Opportunity Information: Apply for SFOP0005577
The Nigeria Defections Promotion Messaging Program is a U.S. Department of State initiative run through the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO), a bureau focused on helping U.S. diplomats anticipate, prevent, and respond to conflicts that threaten U.S. interests and national security. CSO positions itself as an operational and analytical hub, combining conflict analysis and data visualization with planning support, deployable civilian expertise, targeted programming, and diplomacy to better understand and address high-risk conflicts. In this grant competition, CSO is seeking one implementing partner to carry out a security sector stabilization effort in Nigeria, with a specific emphasis on influencing behavior inside violent extremist organizations through carefully designed communications.
The central objective of the opportunity is to increase voluntary defections from Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa (also referred to as ISIS-WA or ISWAP) by using targeted strategic messaging. The program is not described as a general public awareness campaign; instead, it is meant to be informed by research into why fighters and associates join these groups, why they leave, and what conditions or triggers make exit more likely. The solicitation highlights the need to understand how combatants and affiliates receive information and how they share it within their networks, which implies attention to local communication ecosystems, trusted messengers, language, media habits, and the channels that can realistically reach intended audiences. It also emphasizes the legal and policy environment in Nigeria and neighboring Lake Chad Basin countries, reflecting that messaging about defection and disengagement has to align with real-world amnesty, detention, screening, rehabilitation, reintegration, and accountability frameworks, as well as the perceptions people have about those systems.
Planned activities may include designing and producing message content for an information campaign that uses local and regional media outlets. This could reasonably involve developing narratives, testimonies, radio content, community-facing materials, or other media products tailored to specific sub-audiences (for example, fighters, logisticians, family networks, or coerced affiliates), though the grant text leaves flexibility for applicants to propose the most suitable formats. In addition to content creation and dissemination, the opportunity explicitly calls for analysis of key issues linked to voluntary disengagement and the peaceful reinsertion of ex-combatants and affiliates. That analytical work is meant to feed an iterative approach to “defection targeting,” meaning messaging strategies should evolve based on what is learned about audience responses, shifting incentives, and barriers to leaving armed groups. The program also expects assessment of the reach and effectiveness of messaging efforts, pointing to a monitoring and evaluation component that goes beyond simply tracking outputs and aims to gauge whether the campaign is actually reaching intended populations and influencing decision-making.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued as a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates a higher level of U.S. government involvement during implementation than a standard grant. The funding opportunity number is SFOP0005577, and it is listed under CFDA 19.121. The agency anticipates making a single award, with an award ceiling of $760,000. Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The notice was created on February 15, 2019, with an original application closing date of April 4, 2019. Overall, the opportunity is framed as a focused stabilization tool: a research-driven, legally and contextually informed messaging program aimed at encouraging voluntary exit from Boko Haram and ISIS-WA and supporting pathways toward disengagement and reintegration.Apply for SFOP0005577
- The Department of State, Bureau of Conflict Stabilization Operations in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Nigeria Defections Promotion Messaging Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.121.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 15, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 04, 2019. (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 $760,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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FAQs: Nigeria Defections Promotion Messaging Program (U.S. Department of State, CSO)
What is the Nigeria Defections Promotion Messaging Program?
It is a U.S. Department of State initiative managed by the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) to support a security sector stabilization effort in Nigeria. The program centers on carefully designed communications intended to influence behavior inside violent extremist organizations.
Which U.S. government office is running this opportunity?
The opportunity is run through the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO), a bureau that supports U.S. diplomats by combining conflict analysis, planning support, deployable civilian expertise, targeted programming, and diplomacy to address high-risk conflicts.
What is the primary objective of the grant?
The central objective is to increase voluntary defections from Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa (ISIS-WA, also referred to as ISWAP) through targeted strategic messaging.
Is this meant to be a general public awareness campaign?
No. The program is explicitly described as not being a general public awareness campaign. It is intended to be targeted and informed by research on why individuals join these groups, why they leave, and what conditions make exit more likely.
Which groups are specifically addressed by the program?
The program is aimed at influencing voluntary defections from Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa (ISIS-WA/ISWAP).
What kinds of audiences might the messaging be designed for?
The notice indicates that messaging should be tailored to relevant sub-audiences within or around violent extremist networks. Examples implied by the description include fighters, associates/affiliates, logisticians, family networks, and coerced affiliates, depending on what research and targeting indicate is most appropriate.
What informs the messaging strategy in this program?
The messaging is expected to be research-driven, grounded in analysis of why people join and leave, and shaped by how combatants and affiliates receive and share information within their networks. This implies attention to the local communication ecosystem, including trusted messengers, language, media habits, and realistic channels for reaching intended audiences.
What does the opportunity say about communication channels and media?
It anticipates designing and producing message content for an information campaign that uses local and regional media outlets. The specific formats are flexible and left to applicants to propose, but the program description suggests using channels that can credibly reach intended audiences within the relevant networks.
What types of activities may be included under this award?
Planned activities may include designing and producing message content and disseminating it through local and regional media outlets. The opportunity also explicitly calls for analysis of key issues linked to voluntary disengagement and the peaceful reinsertion of ex-combatants and affiliates, and for assessing reach and effectiveness of messaging efforts.
Does the opportunity require analysis in addition to content production?
Yes. Beyond content creation and dissemination, the program calls for analysis of issues linked to voluntary disengagement and peaceful reinsertion, and for an iterative approach where messaging evolves based on learning about audience responses, incentives, and barriers to leaving armed groups.
What does "defection targeting" mean in the context of this program?
In this solicitation, "defection targeting" refers to an iterative approach to messaging strategy where targeting and content evolve based on research and ongoing learning about the intended audiences, including how they respond to messages and what factors influence decisions to disengage.
How does the opportunity address the legal and policy environment in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin?
The solicitation emphasizes that messaging about defection and disengagement must be aligned with the real-world legal and policy environment in Nigeria and neighboring Lake Chad Basin countries. This includes considerations related to amnesty, detention, screening, rehabilitation, reintegration, and accountability frameworks, as well as how people perceive those systems.
Is monitoring and evaluation (M&E) expected?
Yes. The program expects assessment of the reach and effectiveness of messaging efforts. This goes beyond tracking outputs and is intended to gauge whether messaging is reaching intended populations and influencing decision-making.
What type of funding instrument is this?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity issued as a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this award is a cooperative agreement?
The notice indicates that a cooperative agreement typically involves a higher level of U.S. government involvement during implementation than a standard grant.
How many awards does the agency anticipate making?
The agency anticipates making a single award to one implementing partner.
What is the maximum funding amount available?
The award ceiling is $760,000.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Institutions of higher education are excluded from eligibility under this opportunity.
Are universities or colleges eligible to apply?
No. The eligibility criteria specify 501(c)(3) U.S.-based nonprofit organizations, excluding institutions of higher education.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is SFOP0005577.
What CFDA listing is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 19.121.
When was the notice created and when was the application due?
The notice was created on February 15, 2019, and the original application closing date was April 4, 2019.
What kind of program is this in terms of overall purpose?
It is framed as a focused stabilization tool: a research-driven and context-informed strategic messaging program aimed at encouraging voluntary exit from Boko Haram and ISIS-WA and supporting pathways toward disengagement and reintegration.
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