FY26 DEFENSE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (DEPSCoR) CAPACITY BUILDING (CB)

Funding Opportunity Number: NOFOAFRLAFOSR20260003

About the Opportunity

The Department of Defense (DoD) announces the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) – Capacity Building opportunity. The program is sponsored and managed by the Basic Research Office, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD [R&E]), awarded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), and administered through the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

Objectives

• Increase the number of university researchers in eligible States/Territories capable of performing science and engineering (S&E) research responsive to the needs of the DoD.
• Enhance the capabilities of institutions of higher education (IHEs) in eligible States/Territories to develop, plan, and execute S&E research that is relevant to the mission of the DoD and competitive under peer-review systems used for awarding Federal research assistance.
• Increase the probability of long-term growth in competitively awarded financial assistance that IHEs in eligible States/Territories receive from the Federal Government for S&E research.

Funding Details

Estimated Total Program Funding: $6,000,000

• Award Ceiling: $1,500,000 (total cost per grant)
• Award Floor: $750,000 (total cost per year for two years)
• Expected Number of Awards: 4

The award is subject to funding availability. The Basic Research Office reserves the right to select and fund for award all, some, part, or none of the proposals received. There is no guarantee of an award.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the following States/Territories (either individually or in partnership with others):

• Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

This funding opportunity aims to support the strategic objectives of IHEs to achieve basic research excellence in areas of high relevance to the DoD.

Additional Information

Assistance Listing: 12.431 -- Basic Scientific Research

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: No

Posted Date: Aug 10, 2026 | Last Updated Date: Aug 10, 2026 | Closing Date for Applications: Apr 05, 2027

For further details, visit the AFRL AFOSR DEPSCoR NOFO page.

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, contact Nicole Thomas or Denise Johnson, Grant Officers.