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

The funding opportunity titled "Unleashing American Energy Dominance and Expediting Responsible and Secure U.S. Small Modular Reactor Deployment through the FIRST Program" is administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction within the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN/CTR). It supports international efforts to safely and responsibly deploy U.S. small modular reactor (SMR) and advanced reactor technologies. The program operates under the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST), launched in 2019 to advance civil nuclear partnerships and energy security through technical assistance, training, and policy engagement. The primary purpose of this NOFO is to fund projects that assist nuclear energy newcomer and existing nuclear energy countries in aligning with U.S. standards for nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation. FIRST achieves this by facilitating bilateral and regional cooperation and leveraging the innovation and expertise of the U.S. nuclear industry, academic institutions, and national laboratories. Activities include technical consultancies, feasibility studies, SMR roadmaps, simulators, training hubs, study tours, regulatory development support, and workforce training. The total estimated funding is approximately $19.5 million, pending notification, with individual awards ranging from $50,000 to $4,000,000. The Department anticipates issuing around 10 awards with a performance period of 12 to 24 months, ideally not exceeding 15 months. Funding instruments may include grants, cooperative agreements, or inter-agency agreements. The anticipated project start date is January 1, 2026. Eligible applicants include U.S. nonprofit and for-profit entities, U.S. higher education institutions (public and private), Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), public international organizations (PIOs), foreign-based NGOs and institutions of higher education, and foreign public entities. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by July 30, 2025. Each applicant may submit one proposal packet, which can include multiple projects with separate budgets and narratives. Applications must include required forms (SF-424 and SF-424A), a summary page, key personnel details, a monitoring and evaluation narrative and plan, a consolidated project list, individual project narratives (maximum 3 pages), detailed budgets, and budget justifications. Evaluation criteria include the quality of the proposal, feasibility, past performance, financial capacity, monitoring and evaluation plans, and sustainability. Interested applicants can direct questions to ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov and FIRST@state.gov. Questions submitted by July 25, 2025, will be compiled and answered weekly. The final award decisions will be communicated by October 15, 2025, with all projects expected to begin on or after January 1, 2026.