FY26 DEFENSE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (DEPSCoR) – RESEARCH COLLABORATION (RC)

<p>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&amp;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.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>DEPSCoR's objectives are to:</p><p>(1) increase the number of university researchers in eligible States/Territories capable of performing science and engineering (S&amp;E research responsive to the needs of the DoD; and</p><p>(2) enhance the capabilities of institutions of higher education (IHE) in eligible States/Territories (listed below) to develop, plan, and execute (S&amp;E) research that is relevant to the mission of the DoD, and competitive under the peer-review systems used for awarding Federal research assistance;</p><p>(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&amp;E research.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>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&amp;E research in areas relevant to the DoD’s mission and important to national security.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>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.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Awards are subject to funding availability. There is no guarantee of an award.</p>