Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Department of the Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program

The Department of the Navy (DoN), through the Office of Naval Research (ONR), is soliciting applications for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program, under announcement number N0001425SF005. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aims to enhance research capacity and STEM engagement at HBCU/MIs, with a focus on basic and applied research relevant to the Navy’s science and technology priorities. The program aligns with ONR’s broader objective to develop innovative solutions to national defense challenges and cultivate a diverse STEM workforce. The program is administered by the ONR's Warfighter Performance Division and is supported by appropriations from the Department of Defense (DoD), specifically under Assistance Listing Number 12.300. The program emphasizes three core objectives: enhancing the research and educational capabilities of HBCU/MIs in scientific and engineering fields critical to U.S. naval operations, fostering collaborative research to address naval science and technology (S&T) challenges, and increasing the participation of students in STEM fields relevant to the Navy and Marine Corps. Proposals must clearly articulate how they will contribute to these objectives. Notably, this opportunity supports only research-focused efforts and does not fund non-research STEM activities. Proposed projects should promote both faculty and student engagement and demonstrate a plan for expanding institutional research infrastructure. Applicants must submit white papers as a mandatory first step. Only those invited by ONR may submit full proposals. White papers are due by September 19, 2025, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Invitations for full proposals will be issued by November 7, 2025, with full proposals due by December 12, 2025, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Notification of awards will occur around March 27, 2026, with an anticipated grant start date of July 1, 2026. The program anticipates awarding approximately three grants, each ranging from $450,000 to $525,000, with a total available funding pool of $1,575,000. Each grant will have a performance period of three years. Cost sharing is not required and will not be considered in the merit review, although voluntary cost sharing may be proposed. Eligibility is strictly limited to “covered educational institutions,” as defined by 10 U.S.C. §4144. This includes institutions eligible under Title III or V of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and accredited post-secondary minority institutions. All personnel listed in the proposal, including the Principal Investigator (PI), must be U.S. citizens as of the white paper deadline. The PI must hold a full-time tenured, tenure-track, or equivalent appointment. The program does not allow for co-PIs or sub-awards. All proposals must align with DoN S&T mission areas, which include Information, Cyber, and Spectrum Superiority; Undersea Battlespace and Maritime Domain Access; Mission Capable and Survivable Sea Platforms; Warfighter Performance; and Aviation, Force Projection, and Integrated Defense. Proposals should demonstrate naval relevance and ideally result from consultations with a Naval Technical Point of Contact (TPOC). The evaluation will focus on naval relevance, technical merit, student engagement strategy, PI qualifications, and contribution to the DoN mission. Key points of contact for this opportunity include Mr. Anthony C. Smith, Sr., Program Director for the DoN HBCU/MI Program (don_hbcufoa@navy.mil), and Ms. Veronica Lacey, ONR Grants Officer (veronica.y.lacey.civ@us.navy.mil). White papers must be submitted via the ONR Submission Portal, and full proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov. Additional administrative, biosafety, export control, and research integrity requirements are outlined in the NOFO, consistent with ONR and DoD policies:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}.

Engage with a Navy TPOC before submitting a white paper to align the project with Navy research priorities.