Addressing Development and Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons by Russia

The Department of State's International Security and Nonproliferation Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR) has issued a funding opportunity titled "Addressing Development and Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons by Russia," under opportunity number DFOP0017240. This grant supports initiatives aimed at preventing the Russian Federation’s acquisition of chemical and biological materials and capabilities, and deterring their use through strategic industry engagement, capacity-building among first responders and laboratories, and enhancements in cybersecurity. The purpose of this program is to disrupt illicit Russian procurement networks targeting biological, biotechnology, chemical, and pharmaceutical (BBCP) industries, train security officials and lab personnel in chemical and biological weapons (CBW) detection and response, and fortify laboratory cybersecurity defenses. Proposals must align with the three overarching goals: blocking Russian access to BBCP materials and equipment, enabling effective partner responses to CBW use, and deterring future CBW deployments. A total of $15,000,000 is available for distribution through up to 10 awards. Each award may range between $250,000 and $10,000,000, depending on project scope and availability of funds. Proposed projects should be completed within a 12 to 24-month period, with a recommended completion timeline of 15 months. Eligible applicants include U.S. for-profit and non-profit organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, foreign NGOs and higher education institutions, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, Public International Organizations, and Foreign Public Entities. Matching funds are not required but may be voluntarily contributed. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by July 30, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT. Required documents include SF-424, SF-424A, and a summary page, along with key personnel bios, monitoring and evaluation plans, a consolidated project list, individual project narratives, detailed line-item budgets, and budget justifications. Proposals should clearly define goals, objectives, outcomes, risks, schedules, and evaluation strategies. Projects must measure capacity increases among participants and show sustainability. Applications will be evaluated on quality and feasibility (25 points), organizational capacity and record (20 points), planning and ability to achieve objectives (15 points), financial capacity and cost-effectiveness (15 points), monitoring and evaluation plan (15 points), and sustainability (10 points). Successful applicants will be notified by October 15, 2025. For inquiries, applicants may contact ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov and ctrspecialprojectsproposals@state.gov. Note that ISN/CTR will post answers to frequently asked questions weekly on Grants.gov until July 25, 2025. All applicants must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier and maintain an active registration in SAM.gov to be eligible for an award.