Advancing Strategic Space Partnerships in the Middle East

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA), through its Office of Assistance Coordination (NEA/AC), has announced a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled “Advancing Strategic Space Partnerships in the Middle East.” This program reflects the United States’ strategic interest in deepening relationships with select Middle Eastern and North African countries by supporting the growth of their space sectors. The initiative emphasizes the United States’ role as a leader in technological innovation and scientific advancement while positioning it as the preferred partner for countries that seek to expand their space expertise. The funder has a long history of supporting initiatives that advance U.S. foreign policy objectives across the MENA region, working with civil society, governments, academic institutions, and private sector actors:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}. The grant’s primary purpose is to empower a new generation of leaders in the Middle East and North Africa by equipping them with interdisciplinary skills to engage in and harness the global space economy. Targeted participants include space professionals in both the public and private sectors from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Oman. The initiative will provide training across four strategic pillars: space capacity building, space leadership, space diplomacy, and space commerce. This training will be tailored to country-specific needs and designed for scalability and sustainability. The program is expected to strengthen alignment with U.S. space standards, promote U.S. technologies, and encourage bilateral trade and investment in the space sector:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}. The award offers up to $2,250,000 in funding, with only one award anticipated. The period of performance will be two years, and the funding instrument may be a grant or cooperative agreement depending on the nature of collaboration. Notably, cost sharing or matching is not required. Funding restrictions include prohibitions on social welfare projects, partisan political activities, one-off events, cultural festivals, medical research, entertainment, or profit-making activities. The program is designed to maximize impact through sustained engagement and capacity-building rather than isolated events:contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}:contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}. Eligibility for this funding opportunity extends broadly. Applicants may include U.S. and non-U.S. nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, foundations, public and private higher education institutions, community-based organizations, public international organizations, and governmental institutions. To qualify, applicants must be legally registered entities, meet federal registration requirements including obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and maintaining active SAM.gov registration, and demonstrate experience working in the MENA region as well as with the U.S. and global space sectors. Local partnerships with MENA-based organizations are strongly encouraged to strengthen proposals and enhance regional expertise:contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}. Applications must be submitted in English and include required federal forms (SF-424 and SF-424a), a detailed project narrative, and a comprehensive budget package consisting of a summary budget, line item budget, and budget narrative. Additional documents such as CVs of key staff, letters of support, and sustainability plans may also be required or encouraged. The application must clearly articulate problem statements, objectives, proposed methods, project schedules, key personnel, monitoring and evaluation strategies, and sustainability approaches. Applications are limited to 15 pages for the narrative, and all documents must follow formatting requirements outlined in the NOFO:contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}. Applications must be submitted via the MyGrants portal linked through Grants.gov by August 25, 2025, at 16:00 EDT. Questions may be submitted until August 7, 2025, with compiled responses posted to Grants.gov by August 5. The program requires quarterly performance and financial reporting, compliance with federal audit and funding regulations, and adherence to branding and marking requirements including the display of the U.S. flag on all program materials. Additional compliance measures include the Leahy Vetting process for security-related participants, adherence to anti-discrimination certifications, and transparency in reporting sub-awards over $25,000:contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}. The review process will consider achievable objectives (30 points), project design (40 points), organizational capacity (20 points), and staff qualifications (10 points). Final award decisions will depend not only on technical scores but also on alignment with U.S. foreign policy objectives and geographic priorities. The grant represents a significant opportunity for qualified organizations to contribute to strengthening U.S.–MENA partnerships in space policy, commerce, and research, while promoting long-term capacity building and regional stability:contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.