Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0007367
The FY21 Countering the People's Republic of China Military Civil Fusion (MCF) Strategy and Balancing Risks and Rewards of Emerging Technologies with WMD opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0007367) is a U.S. Department of State grant competition administered by the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), specifically through its Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR). It is a discretionary funding opportunity and would be implemented through a cooperative agreement, meaning the government would typically expect a more hands-on partnership with the award recipient than under a standard grant. The program sits under CFDA 19.033 and is funded through the Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR) account, which is a long-standing foreign assistance funding stream used to reduce proliferation risks and strengthen international security.
At its core, the opportunity is aimed at reducing and managing threats tied to weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the systems used to deliver them, and advanced conventional weapons, particularly in ways that can be exploited by proliferator states and non-state actors. The title makes clear that there are two closely related focal points: first, countering the People's Republic of China (PRC) Military Civil Fusion strategy, and second, improving the ability to balance the benefits of emerging technologies with the proliferation and security risks those technologies can introduce when they intersect with WMD-related efforts. In practical terms, this kind of framing usually signals support for work that helps governments, institutions, and partners understand how dual-use scientific research, industrial capabilities, supply chains, and academic collaborations can be leveraged for military modernization or WMD-relevant objectives, and then develop tools, policies, and practices to reduce those risks without unnecessarily cutting off legitimate innovation.
The scope described in the announcement emphasizes CTR's broader mission: mitigating proliferation and security threats linked to WMD, delivery systems, and advanced conventional weapons. That includes threats posed both by state actors (referred to as proliferator states) and by non-state actors such as terrorist groups or illicit trafficking networks. The reference to PRC MCF highlights concern about systematic efforts to integrate civilian research, commercial technology, and industrial capacity into military and strategic programs. The reference to "balancing risks and rewards" of emerging technologies suggests the program is not solely about restriction; it is also about helping partners navigate responsible development and use of cutting-edge fields while preventing misuse, diversion, or unintended transfer of sensitive capabilities relevant to WMD development, production, or delivery.
From an administrative standpoint, eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could apply as long as it met any additional requirements stated elsewhere in the full notice. The award ceiling is stated as $11,000,000, setting the maximum funding level for an award under this opportunity. The notice lists expected awards as 0, which often indicates the agency had not committed to a specific number of awards at the time of posting or that awards would depend on funding availability, application quality, and programmatic priorities. The opportunity was posted on October 19, 2020, with an original closing date of January 29, 2021. The activity category is labeled "Other," with a note pointing applicants to a clarification field in the full announcement, which usually means the program does not fit neatly into standard categories like health, education, or environment and is instead situated in national security, nonproliferation capacity building, or threat reduction.
Overall, this opportunity can be understood as part of the State Department's international security assistance efforts: supporting projects that strengthen nonproliferation and counterproliferation outcomes, reduce the risk of sensitive technology diversion, and improve the ability of partners to recognize and counter strategies that blur the line between civilian innovation and military application. The cooperative agreement structure, NADR funding source, and CTR mission all point to work that is operationally oriented and policy-relevant, with a strong emphasis on measurable risk reduction in areas connected to WMD and advanced weapons proliferation.Apply for SFOP0007367
- The Department of State, Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY21 Countering the People's Republic of China Military Civil Fusion (MCF) Strategy and Balancing Risks and Rewards of Emerging Technologies with WMD" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.033.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 19, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 29, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $11,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "FY21 Countering the People's Republic of China Military Civil Fusion (MCF) Strategy and Balancing Risks and Rewards of Emerging Technologies with WMD."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SFOP0007367.
Which U.S. government agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a U.S. Department of State grant competition.
Which bureau and office administer the program?
The competition is administered by the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN), specifically through its Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR).
What type of funding instrument is expected for awards under this opportunity?
The opportunity would be implemented through a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant?
A cooperative agreement typically means the U.S. government expects a more hands-on partnership with the award recipient than under a standard grant, with more substantial involvement in implementation.
Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. The notice describes it as a discretionary funding opportunity.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The program sits under CFDA 19.033.
What is the funding source for this opportunity?
Funding is provided through the Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR) account.
What is the overall purpose of this opportunity?
At its core, the opportunity aims to reduce and manage threats tied to weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the systems used to deliver them, and advanced conventional weapons, especially where those capabilities could be exploited by proliferator states or non-state actors.
What are the two main focal points of the program?
The two closely related focal points are: (1) countering the People's Republic of China (PRC) Military Civil Fusion (MCF) strategy, and (2) improving the ability to balance the benefits of emerging technologies with the proliferation and security risks that can arise when those technologies intersect with WMD-related efforts.
How does the opportunity describe the relevance of the PRC Military Civil Fusion (MCF) strategy?
The notice highlights concern about systematic efforts to integrate civilian research, commercial technology, and industrial capacity into military and strategic programs, and supports work to recognize and counter risks associated with that integration.
What does "balancing risks and rewards of emerging technologies" imply in this context?
It suggests the program is not solely about restricting technology. It also supports helping partners navigate responsible development and use of cutting-edge fields while preventing misuse, diversion, or unintended transfer of sensitive capabilities relevant to WMD development, production, or delivery.
What kinds of threats is the program trying to mitigate?
The scope emphasizes mitigating proliferation and security threats linked to WMD, delivery systems, and advanced conventional weapons, including threats posed by state actors (proliferator states) and non-state actors such as terrorist groups or illicit trafficking networks.
What types of activities does the opportunity appear designed to support (based on the framing provided)?
Based on the description, the opportunity signals support for work that helps governments, institutions, and partners understand how dual-use scientific research, industrial capabilities, supply chains, and academic collaborations can be leveraged for military modernization or WMD-relevant objectives, and then develop tools, policies, and practices to reduce those risks without unnecessarily cutting off legitimate innovation.
How does this opportunity fit into CTR's broader mission?
The program aligns with CTR's mission of mitigating proliferation and security threats tied to WMD, delivery systems, and advanced conventional weapons, with an emphasis on practical, policy-relevant, and operationally oriented risk reduction.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could apply as long as it met any additional requirements stated elsewhere in the full notice.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $11,000,000, which is the maximum funding level stated for an award under this opportunity.
How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The notice lists expected awards as 0, which often indicates the agency had not committed to a specific number of awards at the time of posting or that awards would depend on funding availability, application quality, and programmatic priorities.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on October 19, 2020.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was January 29, 2021.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is labeled "Other," with a note directing applicants to a clarification field in the full announcement.
Why might the activity category be listed as "Other"?
The description suggests the program does not fit neatly into standard categories (such as health, education, or environment) and is instead situated in national security, nonproliferation capacity building, or threat reduction.
What broader policy area does this opportunity support?
Overall, it is part of the State Department's international security assistance efforts, supporting projects that strengthen nonproliferation and counterproliferation outcomes, reduce the risk of sensitive technology diversion, and improve partners' ability to recognize and counter strategies that blur the line between civilian innovation and military application.
Does the description suggest an emphasis on measurable outcomes?
Yes. The summary points to a strong emphasis on measurable risk reduction in areas connected to WMD and advanced weapons proliferation.
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