Grant opportunity
Countering Weaponized Migration to Central and Eastern Europe
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) seeks to support analysis that increases understanding of how malign foreign governments and their proxies weaponize migration to serve their geopolitical ends. Similar to East Germany’s Soviet-backed trafficking of migrants from developing countries into West Germany to stoke social tensions in the 1980s, nefarious state and state-backed criminal actors, seek to lure migrants from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia to Central and Eastern European democracies to weaken and destabilize them. In addition, such nefarious actors exploit or exacerbate conflicts in other regions and channel conflict-affected populations toward Europe. Thus, DRL announces an open competition for proposals for programs to analyze and develop approaches to expose and counter such weaponized migration.
- Funder
- Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor
- Applications close 2026-08-28
- Applications close 2026-08-28: Aug 28, 2026
- Award
- USD 1,973,359
- Applicant
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
- Discipline
- Social Sciences, Policy and Governance
- Region
- Europe
- Posted
- Aug 17, 2026
Call summary
Overview
Countering Weaponized Migration to Central and Eastern Europe is official opportunity DFOP0019651, published by Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor on 14 August 2026.
Who can apply
Eligible applicant types listed by the agency: Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification). Applicants must also satisfy every programme-specific condition in the full notice.
What it supports
- The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) seeks to support analysis that increases understanding of how malign foreign governments and their proxies weaponize migration to serve their geopolitical ends. Similar to East Germany’s Soviet-backed trafficking of migrants from developing countries into West Germany to stoke social tensions in the 1980s, nefarious state and state-backed criminal actors, seek to lure migrants from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia to Central and Eastern European democracies to weaken and destabilize them. In addition, such nefarious actors exploit or exacerbate conflicts in other regions and channel conflict-affected populations toward Europe. Thus, DRL announces an open competition for proposals for programs to analyze and develop approaches to expose and counter such weaponized migration.
- Opportunity number: DFOP0019651
Funding and duration
- Award ceiling: USD 1,973,359
- Expected number of awards: 1
Applications close 2026-08-28
Applications close 2026-08-28: Aug 28, 2026
How to apply
Open the official Grants.gov record, review the full notice and attachments, and use the application package or agency submission route stated there.
Call details
Source-based overview
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) seeks to support analysis that increases understanding of how malign foreign governments and their proxies weaponize migration to serve their geopolitical ends. Similar to East Germany’s Soviet-backed trafficking of migrants from developing countries into West Germany to stoke social tensions in the 1980s, nefarious state and state-backed criminal actors, seek to lure migrants from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia to Central and Eastern European democracies to weaken and destabilize them. In addition, such nefarious actors exploit or exacerbate conflicts in other regions and channel conflict-affected populations toward Europe. Thus, DRL announces an open competition for proposals for programs to analyze and develop approaches to expose and counter such weaponized migration. The official record contains the controlling eligibility, budget, attachment and submission requirements for opportunity DFOP0019651.
Eligibility
Eligible applicant types listed by the agency: Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification). Applicants must also satisfy every programme-specific condition in the full notice.
Funding and benefits
Award ceiling: USD 1,973,359
Expected number of awards: 1
Themes and supported activities
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) seeks to support analysis that increases understanding of how malign foreign governments and their proxies weaponize migration to serve their geopolitical ends. Similar to East Germany’s Soviet-backed trafficking of migrants from developing countries into West Germany to stoke social tensions in the 1980s, nefarious state and state-backed criminal actors, seek to lure migrants from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia to Central and Eastern European democracies to weaken and destabilize them. In addition, such nefarious actors exploit or exacerbate conflicts in other regions and channel conflict-affected populations toward Europe. Thus, DRL announces an open competition for proposals for programs to analyze and develop approaches to expose and counter such weaponized migration.
Opportunity number: DFOP0019651
Deadline and timeline
Applications close 2026-08-28: Applications close 2026-08-28: Aug 28, 2026.
Applicants should confirm the exact deadline time, time zone, required documents, portal steps and any institutional approvals on the official call page before submitting.
How to apply
Open the official Grants.gov record, review the full notice and attachments, and use the application package or agency submission route stated there.
Before applying, check eligibility rules, budgets, attachments, page limits, partner requirements, cost-share conditions and whether the opportunity uses an expression of interest, full proposal, registration or nomination stage.