Unleashing American Energy Dominance and Expediting Responsible and Secure U.S. Small Modular Reactor Deployment through the FIRST Program

The U.S. Department of State’s International Security and Nonproliferation Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR) has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for its Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) Program. The opportunity, titled “Unleashing American Energy Dominance and Expediting Responsible and Secure U.S. Small Modular Reactor Deployment through the FIRST Program,” is designed to support the responsible global deployment of U.S. small modular reactors (SMRs) and related nuclear technologies. The program aligns with U.S. foreign policy objectives and President Trump’s Executive Order promoting American energy leadership, and it is grounded in the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation. FIRST offers technical cooperation, training, and capacity-building to partner countries developing or expanding civilian nuclear energy programs. Funding supports a variety of activities including SMR feasibility studies, study tours, simulators, workshops, stakeholder engagement, workforce development, and financial advisory services. Proposals must be aligned with FIRST’s goals of advancing energy sovereignty, safety, and secure technology deployment through bilateral and regional partnerships. ISN/CTR targets strategic regions including Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, and works with governments, utilities, regulatory bodies, universities, and technical stakeholders in these countries. The FY25 program expects to fund 10 awards, with award sizes ranging from approximately $50,000 to $4,000,000. The total funding pool is approximately $19.5 million, pending congressional notification. The performance period for projects is up to 24 months, with an anticipated start date of January 1, 2026. Funding will be provided through grants, cooperative agreements, or Inter-Agency Agreements. While cost sharing is not required, applicants may propose voluntary cost-share contributions. Matching funds, however, do not influence selection decisions. Eligibility is broad and includes U.S. for-profit and nonprofit organizations, public and private U.S. institutions of higher education, foreign nonprofits and academic institutions, Public International Organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, and Foreign Public Entities. All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and active registration in SAM.gov. Only one application may be submitted per organization, although multiple projects with distinct scopes and budgets may be included within that single application. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by July 30, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT. Required documents include standard federal forms (SF-424, SF-424A), a summary page, key personnel list, monitoring and evaluation materials, consolidated project list, project narratives, and detailed budget documentation. Supporting attachments such as CVs and NICRA (if applicable) are also required. Applications will be evaluated based on project quality, organizational capacity, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, monitoring and evaluation rigor, and long-term sustainability. Applicants may send questions to ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov and FIRST@state.gov. Responses will be compiled and posted weekly on Grants.gov through July 25, 2025. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by October 15, 2025. Awards will be administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System or G-Invoice for Inter-Agency Agreements. Comprehensive reporting requirements, including quarterly financial and performance updates, will apply.