FY2023 Department of the Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program | N00014 22 S F008

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00014 22 S F008

The FY2023 Department of the Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) under the Department of Defense. Its core purpose is to strengthen the pipeline of minority STEM talent for the defense community by supporting research and related academic activities at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), including HBCUs and other eligible minority institutions. The program is designed to produce both workforce outcomes (more well-prepared minority scientists and engineers) and institutional outcomes (greater research capacity and stronger STEM programs at participating schools), while ensuring that the funded work contributes meaningfully to Navy and Marine Corps science and technology priorities.

A central theme of the opportunity is naval relevance. Proposed projects are expected to advance basic research tied to naval science and technology (S&T) needs, and to align with the Department of the Navy's mission and vision as well as the Naval Research Development Framework. In practical terms, applicants are expected to show a clear connection between their technical approach and defense-relevant scientific or engineering challenges that matter to the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps. The solicitation emphasizes that submissions should be written clearly and succinctly, with a strong technical rationale and an explicit explanation of how the work supports DoN S&T goals.

The program also places heavy emphasis on capacity-building and student engagement. Funded efforts are meant to enhance the research and educational capabilities of HBCU/MIs in disciplines that are critical to the naval defense mission. That can include improving institutional research infrastructure, growing faculty-led research programs, and creating meaningful research experiences that involve students directly in STEM discovery. Student engagement is not presented as an optional add-on; it is an intended outcome, particularly for underrepresented minorities, with the broader aim of increasing participation and persistence in STEM fields that feed into Navy and Marine Corps needs.

Collaboration is another major objective. The funding announcement explicitly encourages cross-institutional and collaborative efforts, especially those that bring together teams capable of exploring innovative solutions to naval S&T challenges. This can include partnerships among MSIs, or collaborations between MSIs and other research entities, as long as the overall project strengthens the MSI research enterprise and remains aligned with the program's mission. The intent is to promote knowledge exchange, broaden research networks, and help participating institutions scale their ability to compete and contribute in defense-relevant research areas.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is listed as Funding Opportunity Number N00014-22-S-F008, with CFDA number 12.300, and falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category. The funding instrument is a grant. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and other entities as further clarified in the announcement's eligibility section. The award ceiling is $450,000, and the agency anticipated making about three awards under this specific opportunity.

The timeline information included in the notice indicates the funding opportunity was created on June 29, 2022, with an original closing date of December 14, 2022. The application process described in the summary indicates a competitive flow that may involve white papers followed by full proposals by invitation, meaning applicants likely needed to first submit a shorter concept or preliminary technical summary and then, if encouraged by ONR, develop and submit a full proposal. Overall, the opportunity is structured to fund high-quality, defense-relevant basic research at HBCU/MIs while simultaneously building institutional research strength and expanding hands-on STEM engagement for students who are historically underrepresented in these fields.

• The Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2023 Department of the Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 29, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 14, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $450,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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