# Securing Fair and Reliable Critical Mineral Supply Chains

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/foa-ilab-25-15-securing-fair-and-reliable-critical-mineral-supply-chains/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360111

> Bureau of International Labor Affairs offered grants of up to $5.0 million (at least $4.0 million) to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 2 awards worth $9.0 million in total. Applications closed on September 26, 2025.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | FOA-ILAB-25-15 |
| Agency | Bureau of International Labor Affairs |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | September 26, 2025 |
| Award ceiling | $5.0 million |
| Award floor | $4.0 million |
| Expected awards | 2 |
| Total funding | $9.0 million |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 17.401 |

## Who can apply

- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

Eligible applicants include any commercial, international, educational, or non-profit organizations, including any faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, or public international organizations (PIOs).Faith-based organizations are encouraged to apply, as are all organizations. Those that meet the eligibility requirements may receive awards under this funding opportunity. DOL will not, in the selection of recipients and administration of the grant, discriminate on the basis of an organization’s religious character, affiliation, exercise, or lack thereof, or on the basis of conduct that would not be considered grounds to favor or disfavor a similarly situated secular organization.

## What the grant funds

The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL, or the Department), announces the availability of approximately $9 million total costs (subject to the availability of Federal funds) for 2 cooperative agreements aimed at securing fair and reliable critical mineral supply chains free of child labor (CL) and forced labor (FL). ILAB intends to fund one cooperative agreement of up to $5 million in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and one cooperative agreement of up to $4 million in Indonesia. The duration of each project will be 54 months from the award date. Applicants may propose a shorter period of performance in line with their proposed strategy. Applicants may choose to apply for one or both cooperative agreements. Applicants that wish to apply for both Cooperative Agreements must submit two distinct applications. The cooperative agreements will be focused on the supply chains of critical minerals identified in the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, published by the Department of Labor as required under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 and subsequent reauthorizations (TVPRA List). Applications must propose a strategy to address CL and/or FL in the supply chains of at least one (1) of the following minerals in one (1) of the following countries: • DRC: Cobalt, copper, tantalum, tin, and/or tungsten. • Indonesia: Nickel, with the option to also include tin. Applicants must propose to work with key stakeholders to identify and address child labor and/or forced labor, and related labor abuses in their proposed country of implementation. Applicants must propose a strategy to conduct activities under each of the following two focus areas: Focus Area 1: Policy and Legal Frameworks. Applicants will propose a strategy to assist partner governments and supply chain actors to bring their mining, labor, procurement, trade rules, and other relevant policy frameworks into full alignment with international standards, particularly U.S. forced-labor import requirements, International Labor Organization conventions, and other due diligence guidelines and best practices.0F1 Focus Area 2: Capacity Building for Monitoring, Identification, Enforcement, and Remediation. Applicants will propose a strategy to improve national and local systems for monitoring and identifying child labor and/or forced labor in critical mineral supply chains.

## Questions people ask

### Is FOA-ILAB-25-15 still open?

No. It closed on September 26, 2025.

### Who can apply for Securing Fair and Reliable Critical Mineral Supply Chains?

Bureau of International Labor Affairs accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for Securing Fair and Reliable Critical Mineral Supply Chains?

Closed September 26, 2025. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $5.0 million each. About $9.0 million in total across about 2 awards.

### Who has won International Labor Programs grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were International Labor Organization, American Center for International Labor Solidarity, American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences. The program made 100 awards worth $395 million in that time.