FY26 DEPSCoR Research Collaboration Grants

The Department of Defense is seeking proposals for basic research collaborations between early-career faculty and experienced researchers in eligible states and territories, with up to $14.4 million in funding for up to 24 grants of $600,000 each over three years.

United States of America > Department of Defense > Air Force Office of Scientific Research

General

Status:Open (posted)

Solicitation Identifier:NOFOAFRLAFOSR20260004

Due Date:Apr 05, 2027 12:00 PM

Posted Date:Aug 10, 2026 12:00 PM

Estimated Value:$600,000.00

Contract Period:3 years

Type:Request for Proposal (RFP)

Level:Federal

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fy26 defense established program to stimulate competitive research (depscor) a research collaboration (rc)

Contact

Name:Denise Johnson

Email:denise.johnson.19@us.af.mil

Description

The Department of Defense (DoD) announces the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) - Research Collaboration (RC) opportunity. This program aims to increase the number of university researchers in eligible states and territories capable of performing science and engineering research responsive to DoD needs, and to enhance the capabilities of institutions of higher education in those areas. The program will fund up to 24 grants of up to $600,000 each (total cost) over three years, with each grant funded up to $200,000 per year. The total funding available is $14.4 million. This opportunity is specifically designed to foster collaborations between an Applicant (a full-time faculty member who has never served as a Principal Investigator on a prior DoD directly funded research prime award) and a Collaborator (an investigator who has served as a PI on a DoD directly funded research prime award between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2026, and who will provide mentorship). The research must be basic research in science and engineering relevant to the DoD mission, and must address one of the twelve specified topics, including space bioscience, dynamic data and information processing, condensed matter physics, unsteady aerodynamics, earth materials and processes, dynamical influences on performance, wireless communications networks, electrochemistry, nonlinear transforms for dynamical systems, social cognition in local communities, shock mitigation materials, and efficient packaging and deployment of unmanned aircraft systems. Eligible applicants are tenured or tenure-track faculty at institutions of higher education in the following states and territories: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, 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. The application process is a three-stage process: registration on RunGrants, submission of a white paper, and, if invited, submission of a full proposal via Grants.gov.