Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0008025
The U.S. Department of State, through the Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues (S/CCI), offered a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Defending Against Cyber-Enabled Intellectual Property (IP) Theft" (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0008025). The program’s central aim was to fund a project that helps raise awareness and spread practical, actionable best practices for defending against state-sponsored, cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property. In other words, the focus was not on general cybercrime, but specifically on the kinds of targeted intrusions and long-running campaigns attributed to nation-state actors seeking to steal valuable research, trade secrets, proprietary data, and other forms of IP from companies, universities, labs, and related organizations.
This opportunity used a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument, which typically signals a closer working relationship between the award recipient and the U.S. government than a standard grant. While the public-facing description is brief, the intent is clear: support a single, high-impact effort that can communicate threats, improve organizational readiness, and encourage adoption of proven defensive practices that reduce the risk of IP loss through cyber operations linked to state actors. The activity category was listed as "Other," indicating it did not fit neatly into a single standard assistance category and was likely meant to accommodate a mix of outreach, training, convening, guidance development, and stakeholder engagement activities.
The award ceiling for the project was $1,000,000, and the Department of State expected to make one award. The opportunity was created on April 14, 2021, with an original application closing date of June 14, 2021, giving applicants roughly two months to prepare and submit proposals. The listing referenced CFDA number 19.035, which is associated with Department of State public diplomacy and related programs, reinforcing the awareness-raising and best-practices-sharing nature of the work rather than, for example, procurement of tools or direct operational cyber defense services.
Eligibility was described broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced elsewhere in the full announcement, implying that the competition may have been open to a range of organizations depending on the full text of the solicitation. In similar State Department opportunities, eligible entities often include nonprofits, educational institutions, think tanks, research organizations, and sometimes for-profit entities if permitted by the specific funding rules, but the definitive eligibility requirements would be governed by the complete notice. Overall, the opportunity was designed to support a single program that could strengthen defenses against cyber-enabled IP theft by spreading knowledge, surfacing effective defensive approaches, and improving the broader ecosystem’s ability to recognize and respond to state-sponsored cyber threats targeting intellectual property.Apply for SFOP0008025
- The Department of State, Office of the Secretary in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Defending Against Cyber-Enabled Intellectual Property (IP) Theft" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.035.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 14, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 14, 2021. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Defending Against Cyber-Enabled Intellectual Property (IP) Theft (SFOP0008025)
What is this funding opportunity?
This was a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of State, offered through the Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues (S/CCI), titled "Defending Against Cyber-Enabled Intellectual Property (IP) Theft." The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) was SFOP0008025.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The central purpose was to fund a project that raises awareness and spreads practical, actionable best practices to help organizations defend against state-sponsored, cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property (IP).
What problem area does the opportunity focus on?
The focus was specifically on targeted intrusions and long-running cyber campaigns attributed to nation-state actors seeking to steal valuable research, trade secrets, proprietary data, and other forms of intellectual property.
Is this opportunity about general cybercrime or ransomware?
No. Based on the description provided, the emphasis was not on general cybercrime. It was aimed at state-sponsored, cyber-enabled IP theft and the defensive practices that reduce the risk of IP loss tied to nation-state cyber operations.
Who were the intended beneficiaries or audiences for the project?
The description indicates the work was meant to help entities commonly targeted for IP, such as companies, universities, laboratories, and related organizations that hold valuable research or proprietary information.
What types of activities were expected under this project?
The activity category was listed as "Other," suggesting flexibility. The description implies a mix of efforts such as outreach, training, convening stakeholders, developing guidance, and broader engagement to communicate threats and encourage adoption of proven defensive practices.
What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The opportunity used a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument.
What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically indicates a closer working relationship between the award recipient and the U.S. government than a standard grant. The recipient and the Department of State would generally coordinate more closely during execution, consistent with what cooperative agreements usually imply.
How much funding was available?
The award ceiling for the project was $1,000,000.
How many awards did the Department of State expect to make?
The Department of State expected to make one award.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on April 14, 2021, and the original application closing date was June 14, 2021.
How much time did applicants have to apply?
From April 14, 2021 to June 14, 2021, applicants had roughly two months to prepare and submit proposals.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The listing referenced CFDA number 19.035.
What does CFDA 19.035 suggest about the nature of the work?
Based on the information provided, CFDA 19.035 is associated with Department of State public diplomacy and related programs. This reinforces that the project emphasized awareness raising and sharing best practices, rather than procurement of tools or direct operational cyber defense services.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was described broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. This implies the competition may have been open to a range of organizations depending on the complete solicitation text.
Does the description specify which organization types could be eligible?
The brief description does not definitively list eligible organization types. It notes that, in similar State Department opportunities, eligible entities often include nonprofits, educational institutions, think tanks, and research organizations, and sometimes for-profit entities if permitted by the specific funding rules. The definitive eligibility requirements would be governed by the full notice.
Was the project intended to fund more than one initiative?
No. The Department of State expected to make a single award, indicating the intent to support one high-impact effort.
What outcomes was the program trying to achieve?
The intent was to support a project that could communicate relevant threats, improve organizational readiness, and encourage adoption of effective defensive practices that reduce the risk of IP loss through cyber operations linked to state actors.
What kinds of IP were considered at risk in the description?
The description highlights valuable research, trade secrets, proprietary data, and other forms of intellectual property targeted by nation-state cyber actors.
What does "cyber-enabled IP theft" mean in this context?
In this context, it refers to theft of intellectual property carried out through cyber operations (such as targeted intrusions and long-running campaigns), particularly those attributed to state-sponsored or nation-state actors.
Is there enough information here to determine detailed application requirements?
No. The information provided summarizes the opportunity at a high level. Details such as definitive eligibility rules and any specific submission requirements would be contained in the full announcement referenced by the listing.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification)
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