Middle East Regional Cooperation Program

Objective

The Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program is a long-standing U.S. federal grants program promoting scientific and technical cooperation between the U.S., Israel, and the broader Middle East that advances U.S. national priorities, including a comprehensive and lasting Middle East peace. The program's objectives include: (1) Supporting applied, actionable research that advances the priorities of the United States and recipient countries; (2) Promoting U.S. commercial diplomacy by facilitating engagement between scientific researchers, technical experts, and the private sector in Israel, the broader Middle East region, and the United States; and (3) Enabling direct cooperation, strengthen peaceful partnerships, and establish durable working relationships between individuals, organizations, and communities in Israel and the broader Middle East region.

Who Can Apply

• Unrestricted by Entity Type

Subject to change based on U.S. federal law and country-specific restrictions on funding, in addition to Israel the following countries/territories are eligible to apply as MENA partners: Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and the West Bank and Gaza. Partners may come from academic, private sector, non-governmental, or governmental institutions eligible to receive U.S. foreign assistance.

Who Benefits

Subject to change based on U.S. federal law and country-specific restrictions on funding, applicants from the following countries/territories are eligible: Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and the West Bank and Gaza

Assistance Types

• Grant

Program Contact

DareAE@state.gov
202-431-2266