Preventing U.S. Adversaries Access to Critical Technologies and Exploitation of Scientific and Commercial Facilities for Military Advancement

The U.S. Department of State's Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction under the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled "Preventing U.S. Adversaries’ Access to Critical Technologies and Exploitation of Scientific and Commercial Facilities for Military Advancement" (Opportunity Number DFOP0017248). This grant seeks to mitigate threats posed by adversaries, particularly China, in acquiring sensitive U.S. technologies through legal and illegal means for military advancement, including the development of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and advanced conventional weapons. The program has a global priority and focuses on securing advanced technologies, protecting intellectual property (IP), and preventing the exploitation of scientific and commercial ventures. Eligible applicants include a wide range of U.S. and foreign entities, including for-profit organizations, nonprofits, institutions of higher education, public international organizations, and federally funded research and development centers. The grant does not require matching funds, and voluntary cost-sharing is not a determining factor in application evaluation. Award amounts range from $250,000 to $1,000,000, with a total of $30 million available for FY 2025-2026. The anticipated start date is January 1, 2026, with projects expected to be completed within 12 to 24 months. Applications must be submitted by July 30, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. EDT through Grants.gov, unless applying as a U.S. government entity for Inter-Agency Agreement funding. In such cases, submissions should be emailed to ctr-techprotect-nofo@state.gov and ISN-CTR-BUDGET@state.gov. Required application materials include standard federal forms (SF-424 series), a summary page, key personnel bios, a monitoring and evaluation plan, consolidated project list, project narrative, and budget documents. Specific details such as the problem statement, goals, objectives, activities, timeline, risk analysis, and sustainability plans must be clearly outlined for each project proposed within an application package. The Department encourages applications that are well-developed, feasible, and demonstrate capacity for execution and impact measurement. Evaluation criteria include the quality and feasibility of the project (25 points), organizational capacity (20 points), planning and objective achievement (15 points), cost effectiveness (15 points), monitoring and evaluation (15 points), and sustainability (10 points). Review and selection will involve both technical and merit evaluations, with final decisions made by senior officials of ISN/CTR. Results for unsuccessful applicants will be communicated by October 15, 2025. All grants will be administered according to federal guidelines, including robust reporting and financial accountability standards.

Ensure all forms and narratives are complete, coherent, and within page limits; submit via Grants.gov; use provided templates where specified; focus on feasibility and sustainability in the proposal.