Tajikistan: Early Detection and Response Pilot

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) has announced a funding opportunity titled "Tajikistan: Early Detection and Response Pilot," under the opportunity number DFOP0017310. The purpose of this grant is to address vulnerabilities in Tajikistan that are exploited by terrorist groups, particularly ISIS-K, which is known to target Central Asia for recruitment and illicit activity. With Tajikistan identified as a critical counterterrorism nexus in the region, this program seeks to develop and operationalize early detection systems in frontier localities to prevent and interdict terrorist activity at its origin. The primary goals align with the CT Functional Bureau Strategy, specifically to disrupt terrorist plots and movements, and reduce violent extremism by strengthening local capabilities and community involvement. The funding opportunity provides for one cooperative agreement award of up to $1,497,975, supported through FY 2024 Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining, and Related (NADR) Programs. The anticipated period of performance is between 24 and 36 months, with a program start date expected around September 30, 2025. The cooperative agreement model means there will be substantial involvement from the U.S. government, including review and approval of key programmatic and strategic decisions, selection of beneficiaries, training plans, and participation in media engagements. All proposed activities must be carefully coordinated with local stakeholders and security agencies in Tajikistan. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities: not-for-profit organizations, think tanks, NGOs, public and private academic institutions, public international organizations, governmental institutions, and for-profit organizations. Individual applicants are not eligible. Organizations must be registered with SAM.gov and have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Only one application may be submitted per organization. While cost-sharing is not required, applicants may include it voluntarily, although it will not impact the competitive evaluation. The application package must include standard federal forms (SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, and SF-270 for foreign organizations), a detailed proposal addressing all required components such as situational analysis, logic model, theory of change, and a performance monitoring plan (PMP). Applicants are expected to define outcomes aligned with CT’s strategic goals, including enabling the Tajik government to build community-level networks, enhancing local capacity to detect early signs of radicalization, and training personnel for security response. Quarterly reporting will be mandatory, including updates to the Performance Indicator Tracking Table (PITT), and submission of financial statements in U.S. dollars. The application deadline is August 7, 2025, and questions must be submitted by July 7, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov or MyGrants. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications will be evaluated based on criteria such as alignment with CT goals, feasibility of the program design, organizational capacity, cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and monitoring methodology. Notifications for unsuccessful proposals will be sent following the conclusion of the review process, and the award decision will be made by the Department’s Grants Officer. Contact for questions related to the application process is BryAna Stearns, who can be reached via email at stearnsbe@state.gov. Technical support for MyGrants or Grants.gov is also available through their respective help desks. Applicants are advised to begin their SAM.gov registration as early as possible due to processing times that may range from four to eight weeks.

Strong proposals include SMART outcomes, sustainability plans, and engagement with local partners.