Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0009255
The Fellowship for Afghan Chemical and Biological Experts in Support of U.S. Security and Nonproliferation Projects is a U.S. Department of State grant opportunity run through the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, specifically its Office of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (NDF). The program is built around one-year fellowships for up to five Afghan chemical and biological subject-matter experts who previously worked as U.S. Government partners and were employed either by the former Afghan government or within chemical/biological industry or academia. The basic idea is to place these specialists in a structured fellowship environment where their knowledge can be used in a controlled, security-focused way to strengthen U.S. nonproliferation efforts related to Afghanistan.
The core objective is practical: support U.S. efforts to prevent Afghanistan-based terrorist groups from getting access, through foreign suppliers, to materials and equipment that could be turned into chemical or biological weapons capabilities. The solicitation emphasizes several categories of concern. On the chemical side, it references weaponizable chemical agent precursors, including precursors that could be used to generate rudimentary or toxic gases, as well as other threat-material precursor classes. On the biological side, it highlights biological agents, including highly infectious endemic diseases and, in particular, samples of especially dangerous pathogens. It also focuses on dual-use equipment, meaning items that have legitimate civilian or research purposes but could also be repurposed for harmful applications. Examples provided include laboratory equipment and dissemination-related devices such as agricultural sprayer systems, other sprayers, and fermenters. The fellowships are intended to help U.S. programs identify, understand, and disrupt pathways by which these materials, pathogens, or tools could be sourced and moved.
The fellowships are expected to provide support in forms such as research, guidance, training, and related professional activities aligned with U.S. security and nonproliferation priorities. While the announcement does not spell out specific workplans in the summary text, the framing implies that fellows would contribute specialized regional and technical insight, help assess procurement or trafficking risks, support analytical work tied to supply chain and foreign supplier networks, and strengthen the knowledge base needed to prevent diversion of dual-use materials and equipment. The program is therefore less about broad academic research and more about targeted, applied work that improves the U.S. Government's ability to block access to sensitive chemical/biological precursors, biological samples, and enabling equipment.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant (not a contract) under Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0009255, with the activity category listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The CFDA/assistance listing number is 19.224. The total funding parameters in the notice include an award ceiling of $800,000, and the Department anticipates making up to five awards. The opportunity was posted on November 10, 2022, with an original application closing date of January 10, 2023. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), meaning the Department is looking for capable nonprofit implementers that can manage fellowships, provide oversight and support structures, and handle the operational, administrative, and compliance responsibilities that come with hosting or running a security-relevant fellowship program.
The notice points applicants to the full solicitation materials hosted on SAMS Domestic for complete application instructions, which is where the detailed requirements would typically appear, such as the expected program design, deliverables, reporting, budget rules, security or vetting expectations, monitoring and evaluation, and any coordination requirements with the Department of State. In short, the opportunity funds nonprofit-run, one-year fellowships for a small cohort of vetted Afghan experts, with the explicit national security purpose of helping the United States and its partners reduce the risk that terrorists can obtain chemical and biological weapon precursors, dangerous pathogens or samples, and dual-use equipment through external supply channels.Apply for SFOP0009255
- The Department of State, Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fellowship for Afghan Chemical and Biological Experts in Support of U.S. Security and Nonproliferation Projects" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.224.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 10, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 10, 2023. (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 $800,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1) What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Fellowship for Afghan Chemical and Biological Experts in Support of U.S. Security and Nonproliferation Projects."
2) Which U.S. government entity is offering this funding?
This is a U.S. Department of State grant opportunity administered through the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, specifically the Office of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (NDF).
3) Is this funding a grant or a contract?
This is a discretionary grant, not a contract.
4) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is SFOP0009255.
5) What is the assistance listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The CFDA/assistance listing number is 19.224.
6) What is the overall purpose of the program?
The program is designed to support U.S. security and nonproliferation efforts related to Afghanistan by placing Afghan chemical and biological subject-matter experts into structured one-year fellowships. The intent is to use their technical and regional knowledge in a controlled, security-focused environment to strengthen efforts to prevent terrorist groups from obtaining chemical/biological weapons-related materials, pathogens, and enabling equipment through foreign supply pathways.
7) What are the primary security and nonproliferation concerns addressed?
The solicitation focuses on preventing Afghanistan-based terrorist groups from gaining access (via foreign suppliers) to:
- Chemical agent precursors that could be weaponized (including precursors that could generate rudimentary or toxic gases, and other threat-material precursor classes)
- Biological agents, including highly infectious endemic diseases
- Samples of especially dangerous pathogens
- Dual-use equipment that could be repurposed for harmful applications
8) What does "dual-use equipment" mean in this program?
Dual-use equipment refers to items that have legitimate civilian, industrial, or research uses but could also be repurposed for chemical or biological weapons-related activities. The notice provides examples such as laboratory equipment and dissemination-related devices (including agricultural sprayer systems and other sprayers) and fermenters.
9) How many fellows are expected to be supported?
The program is built around one-year fellowships for up to five Afghan chemical and biological subject-matter experts.
10) Who are the intended fellows?
The fellows are Afghan chemical and biological subject-matter experts who previously worked as U.S. Government partners and were employed either:
- By the former Afghan government, or
- Within chemical/biological industry or academia
11) What is the fellowship duration?
The fellowships are intended to be one year in length.
12) What types of activities might fellows support during the fellowship?
Based on the notice summary, fellows are expected to support U.S. security and nonproliferation priorities through activities such as research, guidance, training, and related professional activities. The framing indicates that fellows may contribute specialized regional and technical insight, support analytical work tied to procurement/trafficking and foreign supplier networks, help assess diversion and supply-chain risks, and strengthen the knowledge base used to prevent acquisition of sensitive materials and equipment.
13) Is this program oriented toward academic research or applied security work?
The notice frames the program as targeted, applied work intended to improve the U.S. Government's ability to identify, understand, and disrupt pathways by which sensitive chemical/biological precursors, dangerous biological samples, and dual-use equipment could be sourced and moved.
14) What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
15) What is the total funding amount and maximum award size?
The notice includes an award ceiling of $800,000.
16) How many awards does the Department anticipate making?
The Department anticipates making up to five awards.
17) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education. In practical terms, the Department is seeking nonprofit implementers capable of managing fellowships and providing operational oversight and compliance for a security-relevant program.
18) Are universities or institutions of higher education eligible?
No. The eligibility statement specifies 501(c)(3) nonprofits while excluding institutions of higher education.
19) What is SAMS Domestic, and why is it referenced?
The notice directs applicants to the full solicitation materials hosted on SAMS Domestic for complete application instructions and detailed requirements. The summary indicates that items typically found in the full solicitation could include program design expectations, deliverables, reporting requirements, budget rules, security/vetting expectations, monitoring and evaluation, and coordination requirements with the Department of State.
20) Where are the full application instructions located?
The full solicitation materials and complete application instructions are hosted on SAMS Domestic.
21) What was the posting date and original application deadline in the notice?
The opportunity was posted on November 10, 2022, with an original application closing date of January 10, 2023.
22) What kind of organization is the Department looking for to run the program?
Based on the eligibility and program description, the Department is looking for a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit implementer that can manage one-year fellowships, provide structured oversight and support, and handle operational, administrative, and compliance responsibilities for a program tied to U.S. security and nonproliferation priorities.
23) What does the program mean by using fellows' expertise in a "controlled, security-focused" way?
The summary states that the experts' knowledge is to be used within a structured fellowship environment aligned to security and nonproliferation efforts. The notice does not provide operational details in the summary, but it clearly frames the intent as applying expertise to strengthen prevention and disruption of supply pathways for sensitive chemical/biological materials and dual-use equipment.
24) What specific items does the notice mention as examples of concern?
Examples mentioned include weaponizable chemical precursor classes (including those that could generate rudimentary or toxic gases), biological agents including highly infectious endemic diseases, samples of especially dangerous pathogens, and dual-use equipment such as laboratory equipment, agricultural sprayer systems and other sprayers, dissemination-related devices, and fermenters.
25) What is the intended end benefit of the fellowships for U.S. security?
The stated goal is to strengthen U.S. nonproliferation efforts related to Afghanistan by helping identify, understand, and disrupt foreign supply channels and procurement/trafficking pathways that could allow terrorists to obtain chemical/biological weapon precursors, dangerous biological samples, or dual-use equipment.
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