Implementing Alternatives to Incarceration in Morocco | INL24CA0056 AMEMOROC ALTINCAR 04232024

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the name of this funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity is titled Implementing Alternatives to Incarceration in Morocco.

2) What agency is offering this grant?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

3) What type of award is being offered?

This is a discretionary grant opportunity issued as a cooperative agreement.

4) What is the main purpose of the project?

The project aims to support Morocco in building and implementing a modern Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) and community corrections system that can function nationwide and improve fairness and efficiency in access to justice.

5) What problem is this opportunity trying to solve?

The opportunity targets chronic prison overcrowding in Morocco, which is linked to limited use of non-custodial options (such as probation and parole) and high use of pretrial detention.

6) Why is pretrial detention highlighted in the opportunity?

The notice cites reporting that suggests roughly 40 percent of detainees are held before trial, which can strain detention facilities and slow the broader justice system.

7) Which Moroccan institutions are expected to be key partners?

The program is designed to work directly with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Rehabilitation (DGAPR).

8) What is meant by "Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI)" in this notice?

In this context, ATI refers to non-custodial options and practices that reduce reliance on incarceration, including mechanisms like probation and parole where appropriate, alongside community corrections approaches that maintain accountability and public safety while limiting unnecessary custody.

9) What is meant by "community corrections" in this notice?

The notice uses community corrections to describe systems and practices that allow supervision, sanctions, rehabilitation, and case management to occur outside prison settings, supporting more proportional responses and reducing pressure on prisons.

10) How does Morocco's draft ATI law factor into the project?

The opportunity is framed around Morocco's draft ATI law, with the expectation it may pass soon. At the same time, INL states that strong proposals should not depend entirely on the law being enacted.

11) If the draft ATI law does not pass soon, can the project still move forward?

Yes. Applicants are expected to design activities that can move forward under existing authorities, policies, institutional practices, or pilot approaches, while staying compatible with the future legal framework if the draft law is adopted.

12) Does the opportunity encourage diversion and rehabilitation components?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly encourages proposals that incorporate rehabilitation and diversion for specific populations, especially non-violent offenders.

13) Is there a drug diversion focus mentioned?

Yes. INL notes that the Moroccan Ministry of Justice is actively developing a drug diversion program, and welcomes project designs that align with or support rehabilitation, treatment referral pathways, and diversion mechanisms.

14) What outcomes is INL trying to achieve?

INL aims to reduce prison overcrowding and pretrial detention by helping Morocco develop a streamlined, effective ATI and community corrections regime that improves fairness and efficiency in access to justice.

15) How many awards does INL expect to make under this opportunity?

INL anticipates making one award.

16) What is the maximum funding amount available?

The award ceiling is $1,500,000.

17) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is INL24CA0056 AMEMOROC ALTINCAR 04232024.

18) What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The opportunity falls under the Law, Justice and Legal Services activity category.

19) What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number?

The CFDA/Assistance Listing associated with this opportunity is 19.703.

20) When was the notice created?

The notice was created on April 23, 2024.

21) What was the original application closing date?

The original application closing date was June 25, 2024.

22) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is open to:

• U.S.-based nonprofit/NGOs
• U.S.-based educational institutions that qualify under section 501(c)(3)
• Foreign-based nonprofit/NGOs
• Foreign-based educational institutions

23) Is Morocco business registration required to be eligible?

Yes. Beyond fitting an eligible organization type, applicants must be able to demonstrate business registration in the Kingdom of Morocco.

24) What does the Morocco business registration requirement imply for applicants?

It signals that implementers must have a formal legal presence or registration status that allows them to operate and contract within Morocco.

25) What kind of implementing organization is this opportunity seeking?

The opportunity is aimed at organizations capable of partnering closely with Moroccan justice and corrections authorities to translate ATI concepts into workable procedures, programs, and institutional capacity that can be sustained over time.

26) Does the opportunity specify priority populations?

Yes. The notice encourages attention to specific populations, especially non-violent offenders, through rehabilitation and diversion approaches.

27) What is the underlying approach described in the notice?

The notice is built around the idea that a well-run community corrections system, paired with credible ATI options, can reduce unnecessary detention, relieve prison pressure, and strengthen justice sector performance through more proportional sanctions and better case management.

28) Is this opportunity limited to working only if probation and parole are already widely used?

No. The notice highlights that even where non-custodial measures exist in Moroccan law, they are reportedly used infrequently, and the project is intended to help make such options more workable and routinely implemented.

29) Does the opportunity emphasize nationwide implementation?

Yes. INL describes the goal as developing an ATI/community corrections regime that can function nationwide.

30) What is the expected relationship with Moroccan government partners?

The program is designed to work directly with MOJ and DGAPR, indicating close coordination with Moroccan justice and corrections authorities as part of implementation.