Denying U.S. Adversaries Access to Sensitive Nuclear, Missile, and Advanced Technical Expertise for Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs that Threaten America
This grant provides funding to various organizations and institutions to prevent U.S. adversaries from accessing sensitive expertise related to nuclear and missile technologies that could threaten national security.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, through the Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR), has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled “Denying U.S. Adversaries Access to Sensitive Nuclear, Missile, and Advanced Technical Expertise for Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs that Threaten America.” This grant program is part of the Nonproliferation Scientist Engagement Program (NSEP) and aims to protect national security by preventing U.S. adversaries from exploiting civilian scientists, technicians, and engineers (STEs) with weapons of mass destruction (WMD)-relevant expertise. The initiative targets vulnerable foreign STEs who may be susceptible to exploitation by adversarial states like Iran, North Korea, and China. The program’s central purpose is to deny adversaries access to sensitive dual-use expertise that could support the development of WMDs and related delivery systems. NSEP accomplishes this through two major lines of effort: the rapid delivery of knowledge security and cybersecurity training, and tailored commercialization support to connect vulnerable scientists with U.S. scientific and commercial partners. The overarching objective is to reduce the risk of sensitive knowledge being used in adversarial programs and to strengthen national and global security. Eligible applicants include a broad range of entities, such as U.S. for-profit and non-profit organizations, private and public institutions of higher education (both domestic and foreign-based), foreign NGOs, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), Public International Organizations (PIOs), and Foreign Public Entities (FPEs). All applicants must possess a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and active registration in SAM.gov. No cost-sharing is required for eligibility, although voluntary cost-share contributions are permitted but not evaluated favorably in scoring. The NOFO outlines detailed application requirements including standard federal forms (SF-424 series), a summary page, key personnel bios, monitoring and evaluation plans, consolidated project list, project narratives, and budget justification documents. Each application may include multiple standalone projects. All proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov, unless applying as a U.S. government entity for an Inter-Agency Agreement (IAA), in which case submissions should be sent to ISN-CTR-SciEngagement@state.gov and ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov. Applications will be evaluated on several weighted criteria including the quality and feasibility of the project idea (25 points), organizational capacity (20 points), program planning (15 points), financial capacity and cost-effectiveness (15 points), monitoring and evaluation (15 points), and sustainability (10 points). The opportunity anticipates making approximately 10 awards, ranging from $100,000 to $2,000,000 each, subject to available funding totaling $6 million. Projects must be completed within 12 to 24 months, and the anticipated start date is January 1, 2026. The deadline for applications is July 30, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. EDT. The program is non-recurring but may be offered again, depending on future funding and policy directives. ISN/CTR will remain actively involved throughout project implementation, including selecting participants and reviewing curricula. Post-award, recipients must comply with rigorous federal reporting requirements and adhere to performance and financial documentation schedules as set by the Grants Officer. Reporting includes quarterly narrative and financial updates and a comprehensive final report within 120 days of project completion.
Award Range
$100,000 - $2,000,000
Total Program Funding
$6,000,000
Number of Awards
10
Matching Requirement
No
Additional Details
Five awards between $100,000 and $2,000,000 for projects preventing adversary access to WMD-relevant expertise. Total available funding is $6M.
Eligible Applicants
Additional Requirements
Eligible applicants include U.S. for-profit businesses, U.S.-based nonprofits, private and public institutions of higher education, and foreign-based entities with SAM.gov registration and a UEI.
Geographic Eligibility
All
Application Opens
May 30, 2025
Application Closes
July 30, 2025
Grantor
US Department of State (Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation)
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