Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0008596
The Countering Malign Economic Influence grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0008596) is a U.S. Department of State program run through the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation. It was posted on February 9, 2022, and originally closed on March 25, 2022. The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which typically means the Department of State expects a more hands-on partnership with the award recipient during implementation compared with a standard grant, including coordination on plans, deliverables, and program direction as activities unfold.
At its core, the opportunity targets national security vulnerabilities in partner countries that can be exploited through economic channels by malign state actors. The focus is not only on identifying gaps, but also on strengthening the policies, systems, and institutions that protect a country from coercive or corrupt influence that can come through trade, investment, infrastructure projects, and cross-border flows. The overall intent is capacity building: helping partner nations tighten rules and improve enforcement so that hostile or predatory actors have fewer opportunities to manipulate weak governance structures for strategic advantage.
The program’s technical emphasis spans several key defensive toolsets. One major area is export controls: strengthening a partner nation’s ability to regulate and prevent the transfer of sensitive goods, technologies, and know-how that could support military modernization, surveillance, or proliferation-related activities. Another emphasis is public procurement, where weak contracting rules and limited oversight can allow foreign actors to win strategic projects through non-transparent processes, bribery, bid-rigging, or politically leveraged financing. Financial controls are also highlighted, reflecting the need for stronger safeguards against illicit finance, sanctions evasion, and the misuse of financial systems that can bankroll influence operations or undermine legitimate markets.
The opportunity also calls out investment screening and critical infrastructure protection measures. Investment screening refers to a government’s ability to review foreign investments for national security risks, particularly when acquisitions or stakes in sensitive sectors might provide leverage, access to data, or control over essential services. Critical infrastructure protection points to measures that reduce the risk of sabotage, coercion, espionage, or systemic disruption in sectors such as energy, telecommunications, transportation, ports, and digital infrastructure. These protections often require both policy frameworks and practical operational capacity, including risk assessments, standards, interagency coordination, and incident response planning.
In addition to these governance and regulatory defenses, the program specifically aims to build institutional capabilities in customs and border enforcement. That reflects the reality that even strong rules do not matter if a country cannot enforce them at ports of entry, free trade zones, airports, and land borders. Strengthening customs and border institutions can include improving detection and interdiction practices, enhancing targeting and risk management, training personnel, updating procedures, and improving coordination among agencies responsible for trade compliance and security. The stated goal is to prevent malign state actors from exploiting weak points in border and trade enforcement to move controlled items, use transshipment routes, or circumvent restrictions.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding under the Department of State’s assistance portfolio, with the funding activity category listed as “Other” (with additional clarification referenced in the original notice). The CFDA number provided is 19.901, which is commonly associated with State Department assistance programs. The eligibility category is listed broadly as “Others,” indicating that eligibility details are defined in the full announcement rather than confined to a narrow set of applicant types in the summary record.
In terms of scale, the award ceiling is $450,000, and the Department anticipated making around 10 awards. That suggests a program designed to support multiple targeted projects rather than a single large global initiative. In practice, awards at this level often fund focused technical assistance, training, advisory support, stakeholder workshops, development of legal or procedural frameworks, pilot tools for screening and compliance, or similar capacity-building interventions tailored to specific partner-country needs.
Overall, Countering Malign Economic Influence is designed to help partner nations close systemic loopholes in trade controls, contracting, finance, investment oversight, infrastructure security, and border enforcement. The national security logic is straightforward: by strengthening these defenses, partner countries become less susceptible to coercion, corruption, and strategic exploitation that can come disguised as ordinary economic engagement.Apply for SFOP0008596
- 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 "Countering Malign Economic Influence" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.901.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 09, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 25, 2022. (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 $450,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (SFOP0008596) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Countering Malign Economic Influence Apply for SFOP0008599 Funding Number: SFOP0008599 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: $450,000 |
| Support for Libyan Customs Apply for SFOP0008601 Funding Number: SFOP0008601 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: $1,000,000 |
| Iraq-Jordan International Border Guard Training Program Apply for SFOP0008600 Funding Number: SFOP0008600 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: $920,000 |
| Culture of Content Research and Design Exchange Apply for AF HAR FY22 07 Funding Number: AF HAR FY22 07 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Zimbabwe Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| DRL FY21 Increasing the Agency of Women with Disabilities in West Africa Apply for SFOP0008602 Funding Number: SFOP0008602 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| U.S. Mission in Kinshasa Public Diplomacy Annual Program Statement (FY22) Apply for AF DRC FY22 02 Funding Number: AF DRC FY22 02 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Management Development for Women and Minorities in Corrections Curriculum Update Apply for 22JD16 Funding Number: 22JD16 Agency: Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| U.S. Embassy Port Louis, Public Affairs Sections (PAS) Annual Program Statement Apply for PAS PORTLOUIS FY22 01 Funding Number: PAS PORTLOUIS FY22 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Mauritius Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $24,000 |
| Bold Small Grants Mentoring Program Apply for 008 FY2022 Funding Number: 008 FY2022 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $15,000 |
| DRL Strengthening Human Rights and Accountability in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza Apply for SFOP0008613 Funding Number: SFOP0008613 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $987,654 |
| U.S. Embassy Mogadishu Public Affairs Section Annual Program Statement Apply for AF PAS MOG 22 01 Funding Number: AF PAS MOG 22 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Somalia Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Bold Initiatives Small Grant Program Apply for 009 FY2022 Funding Number: 009 FY2022 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $15,000 |
| U.S. Embassy in Madagascar and Comoros PDS Annual Program Statement Apply for AFMDG 22 01 Funding Number: AFMDG 22 01 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Madagascar Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $5,000 |
| 2022 South Sudan Full Proposal Apply for SFOP0008620 Funding Number: SFOP0008620 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| DRL Promoting Justice Sector Independence in Latin America and the Caribbean Apply for SFOP0008524 Funding Number: SFOP0008524 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $740,740 |
| Showcasing the U.S.-Somali Partnership Apply for AF PAS MOG FY22 02 Funding Number: AF PAS MOG FY22 02 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Kenya Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $17,000 |
| Democracy Commission Small Grants Program Apply for TASHKENT PAS FY22 003 Funding Number: TASHKENT PAS FY22 003 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Uzbekistan Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Promoting Justice Sector Independence in Latin America and the Caribbean Apply for SFOP0008625 Funding Number: SFOP0008625 Agency: Department of State, Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $740,740 |
| FY 2022 John McCain Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI) for Student Leaders on the Rule of Law and Public Service Apply for SFOP0008635 Funding Number: SFOP0008635 Agency: Department of State, Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| U.S. Embassy Burkina PAS Annual Program Statement Apply for BF NOFO FY22 001 Funding Number: BF NOFO FY22 001 Agency: Department of State, U.S. Mission to Burkina Faso Category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification) Funding Amount: $25,000 |
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