Defense security cooperation university research grants: defense security cooperation workforce acquisition reform education

The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) received a $226,176 Project Grant from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) under the Defense Security Cooperation University Sponsored Research program (CFDA 12.024), awarded on September 15, 2025, with a completion deadline of December 14, 2026. Under this grant, CSIS is expected to produce evidence-based, theory-driven research designed to advance knowledge and practice in security cooperation and irregular warfare. The deliverables will include actionable research insights, lessons learned, and scholarly analysis addressing high-priority knowledge gaps within the defense and security cooperation domains, with all research products to be unclassified and publicly accessible.

The grant supports CSIS's research activities to be conducted in Washington, D.C., with findings disseminated through conferences, seminars, and other mechanisms to inform policymakers and the security cooperation workforce. As a prominent policy research organization with extensive experience supporting federal defense and security initiatives, CSIS will execute this work in accordance with the Defense Security Cooperation University's standards of scientific rigor, demonstrating technical merit, relevance to security cooperation priorities, and feasibility of completion within the prescribed timeframe and budget constraints.