Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) - NOFOAFRLAFOSR20250002

The Fiscal Year 2026 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) is a basic research program administered jointly by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Army Research Office (ARO), and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). Initiated in 1985, MURI supports multidisciplinary teams at U.S. institutions of higher education to address high-risk basic research with potential for significant scientific breakthroughs relevant to national security. The program complements single-investigator awards and encourages collaborative approaches where multiple disciplines are needed to address complex scientific and engineering challenges of interest to the Department of Defense (DoD). The FY26 MURI opportunity anticipates a total of approximately $170 million in funding over five years, contingent upon appropriations. Typical annual funding per grant is up to $1.5 million, not to exceed limits specified in the topic descriptions. Awards will be issued primarily as grants, although ARO may also use cooperative agreements. Funding is intended for basic research only, defined as systematic study aimed at increasing fundamental knowledge without specific applications in mind. It does not support applied or advanced development efforts. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the designated Research Topic Chiefs for guidance prior to submitting proposals. Eligibility is restricted to U.S. institutions of higher education, including degree-granting programs in science and/or engineering. University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) may apply if they are part of a U.S. institution of higher education and are not designated as Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs). While ineligible entities such as industry, DoD laboratories, FFRDCs, and foreign institutions may collaborate, they cannot receive MURI funds directly or through subawards. There are no limits on the number of applications an eligible organization may submit. The application process includes an optional but strongly recommended white paper phase followed by full proposals submitted through Grants.gov. White papers must follow strict formatting and content requirements and be received by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on May 2, 2025. White paper inquiries are due April 18, 2025. Questions for Grants Officers regarding proposals are due August 22, 2025. Full proposals are due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on September 5, 2025, and must be validated by Grants.gov prior to the deadline. Notifications of initial white paper evaluations are expected by June 13, 2025, with award selections anticipated in January 2026 and project start dates on May 1, 2026. Proposals will be evaluated on scientific and technical merit, potential to advance fundamental understanding in the topic area, DoD relevance, qualifications of personnel, adequacy of facilities and equipment, impact of collaborations, and cost reasonableness. All proposals are subject to DoD’s Risk-Based Security Review Process to identify and mitigate undue foreign influence risks, and applicants must comply with applicable federal policies on research integrity, export controls, human and animal subjects, biosafety, and dual use research of concern. For technical questions, applicants should contact the appropriate Research Topic Chief as listed in Section I.1 of the NOFO. Policy questions can be directed to Dr. Amanda Netburn (ONR, Amanda.N.Netburn.civ@us.navy.mil), Dr. Sue Kase (ARO, usarmy.rtp.devcom-arl.mbx.aro-muri@army.mil), or Ms. Katie Wisecarver (AFOSR, afosr.rtb.muri@us.af.mil). Business-related questions should be addressed to Veronica Lacey (ONR, veronica.y.lacey.civ@us.navy.mil), Ramila Century (ARO, ramila.century.civ@army.mil), or Jorge Gallegos (AFOSR, jorge.gallegos@us.af.mil).