Basic and Applied Scientific Research
Active
- Assistance listing
- 12.300
- Agency
-
Office of Naval Research
Secretary of the Navy, Department of Defense
- Grant awards
- 27,651 $16,719,426,078 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Formula Grant
- Block Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 17-1319-0-1-051
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of the Navy Secretary of the Navy Office of Naval Research (ONR) awards grants under CFDA 12.300 to support basic and applied research at educational institutions, nonprofits, and research organizations with potential to advance naval operations, with the most recent grant award dated September 29, 2027.
This program funds concrete research activities spanning materials science, propulsion systems, hydrodynamics, underwater acoustics, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, sensor development, communications technology, and thermal management — all with explicit naval relevance. Representative recent awards include $20.6 million for distributed RF concepts for future electromagnetic spectrum operations, $3 million for Alaska regional technology innovation and commercialization, $2.8 million for an innovative coatings center at North Dakota State University, and smaller awards in the $80,000 to $600,000 range for topics such as quantum computing algorithms for hydroacoustics, statistical learning in sonar estimation, and adhesion and wettability in marine environments.
The program operates at substantial scale: $16.72 billion in combined federal dollars obligated across 27,651 awards since 1994. Grant awards have averaged roughly 900 per year over the past three years, though the 2026 pace slowed to 301 awards and only 1 award has been posted for 2027 to date. Awards are predominantly Project Grants (94 percent), with Cooperative Agreements comprising 6 percent of the mix. The Department of the Navy dominates funding, with Navy entities accounting for 17,879 awards totaling $8.61 billion in federal dollars obligated; within that, ONR headquarters specifically accounts for 8,800 awards and $7 billion.
Periods of performance typically run 3–5 years. Awards are available year-round, with competitive selection based on scientific merit, naval relevance, recipient capabilities, principal investigator qualifications, and cost realism. ONR Headquarters cannot award to individuals; ONR Global can. Record-keeping requirements follow DoDGARs.
Multiple grant opportunities are currently open. The FY27 MURI program (due April 9, 2027) funds multidisciplinary university research teams addressing DoD-relevant complex problems; eligibility is restricted to U.S. institutions of higher education with degree-granting programs in science or engineering and university-affiliated research centers. The FY27 Young Investigator Program (due October 30, 2026) targets early-career faculty holding tenure-track positions, with PIs required to hold a PhD or equivalent earned on or after January 1, 2019. The FY27 DURIP (due November 6, 2026) supports equipment and instrumentation acquisition at accredited U.S. universities with science, mathematics, or engineering programs. The FY27 HBCU/MI Program (due December 11, 2026) is limited to historically Black colleges and universities or accredited minority institutions and requires single-PI awards with no co-PIs or subawards. The FY25 Long Range BAA (open through September 30, 2026) accepts proposals from academia, industry, and research organizations worldwide for long-range Navy and Marine Corps science and technology projects.
Objective and description
- Objective
To support and stimulate basic and applied research and technology at educational institutions, non-profits and other research organizations, which have potential for superiority in the improvement of naval operations, and to train and motivate futur
- Description
ONR is tasked with discovering, developing and delivering new technology and capability for the Navy and Marine Corps. Our Sailors and Marines must have the decisive technological edge to ensure they have the advantage in every engagement.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Office of Naval Research (ONR) headquarters Grants and Agreements cannot be awarded to individuals or families. ONR Global Grants and Agreements can be awarded to individuals.
- Beneficiary eligibility
See above.
- Uses of assistance
Basic, applied and advanced research in the physical, mathematical, environmental, engineering and life sciences providing knowledge necessary for the Department of the Navy to make informed decisions about further exploratory development to provide the technology base from which naval capabilities are drawn and partial support of symposia in the listed disciplines. Programs to encourage careers in science, technology and engineering by supporting outstanding research by graduate and undergraduate students pursuing studies in areas of naval concern; research programs to increase the number of science and engineering graduates from underrepresented minority groups and programs providing funding for universities to purchase major, high-cost research instrumentation.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Grants will reflect a period of performance which is generally 3-5 years.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Award decisions will be based on a competitive selection of proposals resulting from a scientific and cost review. Evaluations will typically be conducted using the following evaluation criteria: 1. Overall scientific and technical merits of the proposal; 2. Potential Naval relevance and contributions of the effort to the agency's specific mission; 3. The offeror's capabilities, related experience, facilities, techniques or unique combinations of these which are integral factors for achieving the proposal objectives; 4. The qualifications, capabilities and experience of the proposed Principal Investigator (PI), team leader and key personnel who are critical in achieving the proposal objectives; and 5. The realism of the proposed costs and availability of funds.
- Award procedure
Award decisions will be based on a competitive selection of proposals resulting from a peer and/or scientific review. Evaluations will use the criteria contained in the relevant announcement. If selected, the proposal is incorporated into a grant/cooperative agreement document and the applicant agrees to perform the research described therein.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Awards may be made at any time throughout the year for which funding is authorized.
- Renewals
Reapplication with new proposal is permitted.
Grant opportunities
Show 40 more
Latest 50 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 27,651 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Of California San Diego | $614,136,638 | 4% |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology | $514,988,195 | 3% |
| 3 | University Of Washington | $469,067,975 | 3% |
| 4 | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution | $376,571,567 | 2% |
| 5 | University Of Hawaii | $341,965,993 | 2% |
| 6 | Colorado State University | $308,992,624 | 2% |
| 7 | National Marrow Donor Program | $299,046,514 | 2% |
| 8 | Georgia TECH Research Corp | $259,479,177 | 2% |
| 9 | The Leland Stanford Junior University | $254,566,449 | 2% |
| 10 | Carnegie-Mellon University | $238,615,830 | 1% |
10 of 1,992 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $586,103,845 |
| FY2025 | $670,927,962 |
| FY2024 | $859,111,088 |
| FY2023 | $961,372,466 |
| FY2022 | $825,187,962 |
| FY2021 | $831,145,575 |
| FY2020 | $807,253,333 |
| FY2019 | $881,442,793 |
| FY2018 | $723,103,175 |
| FY2017 | $743,866,868 |
| FY2016 | $754,526,112 |
| FY2015 | $727,165,489 |
| FY2014 | $729,597,584 |
| FY2013 | $591,444,245 |
| FY2012 | $724,597,434 |
| FY2011 | $705,069,216 |
| FY2010 | $713,629,708 |
| FY2009 | $583,469,587 |
| FY2008 | $566,845,419 |
| FY2007 | $546,289,563 |
| FY2006 | $279,410,347 |
| FY2005 | $510,238,464 |
| FY2004 | $383,360,616 |
| FY2003 | $421,016,359 |
| FY2002 | $39,398,508 |
| FY2001 | $420,337,011 |
Show all 26
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 12.300?
Assistance Listing 12.300 is Basic and Applied Scientific Research, a federal grant program run by Office of Naval Research (Secretary of the Navy).
What is the CFDA number for Basic and Applied Scientific Research?
Its CFDA number is 12.300: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 12.300 awarded?
27,651 grant awards under 12.300 have obligated $16,719,426,078 in federal funds to 1,992 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 12.300?
The recipients obligated the most under Basic and Applied Scientific Research are University Of California San Diego ($614,136,638), Massachusetts Institute Of Technology ($514,988,195) and University Of Washington ($469,067,975).
How much did 12.300 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 12.300 obligated $670,927,962 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 12.300?
9 of the latest 50 opportunities under 12.300 are open or forecasted. The latest, Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Department of War Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI), was posted on September 21, 2026.
On GovTribe
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