standard government entities, depending on the specifics in the full notice.

In practical terms, this grant can be understood as funding the foundational work that lets a jurisdiction credibly show where commodities come from, how they are produced, and what impacts they have, using consistent and decision-relevant information. By strengthening data capabilities at the jurisdictional level, the program aims to remove a common barrier to jurisdictional sourcing implementation and, in turn, support measurable progress on reducing commodity-driven deforestation while improving transparency and readiness for international sourcing and sustainability frameworks.

• The Department of State, Bureau of Oceans - Int. Environmental - Scientific in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Data for Jurisdictional Sourcing: Spurring Jurisdictional Approaches and REDD+ Action" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.017.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 06, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 03, 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 $715,000.00 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 SFOP0006918

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