Countering Iran and DPRKs WMD, Nuclear, Ballistic Missile, and Drone Proliferation

The U.S. Department of State’s International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled “Countering Iran and DPRK’s WMD, Nuclear, Ballistic Missile, and Drone Proliferation” under opportunity number DFOP0017260. This initiative aims to strengthen global capacity to implement and enforce international sanctions against Iran and North Korea (DPRK), particularly to counter their capabilities in ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and nuclear development. The program, administered through the Counterproliferation and Sanctions Enforcement (CASE) framework, will provide up to $12,500,000 in funding, depending on availability, to a projected 10 awards for performance periods of 12 to 24 months. Awards are expected to range between $250,000 and $1,000,000. CASE is ISN’s central programmatic mechanism to support the U.S. government’s Maximum Pressure campaigns on Iran and the DPRK. Established in 2017, CASE is intended to equip both foreign governments and private-sector partners with the expertise and tools necessary to identify, track, and disrupt sanctions evasion activities. These activities directly threaten U.S. and global security by enabling the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Funded projects under this NOFO should aim to disrupt illicit procurement networks, enhance counter-proliferation finance mechanisms, improve maritime sanctions enforcement, and combat cyber-enabled financial crimes. Projects must be targeted, data-driven, and contribute to measurable capacity-building outcomes. The NOFO details six specific lines of effort: countering the transfer of WMD and UAS-related materials, disrupting proliferation finance, cyber-enabled asset laundering, dismantling DPRK’s use of overseas IT workers, maritime sanctions enforcement, and commissioning open-source investigative research. The program gives priority to activities within Africa, East Asia Pacific, Europe, Near Eastern, South and Central Asian, and Western Hemisphere regions. Applicants should propose initiatives that are customized to local threats and technical capabilities and consider partnerships with local or regional actors. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based and foreign-based nonprofit and for-profit organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), and Public International Organizations (PIOs). Cost-sharing is optional and will not influence selection criteria but is encouraged for increased program sustainability. Applicants must be registered with SAM.gov and hold a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Only one application per organization will be accepted; however, each application may contain multiple distinct projects. Applications must be submitted through www.Grants.gov by July 30, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT. Required documentation includes forms SF-424 and SF-424A, a project narrative for each proposed project, a summary page, key personnel descriptions, monitoring and evaluation plans, and detailed budget documents. Optional but encouraged documents include SF-424B and lobbying disclosures. The review process will be based on five evaluation criteria: feasibility and quality of the idea, organizational capacity, ability to achieve objectives, financial cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. For questions about the application process, applicants may contact ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov and ISN-CTR-DPRK@state.gov. Answers to submitted questions will be posted weekly to the NOFO listing on Grants.gov until July 25, 2025. Award announcements will be made by October 15, 2025, and project activities are expected to start on January 1, 2026. All post-award reporting must be conducted in English and submitted through the MyGrants platform. Financial and narrative reports are required quarterly, with a final report due within 120 days of the award's end date.