Countering the Russian Federation’s Sanctions Evasion Activities | DFOP0016993

Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0016993

The grant opportunity titled "Countering the Russian Federation's Sanctions Evasion Activities" (Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0016993) is a discretionary U.S. government funding program run by the Department of State's Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation under CFDA 19.033. It is focused on strengthening efforts to stop or disrupt attempts to evade the wide-ranging international sanctions that have been imposed in response to Russia's war in Ukraine. The core premise behind the program is that sanctions are meant to constrain Russia's defense industrial base by limiting its ability, and the ability of its enablers, to access money, equipment, technology, materials, and other inputs that support wartime military production and operations. In practical terms, the opportunity supports work that helps make sanctions more effective by identifying, exposing, and reducing the pathways Russia and its networks use to get around restrictions.

Funding is provided through a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates a closer working relationship with the U.S. government than a standard grant, often involving substantial agency involvement in shaping, coordinating, or guiding the funded activities over the life of the award. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $5,000,000 per award and anticipates making up to 17 awards, suggesting the government expects to fund multiple projects, potentially spanning different geographies, sectors, or technical approaches connected to sanctions evasion risks. The opportunity was created on 2024-10-26, and the original application closing date is 2025-01-17.

The eligible applicant pool is broad and intentionally includes a mix of domestic and international implementers that could contribute operational capacity, research expertise, or on-the-ground presence. Eligible entities include U.S.-based nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), foreign-based NGOs, federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), public international organizations, foreign public organizations, U.S.-based private, public, or state institutions of higher education, foreign-based institutions of higher education, and U.S. for-profit organizations or businesses. This breadth signals that the program is open to both mission-driven organizations and technical or commercial actors, as long as they can credibly support the overarching goal of countering sanctions evasion tied to Russia's defense-related procurement and enabling networks.

Substantively, while the public synopsis provided is brief, the emphasis on "sanctions evasion activities" tied to the defense industrial base points to projects that would likely center on tracing procurement networks and supply chains, identifying illicit or deceptive trade practices, improving detection of front companies and intermediaries, strengthening compliance and enforcement capacity, and enhancing information sharing and analytical methods that help governments, industry, and other stakeholders close loopholes. Because the intent is to raise the cost to the Russian military and its enablers of accessing restricted resources and financing, supported activities would typically be expected to produce actionable outputs: clearer identification of evasion typologies, stronger partner capabilities to investigate and disrupt networks, and better tools or practices that reduce the effectiveness of circumvention routes used to obtain controlled or sanctioned items.

Overall, this opportunity is designed for applicants that can demonstrate a concrete contribution to making sanctions regimes more effective, whether through operational disruption, technical analysis, capacity building, or cross-border coordination aimed at limiting Russia's ability to sustain or expand wartime capabilities through illicit acquisition and financial channels.

• The Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Countering the Russian Federation’s Sanctions Evasion Activities" 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 2024-10-26.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-17. (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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 17 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for DFOP0016993

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