Western Hemisphere Counterterrorism Legal and Financial Disruption Program | DFOP0018070

Western Hemisphere Counterterrorism Legal and Financial Disruption Program FAQs

What is the Western Hemisphere Counterterrorism Legal and Financial Disruption Program?

It is a U.S. Department of State Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) grant opportunity designed to help countries in Latin America and the Caribbean strengthen their ability to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate terrorism cases, while also targeting and disrupting the financial networks that sustain Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The program aims to improve partner nations legal and institutional capacity to hold FTOs accountable. That includes strengthening laws, procedures, and practical operational capabilities so partners can build viable terrorism cases and disrupt terrorist financing and related support networks.

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

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT).

What geographic region does the program focus on?

The focus is the Western Hemisphere, with emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean.

Who is the program intended to help within partner countries?

The program targets the justice and security sector, particularly investigators, prosecutors, and judges who handle terrorism-related cases and associated financial disruption efforts.

What types of activities does the program support?

Supported activities center on structured, practice-oriented training and assistance. The emphasis is on operational skills needed to investigate terrorist activity, develop evidence, prosecute complex cases, and manage courtroom processes that may involve sensitive intelligence, financial records, cross-border evidence, and multi-agency coordination.

Is the training more theoretical or practical?

The opportunity specifically emphasizes practice-oriented, operational training rather than purely theoretical legal instruction.

What does "legal disruption" mean in the context of this program?

In this context, legal disruption refers to strengthening the legal and procedural ability of partner nations to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate terrorism cases effectively, including improving relevant laws, procedures, and institutional capabilities that enable successful case outcomes.

What does "financial disruption" mean in the context of this program?

Financial disruption refers to building partner capacity to identify and interrupt terrorist financing and material support networks. The opportunity highlights activities such as tracing, freezing, and seizing funds, and otherwise disrupting financial and logistical support that enables FTOs to operate.

Does the program address links between terrorism and other criminal networks?

Yes. A stated focus is disrupting funding and support streams, including situations where those streams overlap with transnational criminal organizations.

What kinds of terrorism cases is the program trying to improve partners ability to handle?

The program is aimed at improving the handling of terrorism cases that may involve complex evidence and processes, such as sensitive intelligence, financial records, cross-border evidence, and coordination among multiple agencies.

How does the program support cooperation with the United States?

A stated goal is improving information sharing with U.S. counterparts. This implies efforts that make cooperation smoother, such as compatible processes and clear points of contact for case development, evidence handling, and requests for assistance, as well as stronger interagency collaboration within partner governments.

What does it mean that applicants must "coordinate and deconflict" with other training efforts?

Applicants are expected to align their proposed activities with existing regional training programs and initiatives to avoid duplicating work. The opportunity specifically notes coordination and deconfliction with efforts such as the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), and encourages mapping other relevant initiatives so the proposed program fills gaps rather than re-running similar courses.

Is the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) specifically referenced?

Yes. The opportunity notes that applicants must coordinate and deconflict with existing regional training efforts, including ILEA.

Which threat actors are highlighted as a focus for this program?

The program places primary attention on newly designated FTOs operating in Latin America and the Caribbean. It also ties to implementation of NSPM-2 by helping partner countries address threats posed by Iranian proxies.

How does NSPM-2 relate to this opportunity?

The opportunity states that it is tied to implementation of National Security Presidential Memorandum-2 (NSPM-2) by assisting partner countries in addressing threats posed by Iranian proxies, including threats that may appear through financing, facilitation networks, logistics, or influence operations connected to terrorism.

What type of award is this?

This is a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement.

What does a cooperative agreement imply for implementation?

A cooperative agreement indicates the Department of State anticipates substantial involvement in shaping or overseeing program implementation compared to a more hands-off grant structure.

Is the program expected to make more than one award?

No. The opportunity states it is expected to make a single award.

What is the maximum funding amount available?

The award ceiling is $8,880,118.

What is the opportunity number and CFDA listing?

The opportunity number is DFOP0018070 and the CFDA is 19.701.

What are the key dates listed for this opportunity?

The posting creation date is 2026-05-11, and the original closing date listed is 2026-06-12.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes not-for-profit organizations (including think tanks and NGOs), public and private educational institutions, for-profit organizations, public international organizations, and governmental institutions.

Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. For-profit organizations are listed among eligible applicants.

Are universities and other educational institutions eligible to apply?

Yes. Both public and private educational institutions are listed as eligible applicants.

Are international organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. Public international organizations are listed as eligible applicants.

Are governmental institutions eligible to apply?

Yes. Governmental institutions are listed among eligible applicants.

What kinds of implementers does CT appear to be open to funding?

The eligibility language suggests CT is open to implementers ranging from universities and training institutes to specialized technical providers and international bodies, as long as they can deliver credible, coordinated legal and financial-disruption capacity building across the target region.

How does this program connect to broader U.S. strategy?

The program is framed as supporting the 2025 National Security Strategy and the Department of State Agency Strategic Plan by strengthening regional partnerships that reduce transnational threats and protect U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere.

What does the opportunity say about avoiding duplication of effort?

It explicitly indicates applicants should coordinate and deconflict with existing training efforts (including ILEA) and map relevant initiatives so the proposal complements what is already being delivered and fills gaps.

What outcomes is the program trying to enable in partner countries?

Based on the description, the intended outcomes include stronger capacity to build and adjudicate terrorism cases, improved legal and procedural frameworks, more effective interagency coordination, better information sharing with U.S. counterparts, and greater ability to identify and disrupt terrorist financing and support networks.

Does the opportunity describe the scope as purely counterterrorism, or also financial and criminal enforcement?

It is framed as counterterrorism-focused, but it explicitly connects counterterrorism enforcement with financial disruption and with criminal infrastructure that enables FTOs, including overlaps with transnational criminal organizations.