Countering Terrorist Recruitment of Central Asian Foreign Workers | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this grant opportunity about?

This U.S. Department of State Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) funding opportunity supports a project designed to disrupt ISIS-K online radicalization and recruitment of Central Asian foreign workers, with a particular focus on Tajik- and Uzbek-speaking audiences. The project emphasizes early intervention to stop recruitment activity before it progresses into operational planning, travel facilitation, financing, or the transfer of tactical guidance toward U.S.-related targets.

Which group is the project intended to counter?

The opportunity is focused on countering ISIS-K efforts, specifically their online propaganda and recruitment operations directed at Central Asian labor migrants.

Who is the target population for the intervention?

The primary target population is Central Asian foreign workers (labor migrants), especially Tajik and Uzbek speakers. The notice notes that these individuals may be geographically mobile and socially isolated while working abroad, which can increase vulnerability to online recruitment.

Why does the opportunity emphasize online recruitment?

The notice describes ISIS-K as highly capable at reaching labor migrants through sophisticated, multilingual propaganda distributed across mainstream social media, gaming and chat platforms, and emerging tools such as generative AI.

What is meant by "early intervention" in this program?

Early intervention refers to strengthening the ability of partners to spot and disrupt recruitment activity before it matures into more advanced and dangerous stages, such as operational planning, facilitation of travel, financing, or the sharing of tactical guidance related to U.S.-linked targets.

How does this program connect recruitment abroad to risks for the United States?

The opportunity treats online recruitment of labor migrants as a pipeline that may begin in one country but still create downstream risks for the United States. The notice cites concerns such as potential attacks on U.S. soil or threats to U.S. persons and assets in major transit hubs.

What types of activities does the notice suggest or envision?

The notice highlights prevention-to-investigation activities, including online peer engagement to reduce isolation and provide credible off-ramps from extremist messaging; support that begins before departure and continues after arrival through consultations and outreach; and digital literacy training to help individuals recognize manipulation, disinformation, and recruitment tactics.

Does the opportunity include work with migrant communities before they travel?

Yes. The notice explicitly mentions support that begins before departure and continues after arrival, including consultations and outreach.

What role does digital literacy play in the proposed approach?

Digital literacy training is included as an example activity to help individuals recognize manipulation, disinformation, and recruitment tactics used online.

What does the grant say about building trust with law enforcement?

A major theme is building trust and reporting pathways between communities and local law enforcement so concerns can be raised early and safely.

What kinds of system or capability improvements are encouraged?

The opportunity encourages improvements to information-sharing platforms and stronger digital forensics capabilities. It also promotes partnerships with technical experts and NGOs to help identify recruiter networks, track propaganda patterns, and support disruption efforts.

Is technical assistance to law enforcement a required deliverable?

The notice identifies a key deliverable as technical assistance for Central Asian law enforcement partners to improve their ability to identify, preserve, and investigate digital evidence tied to terrorist recruitment, supporting viable counterterrorism investigations and prosecutions.

What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?

The Bureau of Counterterrorism is offering a discretionary grant under a cooperative agreement.

How many awards are expected?

The award is expected to fund one project.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $986,679.

What is the application deadline?

The closing date listed is June 9, 2026.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs), public and private educational institutions, for-profit organizations where permitted by appropriation, public international organizations, and governmental institutions.

Which U.S. government office is issuing this opportunity?

The issuing agency is the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Counterterrorism.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is DFOP0018082.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number is 19.701.

What languages does the opportunity emphasize?

The opportunity places particular emphasis on Tajik and Uzbek speakers within the targeted migrant communities.

Which online environments are highlighted as recruitment channels?

The notice highlights mainstream social media, gaming platforms, chat platforms, and emerging tools including generative AI as part of the ecosystem used to spread propaganda and recruit.

What kinds of partners are encouraged for implementation?

The notice encourages partnerships that involve technical experts and NGOs, alongside work with authorities and civil society, to improve detection, analysis, information sharing, and disruption of recruitment indicators and networks online.