Denying U.S. Adversaries Access to Sensitive Nuclear, Missile, and Advanced Technical Expertise for Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs that Threaten America

The Denying U.S. Adversaries Access to Sensitive Nuclear, Missile, and Advanced Technical Expertise for Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs that Threaten America grant is offered by the U.S. Department of State’s International Security and Nonproliferation Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR). This program supports efforts to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) by targeting foreign civilian scientists, technicians, and engineers (STEs) with expertise relevant to nuclear, missile, and advanced weapons technologies who are at risk of exploitation by adversarial states such as Iran, North Korea, and China. The initiative is aligned with U.S. foreign policy objectives, particularly those related to the Trump Administration’s Maximum Pressure Campaign on Iran and deterrence strategies regarding North Korea and China. The program aims to mitigate the risk of U.S. adversaries redirecting sensitive technical expertise by providing vulnerable STEs with rapid training in knowledge security and tailored commercialization support. This includes cybersecurity training, matchmaking with U.S. scientific and commercial partners, mentorship from U.S. subject matter experts, and opportunities to participate in international conferences. The overall objective is to promote responsible collaboration, protect sensitive knowledge, and prevent adversaries from leveraging foreign technical expertise for WMD development. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based for-profit and nonprofit organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, foreign nonprofit and educational institutions, public international organizations, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers. Applicants may only submit one application per organization, though each application can contain multiple independently evaluated projects. A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and registration in SAM.gov are required, and all application materials must be submitted through Grants.gov unless applying under an Inter-Agency Agreement. Applications are due by July 30, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT. The anticipated project start date is January 1, 2026, and performance periods should not exceed 15 months. Applicants must submit a comprehensive proposal package including mandatory forms (SF-424 and SF-424A), key personnel details, monitoring and evaluation plans, budget documents, and a consolidated project list. Additional optional documents such as the SF-424B and SF-LLL, CVs, past performance records, and NICRA (if applicable) may also be submitted. Application formatting must follow specific guidelines regarding font, spacing, and page limits. Proposals will be evaluated based on several criteria: project quality and feasibility, organizational capacity, program planning, financial capacity and cost effectiveness, monitoring and evaluation strategy, and sustainability. Each proposal will be reviewed by a panel of U.S. government and potentially non-government experts and scored accordingly. Award announcements are expected by October 15, 2025. ISN/CTR may be substantially involved in the project, including participant selection, curriculum approval, and logistical oversight. The total funding available is $6,000,000, with individual awards ranging from $100,000 to $2,000,000. Around ten awards are anticipated. Matching funds are not required, though voluntary contributions are permitted. Strict funding and eligibility restrictions apply, including prohibitions on funding activities that promote mass migration toward the U.S. southwest border, support for designated terrorist organizations, or training of U.S.-based individuals. Post-award reporting includes both financial and narrative progress updates, and adherence to specific federal requirements is mandatory.

Follow formatting and submission instructions precisely. Strongly emphasize nonproliferation alignment and include detailed, realistic M&E plans.