Key facts
| Opportunity number | NOFOAFRLAFOSR20260003 |
|---|
| Agency | Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Department of Defense |
|---|
| Assistance listing (ALN, formerly CFDA) | 12.431 |
|---|
| Posted | Aug 10, 2026 |
|---|
| Deadline | Apr 5, 2027 |
|---|
| Award ceiling | $1,500,000 |
|---|
| Award floor | $750,000 |
|---|
| Expected number of awards | 4 |
|---|
| Estimated total program funding | $6,000,000 |
|---|
| Cost sharing or matching required | No |
|---|
| Funding type | Grant |
|---|
| Category | Science technology and other research and development |
|---|
| Last updated here | Oct 15, 2026 |
|---|
Summary from the notice
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). 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.
(2) enhance the capabilities of institutions of higher education (IHEs) 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; and
(3) increase the probability of long-term growth in the competitively awarded financial assistance that IHEs in eligible States/Territories receive from the Federal Government for S&E research.
The Basic Research Office anticipates up to $6 million in total funding will be made available for this program to fully fund and award between one to four grants up to $1.5 million (total cost) each. Each grant award will be funded up to $750,000 (total cost) per year for two (2) years.
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.
Who can apply
The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible:
- Others named in the notice (see the eligibility text)
Not listed as eligible
- Small businesses
- Nonprofits
- Colleges and universities
- State governments
- Local governments
- Tribal governments and organizations
- Larger for-profit companies
- Individuals
Unless the eligibility text in the notice names you, this opportunity is probably not for you.
Eligibility details from the notice
This funding opportunity aims to support the strategic objectives of IHEs (either individually or in partnership with others) in DEPSCoR States/Territories to achieve basic research excellence in areas of high relevance to the DoD. IHEs in the following States/Territories are eligible to apply for this DEPSCoR opportunity under this announcement: 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 see eligibility table in III A.
Registrations you will likely need
Most applications submitted through Grants.gov need the following. Registration can take several weeks, so start early. The notice lists the exact requirements.
Past awards for this program
Totals for assistance listing 12.431 from public USASpending.gov data, as of Sep 27, 2026. Past awards do not predict future funding.
| Year | Listing | Awards | Total | Average |
|---|
| 2026 |
12.431 |
2 |
$93,154,084 |
$46,577,042 |
| 2025 |
12.431 |
2 |
$302,249,768 |
$151,124,884 |
| 2024 |
12.431 |
2 |
$302,249,768 |
$151,124,884 |
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