FY26 DEFENSE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (DEPSCoR) CAPACITY BUILDING (CB)

The Department of Defense announces the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research - Capacity Building opportunity, with awards made by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and program sponsorship and management through the Office of the Under Secretary for War, Research and Engineering, Science and Technology, Foundations. The program is intended to increase the ability of institutions of higher education in eligible states and territories to conduct competitive science and engineering basic research relevant to Department of Defense missions and national security priorities. Its long-term objectives include increasing the number of capable university researchers, strengthening institutional research capabilities, and improving the ability of eligible institutions to compete successfully for Federal science and engineering research funding. The Capacity Building program is designed to jumpstart institutional capability through increased human, technical, and management resources and to help institutions achieve excellence in Department of Defense relevant basic research areas. Proposed efforts must identify existing seed capacity and the basic research capacity gaps that inhibit research excellence and competitiveness. Applicants must develop strategic, multi-thrust approaches for filling those gaps and expanding capability beyond existing seed capacity. Supported activities may include equipment acquisition, new faculty hires, educational initiatives, basic research plans, graduate student and postdoctoral support, regional outreach, and other activities that synergistically improve basic research capabilities. Applied research proposals and plans that merely incrementally improve, centralize, or reorganize existing recognized research capability are not responsive. Proposal preparation costs are not allowable direct charges to an award. Pre-award costs are subject to the requirements described in the announcement. Up to 6000000 in total funding is anticipated, subject to funding availability. The Department of Defense expects to make between one and four grants of up to 1500000 in total cost per award. Each grant may receive up to 750000 in total cost per year for two years. The primary DEPSCoR-eligible institution of higher education must retain more than 50 percent of the total award allocation. Cost sharing or matching is not required and is not an evaluation or selection criterion, although voluntary committed cost sharing or matching may be proposed and will be included in the total award value. The award start date will be determined at award but is projected for October 2027, with an award period of two years. Eligible applicants are qualified and responsible institutions of higher education located in 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. All supported activities must be performed in an eligible state or territory, and funding for the applicant and potential subawardees is limited to addresses within eligible states or territories. The Team Lead must be a member of the applicant institution's executive staff, such as the Vice President for Research, and must be employed in an eligible state or territory. Key personnel must hold appointments at institutions of higher education in eligible states or territories. Each applicant institution is limited to one application. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers and Federal agencies, including military schools, cannot receive funding as either the lead organization or a sub-grantee. The application process has three stages. Applicants must complete online registration through RunGrants and submit a mandatory White Paper and supporting documentation through RunGrants. The portal opened August 10, 2026. The White Paper package is due October 12, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, and documents received after the deadline or found non-compliant will not be reviewed. The White Paper consists of a cover page, an abstract of no more than 500 words, a Capacity Building Narrative of no more than six single-sided pages, applicable human or vertebrate animal subject information, and two-page CVs for the Team Lead and any subawardees. At least one relevant Service BAA number and research area must be identified. White Paper selections are expected to be announced January 8, 2027. Only invited applicants may proceed to the Full Proposal stage, and Full Proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by April 5, 2027, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time and successfully validated by the deadline. The Full Proposal includes the required SF 424 Research and Related forms, the invitation email, a publicly releasable Project Summary or Abstract, Capacity Building Plan, Team Composition and Management Plan, Senior and Key Person Profile materials, biographical sketches, current and pending support, budget and budget justification, performance site information, personal data form, Security Program Questionnaire, Privacy Act Statement, research security documentation, and required Letters of Recommendation for Commitment or Endorsement from regional partners. Other materials are required when applicable, including lobbying disclosures, bibliography and references, facilities and resources information, equipment justification, subaward budgets and justifications, and human, animal, environmental, or other compliance documentation. A Data Management Plan is optional. Applicants and covered individuals also must satisfy research security disclosure, training, compliance attestation, conflict of interest and conflict of commitment, SAM registration, Unique Entity Identifier, CAGE code, and applicable Federal policy requirements. White Papers and Full Proposals are evaluated against demonstration of initial seed capability and identification of basic research capacity gaps; potential to build academic research capacity, improve basic research capability, and enhance educational outcomes in Department of Defense relevant fields; demonstration of regional interest; and a credible long-term plan to sustain enhanced capacity with non-DEPSCoR funding. For Full Proposals, realism and reasonableness of proposed costs is an additional criterion and is of lesser importance than the first four criteria. Programmatic and peer reviews assess technical merit, relevance to Department of Defense needs, technical quality, and the potential of the proposed research in relation to available funds. Applicants are also expected to address Gold Standard Science requirements. Full Proposal selection notifications are expected by July 23, 2027. Technical and programmatic questions should be directed in writing to Program Manager David Montgomery at david.w.montgomery61.civ@mail.mil, while general announcement questions may be directed to Grants Officers Denise Johnson at denise.johnson.19@us.af.mil or Nicole Thomas at nicole.thomas.20@us.af.mil. The announcement does not state that this opportunity recurs on a regular schedule.

Demonstrate clearly how the proposed effort expands substantially beyond existing seed capacity rather than merely reorganizing or incrementally improving current capability. Identify specific basic research capacity gaps and connect each gap to feasible technical, academic, educational, management, or programmatic thrusts. Show regional DoD and commercial interest and provide required regional partner endorsement letters. Present specific and supportable plans to sustain enhanced capacity with non-DEPSCoR funding. Keep the work focused on basic research because applied research will not advance. Include at least one relevant Service BAA number and research area on the White Paper cover page. Provide detailed and realistic annual cost information because insufficient budget support can delay awards. Submit well before portal deadlines and ensure the Grants.gov Full Proposal is validated before the deadline.