Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0008390
The Global Biological Threat Reduction and Border Security grant opportunity (SFOP0008390) is a U.S. Department of State program run through the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, focused on reducing the risk that high consequence pathogens could cause harm through accidental release, natural outbreak, or deliberate misuse. The central idea is to help foreign partners build stronger, more coordinated systems across public health, animal health, law enforcement, and border security so they can prevent biological incidents, spot them earlier when they occur, and respond in a way that limits spread and impact. The program is positioned squarely in the biological nonproliferation space, meaning it is not only about routine disease control but also about reducing opportunities for actors to obtain, move, or weaponize dangerous biological materials.
A major emphasis of the opportunity is improving pathogen detection capacity in a way that is both effective and secure. That includes strengthening laboratory-level capabilities to identify high consequence pathogens safely, as well as improving network-level detection systems so information can move quickly between labs, clinics, veterinary services, and relevant government authorities. The intent is to reduce blind spots where outbreaks can grow undetected and to ensure that diagnostic and reporting pipelines are resilient enough to function during high-pressure incidents. Just as importantly, the program highlights the need for safe and secure operations, suggesting that detection upgrades are expected to go hand-in-hand with controls that reduce theft, diversion, mishandling, and other biosafety and biosecurity failures.
Another core component is upgrading biosafety and biosecurity infrastructure and practices in laboratories and medical facilities that might encounter or work with high consequence pathogens. In practical terms, this can involve strengthening facility procedures, training, and oversight so that people, pathogens, and sensitive information are managed responsibly. It also points to improving the physical and operational safeguards that keep dangerous agents from being accessed by unauthorized individuals and that reduce the chance of lab-associated infections or accidental releases. The program framing makes clear that these improvements are meant to lower both public health risks and proliferation risks, recognizing that weak laboratory security and weak safety cultures can create openings for harm even when the original intent of the facility is legitimate research or diagnostics.
The opportunity also stresses multisectoral coordination, treating effective response as something that must span human health, animal health, law enforcement, and border and customs authorities. This reflects the reality that many significant pathogens are zoonotic or can move between animals and humans, and that deliberate biological events can look like natural outbreaks at the start. By promoting coordination, the program aims to ensure that agencies share information, align protocols, and act quickly when warning signs appear, whether those warning signs come from hospitals, veterinary reporting, border seizures, or intelligence and investigative leads. Strengthening these linkages is positioned as essential for efficient prevention, detection, and response, especially in complex incidents where public health actions and security actions must be synchronized.
Geographically and strategically, ISN/NDF indicates it will prioritize countries and regions where three risk factors overlap: a high burden of endemic high consequence pathogens, evidence of interest or capability by state or nonstate actors to use biological agents, and the presence of biological infrastructure that could be attractive to malicious actors. This suggests the funding is aimed at higher-risk environments where improvements in laboratory security, detection networks, and cross-agency collaboration could meaningfully reduce the chances of dangerous pathogens being mishandled, stolen, smuggled, or intentionally released. The targeting language also signals that applicants should be prepared to show how proposed activities align with these risk-based priorities and why the selected partner locations matter from a threat-reduction and border-security perspective.
In terms of administrative details, this is a discretionary grant opportunity with an award ceiling of $8,500,000 and an expectation of about four awards. The CFDA number listed is 19.224. The eligible applicant category specified is nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education), which narrows who can apply directly and implies that some organizations may need to consider partnership structures if they do not fit the eligibility definition. The opportunity was created on September 22, 2021, with an original closing date of November 22, 2021. Overall, the grant is structured to fund projects that measurably reduce biological risk by strengthening secure detection, modernizing biosafety and biosecurity practices, and building durable coordination among health and security actors at points where outbreaks and cross-border movement of pathogens can be stopped or contained early.Apply for SFOP0008390
- The Department of State, Bureau of Oceans - Int. Environmental - Scientific in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Global Biological Threat Reduction and Border Security" 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 Sep 22, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 22, 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 $8,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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FAQs: Global Biological Threat Reduction and Border Security (SFOP0008390)
What is the Global Biological Threat Reduction and Border Security grant opportunity (SFOP0008390)?
It is a U.S. Department of State grant program (SFOP0008390) focused on reducing the risk that high consequence pathogens could cause harm through accidental release, natural outbreak, or deliberate misuse. The program is designed to help foreign partners strengthen prevention, detection, and response systems, with an explicit biological nonproliferation and border security focus.
Which U.S. government office runs this program?
The opportunity is run through the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
What is the core goal of the program?
The core goal is to measurably reduce biological risk by strengthening secure pathogen detection, upgrading biosafety and biosecurity practices and infrastructure, and improving coordinated action across public health, animal health, law enforcement, and border/customs authorities.
Is this grant only about routine disease control and public health?
No. While it includes outbreak detection and response improvements, it is positioned squarely in the biological nonproliferation space. That means it is also intended to reduce opportunities for actors to obtain, move, misuse, or weaponize dangerous biological materials.
What kinds of biological risks does the program aim to reduce?
The program targets risks from accidental release, natural outbreaks, and deliberate misuse of high consequence pathogens, including risks associated with theft, diversion, mishandling, and other biosafety or biosecurity failures.
What does the grant emphasize regarding pathogen detection?
A major emphasis is improving pathogen detection capacity in ways that are both effective and secure. This includes strengthening laboratory-level capabilities to safely identify high consequence pathogens and improving network-level detection systems so information moves quickly between labs, clinics, veterinary services, and relevant authorities.
What does "network-level detection systems" mean in this context?
It refers to strengthening the broader detection and reporting pipelines that connect laboratories, human health and veterinary reporting channels, and government decision-makers, so warning signals can be shared quickly and reliably, including during high-pressure incidents.
Why does the opportunity stress that detection upgrades should be secure?
The program indicates that detection improvements are expected to go hand-in-hand with controls that reduce theft, diversion, mishandling, and other biosafety and biosecurity failures, so enhanced capability does not create new vulnerabilities.
What biosafety and biosecurity improvements are in scope?
The opportunity highlights upgrading biosafety and biosecurity infrastructure and practices in laboratories and medical facilities that might encounter or work with high consequence pathogens. Examples described include strengthening facility procedures, training, oversight, and physical and operational safeguards to prevent unauthorized access and reduce accidental releases or lab-associated infections.
Why does the program link biosafety/biosecurity to nonproliferation?
Because weak laboratory security and weak safety cultures can create openings for harm even when the facility is conducting legitimate research or diagnostics. The program frames biosafety and biosecurity improvements as reducing both public health risks and proliferation risks.
What does "multisectoral coordination" mean for this grant?
It means improving how human health, animal health, law enforcement, and border and customs authorities share information, align protocols, and coordinate actions to prevent, detect, and respond to biological incidents.
Why is coordination across animal and human health specifically important?
The opportunity notes that many significant pathogens are zoonotic or can move between animals and humans, so effective prevention and early detection often depend on linking veterinary and human health systems.
How does the program treat deliberate biological events versus natural outbreaks?
It acknowledges that deliberate biological events can initially look like natural outbreaks. The program therefore promotes coordination between public health response and security/investigative functions so agencies can synchronize actions when warning signs appear.
How are countries or regions prioritized for this funding?
ISN/NDF indicates it will prioritize countries and regions where three factors overlap: (1) a high burden of endemic high consequence pathogens, (2) evidence of interest or capability by state or nonstate actors to use biological agents, and (3) the presence of biological infrastructure that could be attractive to malicious actors.
What does the opportunity suggest applicants should demonstrate about geography and partner locations?
The targeting language suggests applicants should be prepared to explain how proposed activities align with the risk-based priorities and why the selected partner locations matter from a threat-reduction and border-security perspective.
What is the award ceiling for this grant?
The award ceiling is $8,500,000.
How many awards are expected?
The opportunity states an expectation of about four awards.
What type of funding opportunity is this?
It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 19.224.
Who is eligible to apply, based on the eligible applicant category listed?
The eligible applicant category specified is nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education).
What does the eligibility description imply for organizations that do not fit that category?
It implies the eligibility definition is narrow, and some organizations may need to consider partnership structures if they do not fit the stated eligibility category to participate in projects funded under this opportunity.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on September 22, 2021, with an original closing date of November 22, 2021.
What kinds of results is the grant ultimately trying to produce?
Based on the description, it is intended to fund projects that measurably reduce biological risk by strengthening secure detection, modernizing biosafety and biosecurity practices, and building durable coordination among health and security actors, especially where outbreaks or cross-border movement of pathogens can be stopped or contained early.
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| FY22 Counter Russia Malign Influence Apply for SFOP0008418 Funding Number: SFOP0008418 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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