Exposing Russian Health Disinformation | SFOP0006971

Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0006971

The grant opportunity titled "Exposing Russian Health Disinformation" (Funding Opportunity Number SFOP0006971) was issued by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Global Public Affairs, under the Global Engagement Center (GEC) Russia Directorate. It was posted on May 20, 2020, with an original application deadline of June 19, 2020. The program is structured as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement, meaning the selected recipient would not only receive funding but would also work in coordination with the U.S. government, including ongoing involvement and guidance from GEC subject matter experts throughout the project.

The core purpose of the opportunity is to fund one organization to research, analyze, and clearly document Russian and Soviet health-related disinformation campaigns, and then package that work into a report designed to expose those campaigns and increase public awareness of how they operate. The emphasis is on health disinformation specifically, and the goal is not just academic study but practical, public-facing output that can help audiences recognize patterns, tactics, narratives, and historical continuity in these influence efforts. The opportunity explicitly seeks an organization that already has experience with countering Russian disinformation through analysis and programming, and that also has strong public and media engagement capabilities, suggesting the final report is expected to be communicated effectively beyond technical or specialist circles.

The competition is described as a single-stage process. Applicants are expected to submit a complete, full proposal that addresses all program objectives upfront, rather than going through an initial concept note or pre-proposal stage. Proposals would be evaluated and scored by a merit review panel. Reviewers would focus heavily on two things: first, how well the proposal aligns with the stated program objectives (producing the report and advancing awareness of health-related disinformation), and second, whether the applicant has the demonstrated capacity to deliver measurable results, including the expertise, staffing, methods, and communications reach needed to successfully complete the work.

In terms of funding and scale, the award ceiling is $250,000, and the agency anticipated making a single award. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of applicant entity as long as they meet any conditions described in the full announcement text. The activity category is listed under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, with CFDA number 19.040, which aligns with research-driven programming and analytical outputs intended to support public diplomacy and counter-disinformation aims.

Taken together, this opportunity is essentially a focused research-and-communications project: the government is looking to partner with a qualified organization to produce a well-supported, accessible report that traces and exposes Russian and Soviet health disinformation efforts, with the GEC providing subject matter guidance and collaboration under the cooperative agreement structure. The expected end result is a product that strengthens public understanding of these influence campaigns and supports broader efforts to counter disinformation through credible evidence, clear analysis, and effective public engagement.

• The Department of State, Bureau of Global Public Affairs in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exposing Russian Health Disinformation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.040.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 20, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 19, 2020. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for SFOP0006971

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