FY25 ONR Office Of Naval Research (ONR) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics(STEM) Education and Workforce Program

The FY25 Office of Naval Research (ONR) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education and Workforce Program, released under Announcement Number N0001425SF0006, is a federal funding opportunity designed to support a broad array of STEM education and workforce development initiatives. Issued by the Office of Naval Research, the program focuses on enhancing the capacity and quality of STEM education across formal and informal learning environments. It seeks to attract, retain, and advance students, educators, and institutions engaged in physical and natural sciences, engineering, mathematics, social sciences, technology, and environmental stewardship. The ONR STEM program aims to fund initiatives that develop learners’ knowledge and interest in STEM, encourage pursuit of STEM-related credentials and careers, and provide research opportunities for college and graduate students that are educational in nature. Additional goals include improving STEM educator quality at various levels—K–12 pre-service and in-service, postsecondary, and informal education—and enhancing institutional capacity to support STEM disciplines. Although not intended for standalone research proposals, the NOFO will consider education-focused research that is not expected to generate intellectual property. Applicants are cautioned to apply under the appropriate Long Range BAA for research-centric projects. Eligible applicants include all responsible entities from academia, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors, including foreign institutions. However, specific restrictions apply: Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), Navy labs, military universities, Department of Defense (DoD) agencies, and other federal laboratories are not eligible to receive awards directly, though they may participate as subrecipients if allowed by their sponsoring agreements. University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) are eligible unless prohibited by contract. There is no limit on the number of applications an organization may submit. Cost sharing is not required and will not influence merit review, although voluntary cost share may be considered. Applicants may submit proposals anytime between July 7, 2025 and June 30, 2026, with all full proposals due by June 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. White papers are optional but encouraged and may be submitted through the ONR Submission Portal. Full applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov using the SF-424 R&R form set. Each proposal must include a project abstract, technical narrative, budget justification, key personnel biosketches, and, if applicable, documentation for research involving humans or animals. Grants.gov and ONR Submission Portal accounts, along with a valid SAM registration and UEI, are required for submission. Evaluation of applications will be based on scientific and technical merit, relevance to Navy and DoD STEM goals, and availability of funds. Reviewers will consider innovation, understanding of the problem, qualifications of the PI and team, and institutional capabilities. Additional attention will be given to risk assessment, national security concerns such as foreign influence, and compliance with federal and DoD policies. For technical inquiries, applicants may contact Mr. William Ellis Jr. at william.h.ellis.civ@us.navy.mil. Administrative and grant-related questions should be directed to Grants Officer Veronica Lacey at veronica.y.lacey.civ@us.navy.mil. Both are located at the ONR headquarters at 875 N. Randolph Street, Arlington, VA 22203-1995. Final award announcements will be issued via email, and awardees must manage documents through the DoD Electronic Document Access System.

Submit early to account for submission errors. Ensure SF-424 is completed correctly; missing Program Officer code or incorrect file formats can cause rejections. Only submit white papers via the ONR Submission Portal.