ClosedOpportunity DFOP0017227

Unleashing American Energy Dominance and Expediting Responsible and Secure U.S. Small Modular Reactor Deployment through the FIRST Program

Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation · Department of State

At a glance

Unleashing American Energy Dominance and Expediting Responsible and Secure U.S. Small Modular Reactor Deployment through the FIRST Program is a closed federal cooperative agreement opportunity from the Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation (Department of State). The application deadline was July 30, 2025. Individual awards are listed as $50K – $4M, with about 10 awards expected and $19.5M in total estimated funding. Applicant types listed as eligible include others (see notice). Cost sharing is not required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 19.033 (Global Threat Reduction).

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

May 30, 2025Posted
Jul 30, 2025Application deadline

Posted: May 30, 2025
Close date: Jul 30, 2025
Award floor: $50,000
Award ceiling: $4,000,000
Est. total funding: $19,500,000
Expected awards: 10
Cost sharing: Not required
Funding instrument: Cooperative Agreement
Opportunity category: Discretionary

Who can apply

Others (see notice)

Additional information on eligibility (from the notice)

The following organizations are eligible to apply: U.S. for-profit organizations or businesses; U.S.-based non-profit/non-governmental organizations with or without 501(c) (3) status of the U.S. tax code; U.S.-based private, public, or state institutions of higher education; foreign-based non-profit organizations/non-government organizations (NGO); Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs); Public International Organizations (PIO) ; Foreign Public Entities (FPE); and foreign-based institutions of higher education.

Also named in the notice's eligibility text

Public colleges & universities
501(c)(3) nonprofits
Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status
Private colleges & universities
For-profit organizations (not small businesses)

Matched from the wording above by GrantsJunction — confirm in the full announcement.

Can your organization apply?

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

ISN/CTR administers the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Technology Program (FIRST) to enable partner countries’ responsible nuclear energy deployment under the highest nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation standards. FIRST is ISN’s flagship programmatic tool to advance President Trump’s Executive Order on Unleashing American Energy in global nuclear energy markets. Launched in 2019, FIRST harnesses the power of U.S. public-private partnerships and the innovation of the U.S. nuclear industry to engage partner countries worldwide seeking to build or expand their nuclear energy programs to meet energy needs. Expertise acquired through FIRST workshops, webinars, technical consultancies, study tours, feasibility studies, SMR simulators, regional training hubs, and site visits includes SMR technology selection, SMR deployment roadmaps, SMR fleet deployment regional harmonization initiatives, nuclear security and nonproliferation considerations for SMR deployment, nuclear safety and licensing best practices for advanced reactors, SMR site selection and characterization, nuclear workforce development, stakeholder engagement, preparation for SMR financing, integrating nuclear in the energy mix, planning for responsible spent fuel and SMR waste management, and more. These civil nuclear energy partnerships harness the power of the U.S. nuclear industry to expedite the deployment of safe, secure, and proliferation-resistant SMRs meeting the highest international standards.

Additional information from the agency ↗

Full announcement & documents

The full announcement has the complete rules — page limits, required attachments, evaluation criteria and any letter-of-intent dates. Files download directly from Grants.gov.

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

19.033Global Threat ReductionProgram →

Reported obligations under ALN 19.033

Historical data · not a prediction

FY19

$16.6M est.

FY20

$248M

FY21

$23.4M est.

FY22

$74M

FY23

$76.6M est.

FY24

$76.6M est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 19.033. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Who was funded under ALN 19.033

Historical data · not a prediction

Since October 1, 2023, 6 grant awards had funding actions under Global Threat Reduction. These are program-wide awards, not awards from this specific notice.

UNITED NATIONS—
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES—
THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY—
MERRICK & COMPANY—
PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE—

Recipients, states, recent awards and sub-awards →Source: USAspending.gov.

Agency contact (as published)

Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation
703-516-1684

Quick answers

Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?

The official notice names these applicant types as eligible: Others (see notice). Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How much funding is available through this opportunity?

Per the notice, individual awards are listed as $50k – $4m, total estimated program funding is $19,500,000 and the agency expects to make about 10 awards.

How do I apply for this opportunity?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity DFOP0017227), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.

ForecastedALN 19.040