# Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/neaac24merc1002-middle-east-regional-cooperation-merc/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/356735

> Assistance Coordination offered grants of up to $1.0 million to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 5 awards. Applications closed on January 15, 2025.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | NEAAC24MERC1002 |
| Agency | Assistance Coordination |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | January 15, 2025 |
| Award ceiling | $1.0 million |
| Award floor | not stated |
| Expected awards | 5 |
| Total funding | not stated |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 19.502 |

## Who can apply

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

Subject to change based on U.S. federal law and country-specific restrictions on funding, in addition toIsrael the following countries/territories are eligible to apply as MENA partners: Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait,Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates,and the West Bank and Gaza. Partners may come from academic, private sector, non-governmental, orgovernmental institutions eligible to receive U.S. foreign assistance. Please contact merc@usaid.gov with questions about eligibility.

## What the grant funds

The MERC Program is funded as assistance to promote scientific cooperation, technology-led development, and capacity building between partners in Israel and eligible countries/territories in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Subject to change based on U.S. federal law and country-specific restrictions on funding, those countries include: Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and the West Bank and Gaza. Emphasis is given to research and technology subjects of regional importance and relevance to the development in the MENA. Moreover, benefits should target developing, USAID-presence countries in the MENA and resource-limited populations. Strong, direct cooperation between Israel and the eligible MENA partners is required for proposals receiving funding under the MERC Program. Participation of partners from outside the MENA, including the United States, is not a key feature of the MERC Program, but they may be considered for modest roles in exceptional cases to meet an essential technical need that is not otherwise available among the partners. Applicants must be prepared to provide a well justified case for the involvement of partners from outside the MENA and accept that MERC may not support their participation. The MERC program funds peer-reviewed, collaborative, applied scientific research and technical exchanges between Israeli partners and the eligible MENA partners. As part of this Notice of Funding Opportunity, MERC is seeking to fund proposals in the following categories: Applied research grants: Multi-year, cooperative research projects Continuation grants: Extension of existing or recently ended applied research grants Travel and workshop grants: Support for workshops, meetings, and researcher exchange

## Questions people ask

### Is NEAAC24MERC1002 still open?

No. It closed on January 15, 2025.

### Who can apply for Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC)?

Assistance Coordination accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC)?

Closed January 15, 2025. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $1.0 million each.