Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0019227
The Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) program is a U.S. government grant opportunity that funds joint, applied science and innovation projects linking partners in the United States, Israel, and at least one eligible country or territory in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The core idea is to use collaborative research to tackle problems that multiple countries in the region share, while also advancing U.S. economic, technological, and strategic interests. MERC is not aimed at purely theoretical or basic research; it is structured for projects that can show a realistic path to practical use, field deployment, commercialization, or wider adoption beyond the research team.
A central feature of MERC is its emphasis on building durable cross-border partnerships and networks. Every project must include an Israeli organization and at least one organization from an eligible MENA location, and U.S. participation is encouraged when it meaningfully improves the project. In practice, that means U.S. partners are most compelling when they bring specialized technical capabilities, help translate research outputs into market-ready solutions, support scale-up planning, or create pathways for U.S. technologies and U.S. businesses to participate in downstream deployment. Competitive proposals are expected to go beyond describing a research plan and clearly explain how results will be used, who would adopt them, what steps are needed to scale, and how the outcomes align with shared priorities of the participating countries and with U.S. interests.
The program sits in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category and is offered as a discretionary grant under Assistance Coordination (CFDA 19.502). Awards can be as large as $2,000,000, with an anticipated total of about 7 awards under this opportunity. The application window runs through an original closing date of 2026-09-30. The opportunity number is DFOP0019227, and it was created on 2026-07-06.
Eligibility is broad and includes public and private educational institutions (such as universities and research centers), corporations and other for-profit organizations, non-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations), and public international organizations and governmental institutions. Taken together, MERC is designed to fund teams that can combine strong technical work with real-world implementation planning, using multinational collaboration as a tool to produce tangible outcomes, strengthen innovation ecosystems, expand economic opportunity, and support longer-term regional stability through practical, mutually beneficial cooperation.Apply for DFOP0019227
- The Assistance Coordination in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.502.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-07-06.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-09-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program (DFOP0019227) - FAQs
1) What is the MERC program?
The Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) program is a U.S. government grant opportunity that funds joint, applied science and innovation projects. Its purpose is to support practical, real-world research collaborations that link partners in the United States, Israel, and at least one eligible country or territory in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
2) What is MERC trying to achieve?
MERC is designed to use cross-border scientific and innovation collaboration to address problems shared by multiple countries in the region, while also advancing U.S. economic, technological, and strategic interests. The program places strong weight on producing results that can move beyond the research team and be deployed, adopted, or commercialized.
3) Is MERC intended for basic research or theoretical work?
No. MERC is not aimed at purely theoretical or basic research. Projects are expected to be applied and to present a realistic path to practical use, field deployment, commercialization, or broader adoption.
4) What kinds of projects are a good fit for MERC?
Projects that combine strong technical or scientific work with clear implementation planning are a good fit. Competitive proposals are expected to explain not only what research will be done, but also how the outcomes will be used in the real world, who would adopt them, and what steps are needed to scale or deploy results beyond the project.
5) What partnerships are required for a MERC project?
Every MERC project must include an Israeli organization and at least one organization from an eligible MENA country or territory. The program emphasizes building durable cross-border partnerships and networks.
6) Is a U.S. partner required?
U.S. participation is encouraged when it meaningfully improves the project. In other words, U.S. partners are most compelling when they add clear value, such as specialized technical capabilities, commercialization support, scale-up planning, or pathways for U.S. technologies and U.S. businesses to participate in downstream deployment.
7) What makes a proposal more competitive under MERC?
Competitive proposals go beyond a research plan. They clearly describe:
- How the project results will be used in practice
- Who the likely adopters or users would be
- Steps needed for scale-up, deployment, commercialization, or broader adoption
- How outcomes align with shared priorities of the participating countries
- How outcomes advance U.S. economic, technological, and strategic interests
8) What is the maximum award amount?
Awards can be as large as $2,000,000.
9) How many awards are expected under this opportunity?
The opportunity anticipates a total of about 7 awards.
10) What is the application deadline?
The application window runs through the original closing date of 2026-09-30.
11) What is the opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity number is DFOP0019227.
12) When was this opportunity created?
This opportunity was created on 2026-07-06.
13) What category does this grant fall under?
The program sits in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.
14) What type of funding mechanism is MERC?
MERC is offered as a discretionary grant under Assistance Coordination (CFDA 19.502).
15) What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes:
- Public and private educational institutions (such as universities and research centers)
- Corporations and other for-profit organizations
- Non-profit organizations (including think tanks and civil society or non-governmental organizations)
- Public international organizations
- Governmental institutions
16) Does MERC only fund academic institutions?
No. While universities and research centers are eligible, MERC also allows corporations, non-profits, public international organizations, and governmental institutions to participate.
17) What does MERC mean by "durable" partnerships?
Based on the program description, MERC emphasizes collaborations that strengthen cross-border networks and relationships that can persist beyond a single project. Proposals are expected to treat multinational cooperation as a core feature, not an add-on.
18) How should a project describe its path to real-world impact?
MERC expects proposals to explain a realistic path to practical use. That can include field deployment plans, steps toward commercialization, or how the innovation will be adopted more widely beyond the research team, including what partners will do to support scale-up and uptake.
19) How does MERC connect to broader goals beyond research?
MERC is designed to produce tangible outcomes while strengthening innovation ecosystems, expanding economic opportunity, and supporting longer-term regional stability through practical, mutually beneficial cooperation.
20) What role can U.S. interests play in proposal alignment?
The program description states that MERC aims to advance U.S. economic, technological, and strategic interests. Competitive proposals are expected to clearly connect planned outcomes to those interests alongside shared priorities of participating countries.
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