DFOP0017314 Q&A - July 7, 2025.pdf

Funding Opportunity Title: Preventing Terrorist Recruitment of Youth Online Funding Opportunity Number: DFOP0017314 Deadline for Applications: 7 August 2025, at 11:59pm EST Assistance Listing Number: 19.701 Deadline for Receipt of Questions: 7 July 2025, 5:00pm EST Submission to: Kaitlyn Corson at corsonkl@state.gov

Q: Are Public International Organizations (PIOs) eligible to apply?

A: Yes, PIO’s are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity.

Q: Is this a limited sourced opportunity or open to all?

A: This is an openly competed funding opportunity and therefore applicants that meet the stated eligibility requirements set in the NOFO can apply.

Q: Can CT provide an awarded grant sample to better understand the type of agreement CT is aiming for?

A: CT cannot provide examples of past awarded funding opportunities.

Applicants should complete their applications according to all directions included in the NOFO. Templates for application documents are also included in the funding opportunity’s postings on MyGrants and grants.gov.

Q: Are commercial (for-profit) organizations eligible to submit applications under the subject NOFO: DFOP0017314?

A: Yes, for-profit organizations are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity. The NOFO and MyGrants and grants.gov postings have been updated to reflect the inclusion of for-profit applicant eligibility.

Q: Does DFOP0017314 - Preventing Terrorist Recruitment of Youth Online apply to African countries like Mauritania?

A: Yes, African countries, including Mauritania, can be considered for potential beneficiary countries of this award. This is a global award.

Q: Could you please clarify the maximum budget amount? $1,750,000 is listed on grants.gov, but the NOFO states $1,726,000.

A: The correct amount for the award is $1,726,689 as stated on the NOFO.

The grants.gov posting has been updated to reflect this funding amount.

Q: Regarding substantial involvement, could you please clarify what this will entail in relation to the beneficiaries? We understand that the Bureau will play a role in the final selection of beneficiaries, but we would appreciate more detail on the type of information that will need to be collected.

Specifically, will this information need to be gathered at the individual level, or will more general beneficiary profiles be sufficient?

A: Regarding beneficiaries, applicants should propose potential beneficiary countries for the application. After a grantee is selected, the implementer and CT will discuss who the beneficiary countries for the award will be. CT will have final say of selected beneficiary countries. Information included in the application should be specific to the countries the applicant is proposing as potential beneficiaries.

Q: Are there priority regions being considered by CT Bureau and if yes, which?

A: CT has not identified priority regions for this NOFO. Applicants should identify beneficiaries based on knowledge of where the threat is greatest.

Q: Are regional / multi-country approaches preferable to single-country proposals?

A: Because this is a global program, applicants should propose regional/multi-country approaches.

Q: Under the overview section, there is reference to diminishing the availability of terrorist content. Could you please clarify this language to determine whether this relates to the removal of content, blocking of access to certain sites, reduced dissemination or development of counter-narratives, or some combination of these approaches; and more importantly whether there is any indication on how this diminished availability may be successfully measured?

A: The language included in the NOFO refers to the combination of the above approaches listed. Applicants should also include indicators for how success will be measured for proposed activities.

Q: Could you please clarify what is meant by ‘terrorist content’, whether this refers to extremist propaganda, recruitment materials, misinformation, or a combination of these components?

A: “Terrorist content” refers to extremist propaganda, recruitment materials, misinformation, and a combination thereof.

Q: While there is a reference to the use of AI and OSINT to assist vulnerable communities to counter online threats present within social media and gaming platforms, there is no mention of direct engagement with tech companies; is this approach envisaged?

A: Applicants may propose engagement with tech companies.

Q: Is there any additional information on what may define ‘vulnerable communities’ in relation to the risk posed by terrorist groups that exploit social media and online gaming platforms (e.g. geographic locations, demographics etc.)?

A: “Vulnerable communities” as stated in the NOFO refers to those most at risk of the exploitation of social media and online gaming platforms.

Applicants should propose beneficiary countries where this threat is high.

Q: Could you kindly clarify whether the term ‘youth’ in the call refers to a specific age range, or if this can be defined by the applicant based on the project context?

A: For this program, youth can be considered an age range between 8 and

25. However, please consider the age range for “youth” and “children” and the prevalence of terrorist targeting and radicalization/recruitment online of increasingly younger children will depend on the proposed region (and beneficiary countries).