Grants / Department of State / Assistance Coordination

DFOP0019227: Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC)

Closed Closed September 30, 2026 Opportunity DFOP0019227 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Assistance Coordination notices from 2026.

• Award ceiling$2.0 million
• Award floor$100,000
• Total funding$10.0 million
• Expected awards7
• Cost sharingNot required
• Funding typeGrant

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

The following organizations are eligible to apply: - Public and private educational institutions - Corporations and for-profit organizations - Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations - Public International Organizations and governmental institutions

Is this a realistic fit?

• No cost sharing or match is required.

What the grant funds

The Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program supports joint scientific research and innovation partnerships between the United States, Israel, and countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The program funds applied research projects that address shared regional challenges while advancing U.S. economic, technological, and strategic interests. MERC is designed to bring together researchers, technical experts, and institutions to work on projects that go beyond basic research and demonstrate clear potential for application, commercialization, and broader adoption. MERC prioritizes efforts that strengthen U.S. technological leadership, expand opportunities for U.S. businesses, promote the use of U.S. technologies, and build long-term partnerships in the region. The program places strong emphasis on collaboration. All projects must include organizations from Israel and at least one eligible MENA country or territory. MERC welcomes U.S. participation, particularly when it adds technical expertise, supports market expansion for U.S. companies, or helps connect research to markets. Projects should demonstrate a clear plan for using and scaling results and how the outcomes benefit priorities of the United States and the participating countries. Overall, MERC aims to strengthen regional cooperation by supporting high-quality scientific partnerships that produce tangible results. By connecting U.S., Israeli, and MENA organizations, the program helps build networks, promote innovation, and create opportunities for economic growth, peaceful and mutually beneficial collaboration, and long-term stability in the region.

Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

We found no grant awards under Assistance Listing 19.502 in fiscal 2021 to 2025, which usually means the program is new or very small.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.