FY 21 Office of Naval Research (ONR) Science, Technology,Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Program | N00014 21 S F005

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00014 21 S F005

The FY 21 Office of Naval Research (ONR) STEM Program grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number N00014-21-S-F005; CFDA 12.330) is a discretionary, grant-based funding call focused on strengthening the pipeline and readiness of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps STEM workforce. The central purpose is to support projects that either expand existing efforts or introduce new, innovative approaches that directly help the Department of the Navy maintain technological superiority by building and sustaining a diverse, world-class STEM talent base. ONR is looking for proposals that create, improve, or maintain STEM educational pathways and workforce opportunities for diverse U.S. citizens, specifically in ways that connect clearly to ONR science and technology areas.

A key theme of the announcement is alignment: ONR is explicitly trying to connect STEM education and outreach with current and future Naval science and technology workforce needs. The agency views the health of its science and technology workforce as tightly linked to what happens in classrooms, training programs, and community-based STEM experiences, so the opportunity encourages projects that improve student outcomes while also mapping those outcomes to real naval-relevant skills and career pathways. The intent is not only to inspire interest in STEM, but to produce measurable growth in skills, knowledge, and abilities that are useful to naval science and technology domains, across a wide age and career span, from K-12 students to adult learners and members of the current workforce.

The solicitation emphasizes STEM education and outreach projects that address scientific and technical topics tied to ONR-identified thrust areas (the announcement frames these as specific naval-related science and technology areas). Project scope is intentionally flexible, meaning proposals can vary widely in size and complexity as long as they credibly increase STEM engagement and strengthen the preparation of people for naval-relevant STEM careers. ONR also encourages applicants to ground project design in established STEM education research, using evidence-based practices and learning science to improve the quality and impact of proposed activities rather than relying on ad-hoc outreach alone.

While it is described as strongly encouraged rather than a strict requirement, the program places clear attention on broadening participation in STEM, particularly for under-represented and under-served groups such as women and minorities. It also highlights special audience priority areas that may include military-connected students, veterans and veteran-focused initiatives, and education systems or communities that are integral to naval science and technology. In practice, this means ONR is interested in efforts that can reach populations connected to the military community and also build durable regional or institutional capacity that supports the Navy and Marine Corps talent pipeline.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. Foreign entities are not eligible. The announcement also explicitly encourages applications from minority-serving institutions and covered educational institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Alaska Native-serving institutions, Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, Native American-serving nontribal institutions, and other minority institutions identified under relevant authorities (including covered educational institutions in 10 USC 2362).

At the same time, the opportunity places important limits on certain government-affiliated research organizations. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), including Department of Energy national laboratories, are not eligible to receive awards directly under this funding opportunity. However, they may participate through teaming arrangements with an eligible prime applicant, as long as the arrangement is permitted under the specific FFRDC sponsoring agreement. Navy laboratories, military universities, warfare centers, and other DoD and civilian agency laboratories are not eligible to receive awards under this FOA and are instructed not to submit white papers or full applications. University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) may submit white papers unless restricted by their UARC contract.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is an ONR-run grant opportunity with an award ceiling listed at $1,000,000. The original closing date is shown as March 30, 2022, and the record creation date is March 31, 2021. Overall, the program is best understood as a workforce-focused STEM education and outreach investment: ONR is seeking practical, research-informed projects that expand access, improve learning and training outcomes, and connect participants to naval-relevant STEM careers, ultimately strengthening the Navy and Marine Corps science and technology workforce over the long term.

• The Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 21 Office of Naval Research (ONR) Science, Technology,Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.330.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-03-31.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-03-30. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for N00014 21 S F005

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: