Countering Chinese and Russian Proliferation of Advanced Conventional Weapons

The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR), housed within the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled “Countering Chinese and Russian Proliferation of Advanced Conventional Weapons.” This funding initiative, under opportunity number DFOP0017236 and Assistance Listing Number 19.033, seeks to support projects that directly counter the spread of advanced conventional weapons (ACW) by state and non-state actors aligned with Russian and Chinese strategic interests. The program’s overarching aim is to strengthen international security by mitigating the influence of proliferator states that use arms sales for geopolitical leverage, financial gain, and strategic dependence. Funded projects will focus on regions of strategic concern including East Asia and the Pacific, the Near East, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere. The program has a total anticipated funding of $17 million, with individual awards ranging from $250,000 to approximately $6.5 million. ISN/CTR anticipates awarding up to 10 projects under this NOFO, contingent upon the availability of funds. Proposed projects must be completed within 12 to 24 months, ideally under 15 months, and should address one or more of four specific aims: disrupting illicit procurement networks, countering state-sponsored proliferation, addressing strategic defense dependencies, and combating the malign activity of private military and security companies (PMSCs), especially as they relate to critical resource exploitation. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based for-profit and non-profit organizations, private and public institutions of higher education, foreign non-governmental organizations, foreign public entities, and federally funded research and development centers. Cost sharing is not required but may be included voluntarily. All applicants must be registered with SAM.gov and have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Only one proposal per applicant organization will be considered. Each proposal package may include multiple standalone projects, each of which must have its own project narrative and budget documents. Applications are due by July 30, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT, with anticipated project start dates beginning January 1, 2026. Required application materials include the SF-424 family of forms, a summary page, key personnel bios, a monitoring and evaluation plan and narrative, consolidated project list, individual project narratives, line-item budgets, and budget justification narratives. ISN/CTR will evaluate proposals based on criteria such as project quality and feasibility, institutional capacity, monitoring and evaluation design, financial prudence, and potential for sustainability. Substantial involvement from ISN/CTR in the planning and execution of funded projects is expected. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov unless the applicant is a U.S. government entity seeking an inter-agency agreement (IAA), in which case submissions should be emailed directly. The Department of State will publish responses to questions about the NOFO every Friday until July 25, 2025. All funded activities must comply with applicable federal regulations, and several restrictions apply, including limitations on work with sanctioned countries, support for UNRWA, or organizations that fail to comply with anti-discrimination and counterterrorism provisions. Award notices will be issued following a merit review process, and final decisions rest with senior officials in the ISN/CTR. Awardees are required to submit quarterly financial and narrative progress reports via MyGrants and will draw funds through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System. The final report is due 120 calendar days after project completion. Noncompliance with reporting requirements may result in payment delays or jeopardize future funding eligibility.

Ensure compliance with formatting rules, use English and USD, and adhere to page limits. Submit only one application.