Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Department of the Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program

The Department of the Navy Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions Program is administered by the Office of Naval Research to strengthen the research capacity and infrastructure of eligible institutions while advancing naval science and technology priorities. This funding opportunity represents a federal initiative aligned with the Department of Defense mission to enhance participation of historically underrepresented institutions in research, development, test, and evaluation activities. The program focuses on building long term institutional capabilities while supporting research that contributes directly to national defense objectives, particularly those relevant to naval operations and technological advancement. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support basic and applied research projects that align with the Navy’s science and technology focus areas. These include disciplines such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced materials, human systems, naval engineering, and energy systems. Projects are expected to demonstrate both scientific merit and clear relevance to naval challenges. In addition to research outputs, the program places strong emphasis on expanding institutional capacity and engaging students and faculty in meaningful research experiences that contribute to workforce development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Funding under this opportunity is structured to support multi year research efforts with a defined performance period of three years. Individual awards are anticipated to range between 450000 and 525000 dollars, with a total program funding allocation of approximately 1575000 dollars. Annual funding is capped with specific limits for salaries, materials, equipment, and supplies, and all proposed budgets must remain within these constraints. The funding does not require cost sharing, although voluntary contributions may be considered. Projects exceeding the maximum funding threshold are deemed non responsive and will not be considered. Eligibility for this program is restricted to accredited minority serving institutions and institutions of higher education eligible under Title III or V of the Higher Education Act. Applicants must meet strict requirements, including having a principal investigator who is a United States citizen and holds a full time academic appointment at an eligible institution. The program is limited to single principal investigator awards, with no allowance for co principal investigators or subawards. These eligibility criteria ensure that funding directly supports institutional research capacity building within the targeted communities. The application process is structured in two phases, beginning with a mandatory white paper submission followed by an invitation only full proposal stage. White papers must adhere to strict formatting and content requirements, including sections on technical approach, student engagement strategy, naval relevance, and a preliminary budget estimate. Applicants are encouraged to engage with Navy technical points of contact prior to submission to ensure alignment with program priorities. Only those applicants whose white papers are favorably evaluated will be invited to submit full proposals through the Grants.gov system. Evaluation of submissions is based on several equally weighted criteria, including technical merit, student engagement strategy, personnel qualifications, and naval relevance. Proposals must demonstrate a clear connection to naval science and technology challenges, a well defined research plan, and a strong approach to integrating students into the research process. Additional considerations include cost realism and the availability of funds. The review process involves both technical evaluation and risk assessment to ensure that selected projects meet program objectives and compliance requirements. The timeline for this funding opportunity includes a white paper submission deadline in mid September followed by an invitation based proposal deadline in December. Notifications of selection are expected in March of the following year, with project start dates anticipated in early July. Communication with program officials is facilitated through designated technical and administrative contacts, and applicants are expected to follow all submission and compliance requirements as outlined in the notice. This funding opportunity is issued as a single cycle solicitation with no indication of automatic recurrence, though similar programs may be released in future fiscal years.

Align proposal clearly with naval science priorities and demonstrate strong student engagement with detailed roles and outcomes; ensure budget compliance with strict caps and formatting requirements