This is a DoD basic research grant for never-before-funded faculty, not a small-business program: only tenured or tenure-track faculty at institutions of higher education in 39 listed states and territories may apply, and each must pair with a co-PI mentor who has an active DoD prime award. For-profit businesses, including small businesses and sole proprietors, cannot apply at all, and neither can nonprofits. If you are not a full-time faculty member in an eligible state, do not bother.
| Industry | Estimated fit |
|---|---|
| Agriculture & FarmingLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
| Arts & CultureLimit: This program does not accept nonprofit applicants. | 0 |
| Construction & InfrastructureLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
| Education & TrainingLimit: This program does not accept nonprofit applicants. | 0 |
| Energy & Clean TechLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
| Environment & ConservationLimit: This program does not accept nonprofit applicants. | 0 |
| Industry | Estimated fit |
|---|---|
| Finance & BankingLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
| Food & BeverageLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
| Healthcare & BiotechLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
| Housing & Real EstateLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
| ManufacturingLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
| Retail & E-CommerceLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
| Social Services & NonprofitLimit: This program does not accept nonprofit applicants. | 0 |
| Technology & SoftwareLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
| Transportation & LogisticsLimit: Only governments, nonprofits, tribes or universities may apply —… | 0 |
These are our matcher’s estimates for a typical business in each industry. A real match depends on your size, your state and what you need the money for — check your own fit.
Pairs a never-PI'd full-time faculty member at an eligible-state institution with an experienced DoD-funded co-PI mentor for 3-year basic S&E research relevant to DoD missions. Awards up to $600k ($200k/yr). Only tenured/tenure-track faculty at IHEs in listed states/territories may apply; businesses are not eligible.
The Department of Defense (DoD) announces the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) – Research Collaboration (RC) 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). The DoD plans to award FY26 DEPSCoR appropriations through this announcement.
DEPSCoR's objectives are to: (1) 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; and (2) enhance the capabilities of institutions of higher education (IHE) in eligible States/Territories (listed below) to develop, plan, and execute (S&E) research that is relevant to the mission of the DoD, and competitive under the peer-review systems used for awarding Federal research assistance; (3) increase the probability of long-term growth in the competitively awarded financial assistance that IHE in eligible States receive from the Federal Government for S&E research.
Consistent with these long term objectives of building research infrastructure, the DoD intends to competitively make, and fund from fiscal year 2026 appropriations, multiyear awards for S&E research in areas relevant to the DoD’s mission and important to national security.
The Basic Research Office anticipates up to $14.4 million in total funding will be made available for this program to fully fund and award up to twenty four (24) grants up to $600,000 (total cost) each. Each grant award will be funded up to $200,000 (total cost) per year for three (3) years.
Awards are subject to funding availability. There is no guarantee of an award.
Our reading of the listing: for-profit businesses are not eligible for this one.
This funding opportunity aims to create basic research collaborations between a pair of researchers, namely 1) Applicant/Principal Investigator (PI), henceforth referred to as Applicant, a full-time faculty member who has never served as a PI on a prior DoD directly funded research Prime award and 2) Collaborator/co-Principal Investigator (co-PI), henceforth referred to as Collaborator, an investigator who will provide mentorship to the Applicant and has served as a PI on a DoD directly funded research Prime award actively between 1 October 2018 and 30 September 2026. This structure is aimed at introducing potential applicants to the DoD's unique research challenges and its supportive research ecosystem. Tenured or tenure-track faculty members with appointments at IHE, in the following States/Territories are eligible to apply for DEPSCoR opportunities under this announcement: 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 see eligibility table in III A.
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