Faculty Guide to National Defense Research Opportunities

Step 1: Know Yourself

A common mistake when considering national security research opportunities is asking, “What kind of research is DoD looking to fund?” Better questions are: “Where do I want my research focus to be in five years? Given my focus, where might there be national defense relevance?” With some exceptions, the national security community is so vast that nearly every university discipline resonates somewhere within the national security enterprise.

Step 2: Heilmeier Catechisim

Examine your research focus through the lens of the nine-question Heilmeier Catechism. Use the quad chart at the bottom of this webpage to summarize your analysis:

1. What are you trying to do? Articulate your objectives without jargon.
2. How is it done today, and what are the limits of current practice?
3. What is new in your approach, and why will you be successful?
4. Who cares?
5. If you are successful, what difference will it make?
6. What are the risks?
7. How much will it cost?
8. How long will it take?
9. What are the mid-term and final “exams” to check for success?
    

Step 3: Broad Agency Announcements

Broad agency announcements (BAAs) are the DoD’s equivalent of other agencies’ calls for proposals. Unofficially, there are three types of BAAs: informational, annual and topical. Look for a BAA you think may be relevant to your research focus. KU’s Office of National Defense Initiatives can assist.

Step 4: Engage the 'System'

The “system” here is the DoD research enterprise, which can be engaged quite efficiently. The DoD doesn’t want to waste your time or theirs. The best way to engage with the DoD is through a program manager — in person, by phone or via email. Send a two-paragraph email with paragraph one stating what you intend to do and paragraph two describing your related competence. If you don’t get a return email in about 10 days, call the program manager and leave a short follow-up message once a week for two weeks. Still no response? Contact KU’s Office of National Defense Initiatives for assistance.

Step 5: Respond to Program Manager Suggestions

Program manager responses generally come in one of three flavors:

1. “Interesting idea. Please send me a white paper.” This is a very positive response, and you should send the requested paper ASAP.
2. “Your work is relevant to my program. Please keep me informed as it develops.” This is a positive response. Send an email every 3 to 6 months when you publish a relevant article, have interesting data, or have other news.
3. “I don’t think your work is relevant to my program.” Although this is not a positive response, it is an opportunity to ask the program manager where they think your work might fit within the DoD research enterprise.

Department of Defense
 

Research, Development, Testing & Evaluation

Advanced technology plays a critical role in ensuring U.S. national security. To maintain technological superiority on the battlefield, the Department of Defense (DoD) relies on scientific and technical knowledge developed in large measure through research, development, testing and evaluation (RDT&E) funded by the department and performed by industry, universities, federal laboratories and others. DoD also relies increasingly on technology developed by the private sector for commercial markets.

DoD RDT&E Budget Activity Costs

DoD budget justifications and congressional appropriation reports describe funding by the character of the work to be performed. This characterization consists of eight categories, each with a budget activity code (6.1 through 6.8).

6.1 Basic Research
6.2 Applied Research
6.3 Advanced Technology Development
6.4 Advanced Component Development & Prototypes
6.5 System Development & Demonstration
6.6 RDT&E Management Support
6.7 Operational Systems Development
6.8 Software & Digital Technology Pilot Projects

Faculty Opportunities

DoD Workshops

The DoD Basic Research Office (BRO) sponsors workshops in emerging areas of science and engineering and provides oversight and management of DoD’s basic research investments. The BRO sets scientific priorities aimed toward ensuring DoD is a leader in scientific discovery and identifying new paths for investigation. The office is responsible for setting department policy for grants, and manages programs including the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship, the Minerva Research Initiative, the Historically Black Colleges & Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program, as well as a number of pilot programs meant to rethink the department’s approach to managing and maturing basic research investments.

DEPSCoR

The Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) aims to increase the number of university researchers and improve the capabilities of institutions of higher education in eligible jurisdictions to perform competitive basic research in science and engineering relevant to the DoD mission and reflect national security priorities. Although it is a standalone program, DEPSCoR research efforts are an important part of a DoD program manager’s basic research portfolio. Kansas is a DEPSCoR state.

Young Investigator Program (YIP)

The BRO, DTRA and DARPA each have announcements for young faculty programs. The eligibility typically is within five years of Ph.D. or equivalent degree or from initial tenure-track appointment.

Senior Investigator Program (SIP)

The Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (VBFF) supports outstanding faculty in topics of interest to DoD. Awardees are generally about 20 years post Ph.D., have impressive credentials, and address a science/engineering basic research topic of interest to DoD. The BRO sponsors the VBFF; the Office of Naval Research manages the grants. In FY 2024, the office received 170 white papers, from which expert panels invited 27 proposals, for a final recommendation of 11 fellows. Each fellow receives up to $3 million over a five-year fellowship to pursue cutting-edge fundamental research.

Human & Health Research
 

Human Social, Cultural & Behavioral Modeling

The Minerva Research Initiative primarily funds social science basic research by university-led research teams. Minerva’s Defense Education & Civilian University Research (DECUR) Partnership aims to develop collaborative basic research partnerships between Defense Professional Military Education (PME) institutions and civilian research universities by supporting basic research projects that improve capacities in defense-related basic social science. These programs were paused in 2025.

Defense Health Programs

Congress typically adds funds to the DoD budget to support select medical basic research topics. These have totaled about $1 billion per year in recent years. Funds are inserted by a congressperson for specific topics for that year only. Those topics are openly competed for through Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) solicitations.

Veterans Administration

The VA is primarily a health care delivery organization, but it also supports intramural research activity focused on improving health care and addressing the unique needs of the veteran population. Some key areas of current VA interest include precision medicine, genomics, chronic pain, women’s health, PTSD/TBI, behavioral health and point-of-care. VA researchers compete for DoD, National Institutes of Health, and Center for Disease Control & Prevention funding.

Special Awards

PECASE

The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists & Engineers (PECASE) is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers. The White House, following recommendations from participating agencies, confers the awards annually. To be eligible for a Presidential Award, an individual must be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident. Some winning scientists and engineers receive up to a five-year research grant.
 

Environmental

SERDP & ESTCP

The Strategic Environmental Research & Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) harness the latest science and technology to develop and demonstrate innovative, cost-effective and sustainable solutions to meet the DoD’s environmental challenges. SERDP is a basic and applied research program; ESTCP focuses on demonstration and validation of technologies.

Broad Agency Announcement Taxonomy

There are three categories of broad agency announcements (BAAs). All are vehicles that allow for the submission of white papers or proposals, but each serves a different purpose:

Informational BAAs

These can generally be identified by having long open periods. For example, the Army Research Laboratory BAA has an open period of 5 years. These BAAs are important because they often provide information on the various program managers’ focus areas and procedures for white paper and proposal submission. But unless a program manager explicitly suggests sending a proposal using this type of BAA, it will likely be a waste of time. On the other hand, if a program manager encourages you to submit under an informational BAA, the proposal has a good chance of being funded.

Annual BAAs

Annual BAAs describe long-running, generally annual, funding opportunities. For example, in recent years, the DoD’s Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) white papers have been due on June 1, 2020 (FY21), June 7, 2021 (FY22), May 16, 2022 (FY23), and May 5, 2023 (FY24). This program has been around for 25 years, so it’s a safe bet you can expect to see the public release of MURI BAA in May or June each year. The Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) is similar.

Topical BAAs

Topical BAAs are the hardest to anticipate but are often interesting in that they generally announce a new funding opportunity for researchers within a discipline, research community, or problem space. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research’s Brain-Derived Neuromorphic Computing with Intelligent Materials was a topical BAA announced in April 2021 with a June 2021 white paper deadline. The award was $1 million per year for five years.