NDEP STEM Open NFO
Open Posted
- Opportunity number
- HQ003423NFOEASD01
- Agency
-
Department of Defense
- Applications due
- Award size
- $100,000 to $10,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
-
- Education
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
- Points of contact
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of Defense Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) seeks innovative applications on mechanisms to implement and research the effectiveness of STEM education, outreach, and workforce initiative programs, with a continuously open application window through February 8, 2028. This is a mandatory two-stage process: applicants must submit white papers first (by deadlines specified in amendments), then selected applicants are invited to submit full applications on Grants.gov.
Eligible applicants include industry, non-profit institutions, institutions of higher education, state and local educational agencies, and consortia of such entities; foreign entities are not eligible. Applicants may not include DoD laboratories, military universities, FFRDCs, or certain other federal entities.
Supported activities include STEM education and outreach; support for STEM education at two-year institutions and community colleges; manufacturing engineering education; education and workforce development aligned to DoD critical technology areas including applied artificial intelligence, biomanufacturing, quantum science, and directed energy; STEM scholarship programs; strategic partnerships; program evaluations, assessments, and data analytics; and enhanced civics education. Specific amendments release periodically with targeted topics, award ceilings, and submission deadlines. The Department intends multiple awards subject to fund availability. Recent amendments include a single-award JROTC STEM Leadership Academies grant capped at $2 million (technical application due May 19, 2026); a Manufacturing Engineering Education Program (MEEP) amendment with up to $3.5 million per award over three years (white paper due April 13, 2026); and earlier civil society education initiatives awarding up to $1.15 million over two years.
Award decisions are based on technical merit (60%), relevance and alignment to DoD STEM mission objectives and critical technology areas (20%), and cost analysis or cost reasonableness (20%). Voluntary cost sharing is acceptable. The program operates under Assistance Listing 12.006 (National Defense Education Program).
Synopsis
4 versions
Update #4 · Latest ·
This is an open NFO, applicants may apply to this posting or subsequent amendments for specific STEM activities. See the Related Documents tab for the full NFO, and amendments announcing new funding opportunities.
The Department of War (DoW) Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R & E)) seeks innovative applications on mechanisms to implement and research the effectiveness of STEM education, outreach, and/or workforce initiative programs, here onto referred as STEM activities.
In response to this NFO, the Department intends to release amendments and solicitations, such as Industry Days, Opportunity Days, etc., detailing funding opportunities through award(s) in STEM activities. These activities include, but are not limited to:
- STEM Education and Outreach
- Support for STEM Education at Two-Year Institutions/Community Colleges (2YI/CCs)
- Manufacturing Engineering Education Program
- Education and Workforce Development aligned to the DoW Critical Technology Areas
- STEM Scholarship Programs
- Strategic Partnerships
- Program Evaluations, Assessments, Data Analytics and Visualizations
- Other NDEP Congressional Initiatives and Programs
As funding becomes available, NFO amendments or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcements detailing opening and closing dates for topics of interest will be posted. In response, applicants may be asked for a mandatory white paper submission, emailed to osw.ndep.dowstem@mail.mil. Refer to the amendment for formatting the email subject line. Use of the white paper is intended to determine which efforts are of merit preparatory to submission of a full application as described in Section IV. Applicants will be selected from the white paper submissions to be invited by the Government via email to submit a full application on Grants.gov for evaluation and possible award consideration. White papers that fail to address the areas listed in the Program Description of the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement will not be evaluated and will not receive an invitation to submit a full technical application.
White paper submissions will only be accepted in response to active NFO amendments or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcements. In addition to the submission requirements outlined in Section IV, all responses should address items in the specific NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement.
Update #3 ·
This is an open NFO, applicants may apply to this posting or subsequent amendments for specific STEM activities. See the Related Documents tab for the full NFO, and amendments announcing new funding opportunities.
The Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R & E)) seeks innovative applications on mechanisms to implement and research the effectiveness of STEM education, outreach, and/or workforce initiative programs, here onto referred as STEM activities.
In response to this NFO, the Department intends to release amendments and solicitations, such as Industry Days, Opportunity Days, etc., detailing funding opportunities through award(s) in STEM activities. These activities include, but are not limited to:
- STEM Education and Outreach
- Support for STEM Education at Two-Year Institutions/Community Colleges (2YI/CCs)
- Manufacturing Engineering Education Program
- Education and Workforce Development aligned to the DoD Critical Technology Areas
- STEM Scholarship Programs
- Strategic Partnerships
- Program Evaluations, Assessments, Data Analytics and Visualizations
- Other NDEP Congressional Initiatives and Programs
As funding becomes available, NFO amendments or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcements detailing opening and closing dates for topics of interest will be posted. In response, applicants may be asked for a mandatory white paper submission, emailed to osd.dodstem@mail.mil. Refer to the amendment for formatting the email subject line. Use of the white paper is intended to determine which efforts are of merit preparatory to submission of a full application as described in Section IV. Applicants will be selected from the white paper submissions to be invited by the Government via email to submit a full application on Grants.gov for evaluation and possible award consideration. White papers that fail to address the areas listed in the Program Description of the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement will not be evaluated and will not receive an invitation to submit a full technical application.
White paper submissions will only be accepted in response to active NFO amendments or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcements. In addition to the submission requirements outlined in Section IV, all responses should address items in the specific NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement.
Update #2 ·
This is an open NFO, applicants may apply to this posting or subsequent amendments for specific STEM activities. See the Related Documents tab for the full NFO, and amendments announcing new funding opportunities.
The Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R & E)) seeks innovative applications on mechanisms to implement and research the effectiveness of STEM education, outreach, and/or workforce initiative programs, here onto referred as STEM activities.
In response to this NFO, the Department intends to release amendments and solicitations, such as Industry Days, Opportunity Days, etc., detailing funding opportunities through award(s) in STEM activities. These activities include, but are not limited to:
- STEM Education and Outreach
- Support for STEM Education at Two-Year Institutions/Community Colleges (2YI/CCs)
- Manufacturing Engineering Education Program
- Education and Workforce Development aligned to the DoD Critical Technology Areas
- Enhanced Civics Education
- STEM Scholarship Programs
- Strategic Partnerships
- Program Evaluations and Assessments
- Data Analytics and Visualizations
- Activities aligned to the DoD STEM Strategic Plan
- Other NDEP Congressional Initiatives and Programs
In response to this NFO, applicants may be asked for a mandatory white paper submission, emailed to osd.dodstem@mail.mil. Use of the white paper is intended to determine which efforts are of merit preparatory to submission of a full application as described in Section IV. Applicants will be selected from the white paper submissions to be invited by the Government via email to submit a full application on Grants.gov for evaluation and possible award consideration. White papers that fail to address the areas listed in the Program Description of the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement will not be evaluated and will not receive an invitation to submit a full technical application.
The submission of a white paper is dependent on the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement. In addition to the submission requirements outlined in Section IV, all responses should address items in the specific NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement.
Update #1 ·
See the Related Documents tab for the full NFO, and amendments announcing new funding opportunities.
The Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R & E)) seeks innovative applications on mechanisms to implement and research the effectiveness of STEM education, outreach, and/or workforce initiative programs, here onto referred as STEM activities.
In response to this NFO, the Department intends to release amendments and solicitations, such as Industry Days, Opportunity Days, etc., detailing funding opportunities through award(s) in STEM activities. These activities include, but are not limited to:
- STEM Education and Outreach
- Support for STEM Education at Two-Year Institutions/Community Colleges (2YI/CCs)
- Manufacturing Engineering Education Program
- Education and Workforce Development aligned to the DoD Critical Technology Areas
- Enhanced Civics Education
- STEM Scholarship Programs
- Strategic Partnerships
- Program Evaluations and Assessments
- Data Analytics and Visualizations
- Activities aligned to the DoD STEM Strategic Plan
- Other NDEP Congressional Initiatives and Programs
In response to this NFO, applicants may be asked for a mandatory white paper submission, emailed to osd.dodstem@mail.mil. Use of the white paper is intended to determine which efforts are of merit preparatory to submission of a full application as described in Section IV. Applicants will be selected from the white paper submissions to be invited by the Government via email to submit a full application on Grants.gov for evaluation and possible award consideration. White papers that fail to address the areas listed in the Program Description of the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement will not be evaluated and will not receive an invitation to submit a full technical application.
The submission of a white paper is dependent on the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement. In addition to the submission requirements outlined in Section IV, all responses should address items in the specific NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include: industry, non-profit institutions, institutions of higher education, state and/or local educational agencies, or consortia of such institutions and/or industry. Foreign entities will not be considered.
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