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Applications open for Middle East Regional Cooperation Program

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Deadline: 30-Sep-2026

The Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program 2026 provides grants ranging from $100,000 to $2,000,000 to support collaborative applied research projects involving the United States, Israel, and eligible Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. With an estimated total funding of $10 million, the programme promotes scientific innovation, commercialization, regional cooperation, and solutions to shared economic, technological, and environmental challenges.

What is the Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program?

The Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program is an international research funding initiative that supports collaborative scientific and technological projects involving institutions from the United States, Israel, and eligible countries or territories across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The programme focuses on applied research with practical outcomes that address regional challenges while strengthening innovation, economic development, and long-term international partnerships.

Unlike basic research programmes, MERC emphasizes projects that have clear pathways toward real-world application, commercialization, and sustainable impact.

Why This Program Matters

Many regional challenges—including food security, water management, health, technology, climate resilience, and sustainable development—require international collaboration and knowledge sharing.

The MERC Program aims to:

The programme encourages collaboration that benefits both participating countries and the United States.

Programme Objectives

The MERC Program seeks to:

Funding Available

The programme provides substantial funding for collaborative research projects.

Funding includes:

Funding amounts depend on the scope, quality, and expected impact of each project.

Research Focus

The programme supports joint applied research rather than basic scientific research.

Projects should:

Commercialization and Practical Impact

A key feature of the MERC Program is its emphasis on translating research into practical applications.

Applicants should explain:

Projects with clear implementation pathways are likely to be more competitive.

U.S. Participation

Although U.S. participation is encouraged rather than mandatory in every aspect of implementation, projects are expected to demonstrate meaningful benefits for the United States.

U.S. participation may include:

Projects should clearly explain how they contribute to U.S. economic, technological, or strategic interests.

Partnership Requirements

Every project must include:

Strong partnerships between participating institutions are essential for successful implementation.

Who is Eligible?

The programme is open to a wide range of organizations.

Eligible applicants include:

Applicants should have the technical capacity to undertake collaborative applied research.

How to Apply

Step 1: Build an International Partnership

Develop a consortium that includes:

Strong international collaboration is central to the programme.

Step 2: Identify a Regional Challenge

Select a research topic addressing an important regional issue with practical applications.

Projects should focus on solving real-world problems rather than conducting purely theoretical research.

Step 3: Develop the Research Proposal

Prepare a comprehensive proposal that includes:

Clearly demonstrate the project’s regional relevance and practical impact.

Step 4: Prepare the Budget

Develop a realistic project budget aligned with proposed activities.

Funding requests should fall between $100,000 and $2,000,000.

Step 5: Demonstrate Long-Term Impact

Explain how project results will:

Projects with strong sustainability plans are encouraged.

Step 6: Submit the Application

Complete the application process and submit all required documents before the official deadline.

Tips for a Strong Application

Applicants can strengthen their proposals by:

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid the following:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the MERC Program?

The Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program funds collaborative applied research projects involving organizations from the United States, Israel, and eligible Middle East and North Africa countries.

How much funding is available?

The programme has an estimated total budget of $10 million, with individual grants ranging from $100,000 to $2,000,000.

What types of projects are supported?

The programme supports applied research projects with practical applications, commercialization potential, and solutions to shared regional challenges.

Is collaboration with Israel required?

Yes. Every project must include an organization from Israel and at least one organization from an eligible Middle East or North Africa (MENA) country or territory.

Is U.S. participation encouraged?

Yes. Projects are encouraged to involve U.S. expertise, promote U.S. technologies, expand market opportunities, and demonstrate benefits for the United States.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, corporations, nonprofit organizations, NGOs, think tanks, government institutions, and public international organizations.

What makes a competitive proposal?

Strong proposals demonstrate practical impact, international collaboration, commercialization potential, measurable outcomes, and long-term benefits for both the participating countries and the United States.

Conclusion

The Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program 2026 offers a valuable opportunity for research institutions, universities, businesses, nonprofits, and government organizations to collaborate on innovative solutions to shared regional challenges.

With grants ranging from $100,000 to $2,000,000, the programme supports applied research that strengthens scientific cooperation, promotes technology commercialization, expands international partnerships, and contributes to sustainable economic development, innovation, and long-term stability across the Middle East and North Africa.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

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