Countering Biological Weapons Threats

The "Countering Biological Weapons Threats" grant, issued by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR), is part of the FY25/26 Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR) funding portfolio. This initiative is implemented through the Biosecurity Engagement Program (BEP), with the primary goal of preventing adversaries from exploiting biological research and biotechnology infrastructure to develop or use biological weapons. The program aligns with the U.S. administration’s executive order on improving biological research safety and seeks to both enhance global biosecurity and protect U.S. economic and national security interests. BEP promotes security and oversight at biological and biotechnology laboratories, universities, science academies, and relevant private sector entities. It focuses on ensuring that high-consequence pathogens, dual-use equipment, and sensitive data—such as human genomic information—are secure from malign use. A critical aspect of BEP is its proactive collaboration with partner countries around the world, particularly in regions such as Africa, East Asia, Europe, the Near East, Central and South Asia, and Latin America. Notable partner countries include but are not limited to Kenya, Japan, Vietnam, Mexico, Türkiye, and India. The program promotes the adoption of U.S. standards in laboratory and cybersecurity practices. The total funding available under this opportunity is $15 million, with anticipated award amounts ranging between $250,000 and $5,000,000. ISN/CTR expects to issue approximately 10 awards. Projects may be implemented through grants, cooperative agreements, or Inter-Agency Agreements, with a performance period of 12 to 24 months. Proposals should ideally complete their objectives within 15 months. The anticipated project start date is January 1, 2026. Cost-sharing is not required and will not influence competitive ranking, but voluntary contributions are permitted and must comply with 2 CFR §200. Eligible applicants include a broad range of entities: U.S.-based nonprofit and for-profit organizations, institutions of higher education (public and private), foreign NGOs and academic institutions, foreign public entities, Public International Organizations, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs). Applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and be registered in SAM.gov. Only one application per organization is permitted, although each application may propose multiple standalone projects, each evaluated independently. Applicants must submit required forms and narrative materials through Grants.gov. Required documents include SF-424, SF-424A, a summary page, key personnel listings, monitoring and evaluation plans, consolidated project lists, and project narratives for each proposed activity. Budgets must be provided in both detailed line-item and narrative formats. Cooperative agreements will involve direct collaboration with ISN/CTR on agenda development, training implementation, and participant selection. The review process involves a technical eligibility check and a merit review conducted by subject matter experts. Proposals will be evaluated based on criteria such as the feasibility and quality of the proposed project, organizational capacity, budget soundness, sustainability plans, and the monitoring and evaluation approach. The application deadline is July 30, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. EDT. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by October 15, 2025. Additional details regarding reporting, compliance with federal regulations, and post-award responsibilities are outlined in the NOFO. Inquiries should be directed to bep@state.gov and ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov. Questions submitted by July 25, 2025, will be compiled and posted publicly each Friday until the deadline.