Unleashing American Energy Dominance and Expediting Responsible and Secure U.S. Small Modular Reactor Deployment through the FIRST Program

The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction, under the International Security and Nonproliferation Bureau, is administering the “Unleashing American Energy Dominance and Expediting Responsible and Secure U.S. Small Modular Reactor Deployment through the FIRST Program” funding opportunity. This initiative, identified as DFOP0017227, aims to support international partners in deploying U.S. small modular reactors (SMRs) responsibly. Rooted in the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) Program, the funding opportunity continues the mission initiated by President Trump’s Executive Order to unleash American energy and expand U.S. influence in global nuclear energy markets. The FIRST Program facilitates international collaborations by offering technical expertise and capacity building through various channels including workshops, webinars, site visits, and feasibility studies. It targets governments and nuclear stakeholders in Africa, East Asia Pacific, Europe, Near Eastern Affairs, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere. Projects should emphasize secure, safe, and nonproliferation-aligned SMR deployment, with activities tailored to the developmental stage of the partner countries’ nuclear programs. The overarching goal is to assist countries in achieving their energy needs through civil nuclear programs that align with the highest safety and nonproliferation standards. The total anticipated funding is $19.5 million, with individual award amounts ranging from $50,000 to approximately $4 million. Around 10 awards are expected, supporting projects of 12 to 24 months duration, beginning January 1, 2026. Funding will be provided through grants, cooperative agreements, or inter-agency agreements, depending on the involvement of the bureau or embassy in project implementation. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit entities, academic institutions, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, foreign public entities, public international organizations, and foreign-based NGOs and academic institutions. Matching funds are not required but may influence the Department’s contribution proportionally if included voluntarily. Applications are due by July 30, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT and must be submitted via Grants.gov, except for U.S. government entities applying for inter-agency agreements who should email their submissions to first@state.gov and ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov. A full application includes forms SF-424, SF-424A, and optionally SF-424B and SF-LLL, along with narratives, budget documents, and evaluation plans. Questions can be submitted to the provided emails, and responses will be posted weekly through July 25, 2025. Applications will be assessed on a 100-point scale based on project quality, organizational capacity, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, monitoring and evaluation strategy, and sustainability. Final decisions will consider alignment with U.S. foreign policy goals, regional distribution, and risk assessments including financial stability and past performance. Award notifications are expected by October 15, 2025. Successful applicants must comply with post-award reporting and administrative requirements, including quarterly financial and performance reporting, in accordance with 2 CFR 200 and State Department policies.

Ensure formatting guidelines are met; address nonproliferation objective explicitly; projects should be tailored and measurable; leverage past engagement and local partnerships; be concise yet thorough.