Preventing Iranian Proxy and ISIS Activities Along Iraq’s Western Border | DFOP0018090

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is a U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) discretionary grant opportunity issued under a cooperative agreement titled "Preventing Iranian Proxy and ISIS Activities Along Iraq's Western Border" (Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0018090). The activity category is Law, Justice and Legal Services under CFDA 19.701.

2) What is the main goal of the program?

The program aims to strengthen Iraq's ability to investigate and respond to terrorist attacks and cross-border incursions along the Iraq-Syria border. A central objective is improving Iraq's capacity to disrupt terrorist and militia-enabled movement of people and materiel, including trafficking routes associated with weapons, explosives, and human smuggling.

3) Which border area is the focus of the program?

The opportunity specifically emphasizes Iraq's western border area along the Iraq-Syria border.

4) What threats is this opportunity intended to address?

The announcement frames the current environment as a heightened security moment where Iran-aligned militia groups (IAMGs) and ISIS remain active and able to exploit weak border controls. It also highlights the role of porous borders in enabling hostile actors to move personnel and supplies that can translate into attacks on U.S. interests.

5) Why does the announcement emphasize border security and investigations?

The opportunity describes porous borders as a pathway that enables hostile actors to move people and materiel. By improving detection, investigation, and response, the program seeks to reduce operational freedom and constrain the logistics and transit networks used by terrorist and militia-linked actors.

6) How does this relate to protecting U.S. interests?

The program is intended to reduce direct risks to U.S. diplomatic and military facilities, protect American commercial operations in Iraq, and lower the likelihood of attacks that could harm Americans abroad by limiting hostile actors' ability to use cross-border transit routes.

7) What recent security context is referenced in the announcement?

The announcement points to incidents involving IAMGs, noting attacks on U.S. personnel and facilities in Erbil and Baghdad since February 28, and referencing a broader pattern of rocket and drone strikes targeting U.S. diplomatic sites, military installations, and commercial facilities.

8) What kinds of illicit activity are mentioned as a focus?

The opportunity calls out trafficking routes used for the movement of weapons, explosives, and human smuggling as key concerns linked to cross-border movement of people and materiel.

9) What does "cooperative agreement" mean in this context?

The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which the announcement describes as involving substantial U.S. government involvement during implementation rather than a hands-off grant model.

10) How many awards does the Department of State expect to make?

The opportunity anticipates making one award.

11) What is the maximum funding amount available?

The award ceiling listed in the announcement is $6,808,090.

12) When was the opportunity posted and what is the application deadline?

The posting date is April 29, 2026. The original application closing date is June 8, 2026.

13) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted. The listed eligible applicant types include:

• Not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations)
• Public and private educational institutions
• For-profit organizations (where permitted by appropriation)
• Public international organizations and governmental institutions

14) Does the opportunity require a sustainability approach?

Yes. A major requirement emphasized throughout the opportunity is sustainability and reducing long-term burden on U.S. taxpayers. The program is expected to build durable Iraqi civilian law enforcement capabilities that can be sustained independently over time rather than creating ongoing dependency on U.S. assistance.

15) What is meant by "burden-sharing and burden-shifting" in this opportunity?

The opportunity references the 2025 National Security Strategy principle of "burden-sharing and burden-shifting" and ties it to an expectation that the program will leave behind Iraqi-owned capability so Iraqi institutions can independently respond, investigate, and dismantle illicit transit networks over time.

16) Is a train-the-trainer model expected?

Yes. Applicants are expected to incorporate a train-the-trainer approach intended to establish an Iraqi-owned training capability inside civilian forces so skills and procedures can be institutionalized and replicated without continuous U.S. support.

17) Which Iraqi institutions are the primary focus for capacity building?

The announcement emphasizes building Iraqi civilian law enforcement capabilities and creating an Iraqi-owned training capacity inside civilian forces.

18) What types of results is the opportunity looking for?

The opportunity is designed for an implementer that can deliver measurable improvements in Iraqi civilian-led border-related counterterrorism functions, while also building an enduring training and operational capability that Iraq can sustain independently.

19) What is the CFDA number and activity category listed for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 19.701, with the activity category identified as Law, Justice and Legal Services.

20) What is the program trying to change operationally along the border?

Based on the announcement, the program aims to tighten Iraq's ability to detect, investigate, and respond to cross-border threats in order to reduce the freedom of movement for terrorist and militia-linked networks and disrupt logistics and transit routes used for illicit movement of people and materiel.