The Diplomatic Security Foundation (DSF) is honored to announce that it has been awarded an unrestricted grant of $40,000 from the International Security Foundation (ISF). DSF was one of two organizations to receive a grant as part of the 2021 ISF Grant Program. (Hostage US, a nonprofit supporting the families of the estimated 200 Americans taken hostage or wrongfully detained abroad each year, was the other organization to receive an ISF grant.)
“We are proud to support these organizations that mean so much to the global security community in such meaningful ways, especially as we close out what continues to be a challenging year for families,” Peggy O’Neill, ISF Executive Director, says. “We established the ISF Grants program in early 2020 to expand our support beyond the ongoing, important funding for the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC).” (OSAC is a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and private-sector security community, supporting the safe operations of U.S. interests overseas.)
The ISF Grants program focuses specifically on U.S. nonprofits serving the security community that have annual budgets under $1 million. Each year, the ISF budgets 10% of its grant funding to non-OSAC nonprofits. The remaining 90% of the ISF grant funds support OSAC programs.
Founded in 2011 as a nonprofit, the ISF’s mission is to fund information-sharing programs and networking to enhance the support of the global security community working to keep Americans and American interests abroad safer and more secure. By funding critical, logistical support for the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) of the United States Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, the ISF helps to create a safer environment for the U.S. companies, organizations and citizens operating abroad.
“This grant by the ISF is incredibly generous and will help us meet requests from around the world,” adds Greg Starr, DSF Board President. “I have always been proud of ISF since its inception, supporting Diplomatic Security through its support to OSAC, which in turn exists to support U.S. companies, educational institutions and others operating abroad. ISF now contributing to DSF to help those in need in the Diplomatic Security family makes me prouder still of ISF.”
This grant will allow DSF to continue it’s mission of providing for those in the DS community, especially during times of hardship or crisis. (Visit the DSF Grants page for a full list of DSF’s grant activity.)
“A gift of this size is a first for us and will be immensely helpful,” says Sarah Rothleder, DSF Executive Director, “It has been a challenging year for us, now almost two years since the pandemic started. This gift will give us a little breathing room and allow us to focus even more on helping those in our DS family.”