Countering Iran and DPRKs WMD, Nuclear, Ballistic Missile, and Drone Proliferation

The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR), within the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), has announced the FY25 Counterproliferation and Sanctions Enforcement (CASE) program under opportunity number DFOP0017260. This funding opportunity, administered by ISN/CTR, aims to enhance international enforcement and implementation of U.S. and multilateral sanctions against Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) related to their pursuit of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including ballistic missiles, nuclear weapons, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The program is designed to bolster the capacity of partner countries and their private sectors to detect, disrupt, and prevent sanctions evasion activities by these adversarial states. Originally launched in 2017 to support the Trump Administration's Maximum Pressure campaign, CASE is now ISN/CTR’s core tool to limit the proliferation capabilities of Iran and DPRK. The FY25 program specifically supports projects that deliver targeted training, build indigenous capacity, and facilitate open-source investigations and public-private partnerships. Its activities span various domains, including counter-proliferation finance, maritime sanctions enforcement, cyber-enabled virtual asset laundering, overseas labor and IT employment of DPRK nationals, and procurement networks for proliferation-sensitive items. The program emphasizes a data-driven approach and leverages actionable open-source investigations to prioritize engagements and improve sanctions enforcement worldwide. The program supports projects in six priority regions as defined by the Department of State: Africa, East Asia and Pacific, Europe, Near East, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere. Proposals should focus on high-impact areas such as disrupting Iranian and DPRK procurement of dual-use goods, training governments and industries on Know-Your-Customer (KYC) protocols, improving national capacity to identify and prosecute financial crimes related to proliferation, preventing North Korean IT workers from obtaining illicit remote jobs, and strengthening maritime authorities’ abilities to identify and de-register vessels linked to sanctions evasion. Applicants may include U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations, for-profit businesses, public international organizations, institutions of higher education, and federally funded research and development centers. Although matching contributions are not required, cost-sharing is allowed and may enhance an application’s competitiveness if proportionally aligned with the project scope. All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and active registration in SAM.gov. Only one application per organization will be accepted, but each application can include multiple distinct projects. Proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov by July 30, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT. Required documents include various federal forms (SF-424 series), a summary page, key personnel list, a monitoring and evaluation plan, consolidated project list, project narratives for each individual activity, and detailed budget justifications. Submissions will be evaluated based on feasibility, cost-effectiveness, institutional capacity, measurable outcomes, and potential for sustainability. ISN/CTR will issue award notices following internal and merit review panels, and awards are expected to begin on January 1, 2026. ISN/CTR reserves the right to request clarifications or negotiate project elements before finalizing awards. For technical questions, applicants can contact ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov and ISN-CTR-DPRK@state.gov. Weekly Q&A summaries will be posted to Grants.gov through July 25, 2025. Reporting requirements include quarterly financial and performance updates via the MyGrants portal, and recipients may be asked to contribute to the Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR) initiative. All activities must comply with U.S. federal law, including anti-discrimination statutes and counterterrorism vetting protocols. Awards cannot support organizations or individuals linked to designated terrorist entities or governments that are restricted under U.S. law, including those affected by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act or Leahy Law.

Emphasize data-driven targeting, country-specific threat assessments, and measurable outcomes. Train-the-trainer and sustainability models are favored.