other · DOS-SCT

Countering Iran and its Proxies through Enhanced Counterterrorist Financing in Iraq

Bureau of Counterterrorism · DFOP0018732

Closed

Award Range

$0 – $2.9M

Deadline

July 17, 2026

GRANTQUICK SUMMARYPlain-English Overview

State Department's Bureau of Counterterrorism is funding one organization (~$2.9M) to strengthen Iraq's anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing systems — training Iraqi financial intelligence units, building AML/CFT technical capacity, and disrupting Iran-linked financial networks operating through Iraqi banks. Very specific: one country, one sector, one geopolitical objective.

Who Should Apply

International development/rule-of-law organizations with existing presence in Iraq AND expertise in anti-money-laundering/counter-terrorist-financing. Must have cleared relationships with Iraqi government financial institutions.

Who Should NOT Apply

Organizations without Iraq experience, general consulting firms, academic institutions without field presence, or anyone unfamiliar with AML/CFT technical assistance.

Key Requirements (Plain English)

•Must strengthen Iraq's AML/CFT regime
•Must deliver training and technical assistance to Iraqi financial institutions
•Must counter Iran-linked terrorist financing
•Must have existing Iraq presence and relationships
•Single award ~$2.9M

💡 GrantQuick Tip

This is a counterterrorism grant with a clear geopolitical objective (countering Iranian financial networks in Iraq). The applicant pool is extremely narrow — maybe 5-10 organizations globally have both Iraq presence AND AML/CFT expertise. If that's you, competition is minimal. If not, don't bother.

Competitiveness: Very low competition — hyper-specific country/sector/geopolitical combination limits applicants to a handful of specialized implementers.

What This Grant Funds

The Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) announces this funding opportunity to strengthen Iraq’s anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime through targeted training and technical assistance. This program should deliver concrete returns for American taxpayers by disrupting the financial networks of Iran, its proxy groups, and other U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs), which exploit Iraq’s financial system to fund destabilizing activities and attacks against U.S. facilities, personnel, and interests in the region.