Countering Chemical Weapons Threats

The Countering Chemical Weapons Threats grant, issued by the U.S. Department of State's Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR) under the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, is a funding opportunity that supports efforts to prevent adversarial acquisition and use of chemical weapons. This grant operates under the Chemical Security Program (CSP), which is designed to enhance global chemical security and reduce proliferation threats. The grant aligns with the U.S. government's broader counter-WMD objectives by focusing on threats from states like Iran and North Korea, as well as non-state actors seeking to exploit chemical materials and expertise for harmful purposes. The grant opportunity number DFOP0017264 supports projects with a performance period ranging from 12 to 24 months, with the expectation that most will be completed within 15 months. The anticipated start date for awarded projects is January 1, 2026. The total amount available for this opportunity is approximately $4 million, with individual awards ranging between $250,000 and $1 million. Around ten awards are expected to be made. Funding instruments include grants, cooperative agreements, and Inter-Agency Agreements (IAAs). Cooperative agreements will involve significant collaboration with ISN/CTR on planning and execution, such as participant selection and content review. This funding supports programs that address one or more of four key objectives: disrupting chemical weapon proliferation networks, enhancing CW attack attribution and response, reinforcing Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) implementation and compliance, and preventing non-state actor chemical attacks. Proposals should include specific countries of impact, methodologies, expected deliverables, and should be clearly aligned with the CSP’s nonproliferation goals. Projects are expected to engage a variety of stakeholders including government agencies, law enforcement, private industry, and academic institutions to increase awareness, resilience, and capability in countering chemical threats. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based and foreign organizations, including nonprofit and for-profit entities, higher education institutions, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), and Public International Organizations (PIOs). Each applicant may submit only one proposal but may include multiple independently evaluated projects within that proposal. While cost sharing is not required, voluntary cost share contributions may be considered during evaluation. The application must be submitted by 11:59 PM EDT on July 31, 2025, through Grants.gov (or via email for IAAs). Required documents include SF-424 forms, summary page, key personnel list, project narratives, detailed budget documents, monitoring and evaluation plans, and a consolidated project list. Additional documentation such as past performance statements and CVs of key personnel may also be included. Evaluation criteria include quality of the project idea (25 points), organizational capacity (20 points), feasibility and planning (15 points), cost effectiveness (15 points), monitoring and evaluation rigor (15 points), and sustainability (10 points). Successful applicants must maintain active SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Queries about the application process must be sent to ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov and csp@state.gov. Questions will be collected and answered weekly until July 25, 2025. Award announcements for successful applicants are expected by October 15, 2025.

Emphasize measurable impacts, train-the-trainer models, cost-efficiency, and sustainability.