Countering U.S. Adversary WMD and Drone Threats in Iraq

The Department of State’s Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR), under the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled "Countering U.S. Adversary WMD and Drone Threats in Iraq" under opportunity number DFOP0017268. This opportunity is funded through FY 25/26 appropriations under the Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR) account, among others. The grant aims to disrupt efforts by Iranian-backed proxies and other terrorist groups to develop and deploy weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in Iraq and the broader Near East region. With a focus on protecting U.S. personnel and regional allies, the program supports the development of Iraqi capabilities to prevent, detect, and respond to chemical and biological threats and drone attacks. The anticipated funding pool is $1,500,000, with approximately 10 awards expected, each ranging from $50,000 to $250,000. Projects should span a performance period of up to 15 months, with an anticipated start date of January 1, 2026. The NOFO supports a range of project types through grants, cooperative agreements, or inter-agency agreements (IAAs), depending on the applicant’s organization type and the proposed level of federal involvement. Cooperative agreements may include active participation by ISN/CTR in project planning, participant selection, and review of materials. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based and foreign nonprofit and for-profit entities, academic institutions, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), Public International Organizations (PIOs), and Foreign Public Entities (FPEs). A valid UEI and SAM.gov registration are required, though exemptions may be granted in rare cases. Each organization may submit only one application, which may include multiple independent projects. Matching funds are not required but may be proposed voluntarily and will not impact eligibility or scoring. Applications are due by 11:59 PM EDT on July 31, 2025. Required materials include SF-424 forms, a project summary, key personnel bios, monitoring and evaluation plans, project narratives (one per project), detailed budgets, and budget justifications. Submissions must be made via Grants.gov, except for U.S. government entities submitting IAAs, which should be sent directly via email to iraqctr@state.gov and ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov. Proposals will be evaluated based on the quality of the project idea (25 points), organizational capacity (20 points), program planning (15 points), cost-effectiveness (15 points), monitoring and evaluation plans (15 points), and sustainability (10 points). Priority will be given to proposals that align with the current threat environment in Iraq, incorporate train-the-trainer methodologies, engage law enforcement in preventive actions, and demonstrate nonproliferation benefits through data-driven approaches. Proposals must also show how they will support Iraqi institutions, including coordination with the Government of Iraq (GOI) and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The program seeks to build a proliferation-resistant security culture in Iraq through activities such as strengthening forensic and medical response capabilities, improving national UAS strategies, and enhancing cooperation between government, academic, and industrial sectors. Reporting is mandatory on both performance and financial fronts and must be submitted quarterly through the MyGrants platform. Final reports are due within 120 days of project completion. All reports must be in English and in U.S. dollars. Questions about the NOFO can be submitted to the designated email addresses and will be compiled into weekly updates posted to Grants.gov through July 25, 2025.

Applicants should tailor activities to the Iraq threat environment, include train-the-trainer methods, and emphasize sustainability.