STEM Open NFO
🏛 Washington Headquarters Services
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations seeking to implement and research STEM education, outreach, and workforce initiatives. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, institutions of higher education, community colleges, state and local educational agencies, industry partners, and consortia of these entities. Activities range from STEM education and outreach to workforce development aligned with Defense Critical Technology Areas. Foreign entities are not eligible.
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Program description
This is an open NFO, applicants may apply to this posting or subsequent amendments for specific STEM activities. See the Related Documents tab for the full NFO, and amendments announcing new funding opportunities.
The Department of War (DoW) Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)) seeks innovative applications on mechanisms to implement and research the effectiveness of STEM education, outreach, and/or workforce initiative programs, here onto referred as STEM activities.
In response to this NFO, the Department intends to release amendments and solicitations, such as Industry Days, Opportunity Days, etc., detailing funding opportunities through award(s) in STEM activities. These activities include, but are not limited to:
- STEM Education and Outreach
- Support for STEM Education at Two-Year Institutions/Community Colleges (2YI/CCs)
- Manufacturing Engineering Education Program
- Education and Workforce Development aligned to the DoW Critical Technology Areas
- STEM Scholarship Programs
- Strategic Partnerships
- Program Evaluations, Assessments, Data Analytics and Visualizations
- Other NDEP Congressional Initiatives and Programs
As funding becomes available, NFO amendments or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcements detailing opening and closing dates for topics of interest will be posted. In response, applicants may be asked for a mandatory white paper submission, emailed to osw.ndep.dowstem@mail.mil. Refer to the amendment for formatting the email subject line. Use of the white paper is intended to determine which efforts are of merit preparatory to submission of a full application as described in Section IV. Applicants will be selected from the white paper submissions to be invited by the Government via email to submit a full application on Grants.gov for evaluation and possible award consideration. White papers that fail to address the areas listed in the Program Description of the NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement will not be evaluated and will not receive an invitation to submit a full technical application.
White paper submissions will only be accepted in response to active NFO amendments or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcements. In addition to the submission requirements outlined in Section IV, all responses should address items in the specific NFO amendment or Industry Day/Opportunity Day announcement.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- White paper (mandatory, submitted via email to amendment contact)
- Full technical application on Grants.gov (invited applicants only)
- Budget and budget narrative
- Organizational documentation (nonprofit status, institution accreditation)
Program contact
- 👤 Jonathan Bertsch Grantor
- 📧 jonathan.e.bertsch.civ@mail.mil
- 📞 7035453559
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 12.006 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$36,996,440
-
$18,903,735
-
$9,000,000
-
$6,499,955
-
$6,480,625
-
$5,999,407
-
$5,988,911
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$5,981,962
-
$5,187,388
-
$5,000,000
Top States by Funding
- NC 1 awards $37.0M
- MA 4 awards $8.4M
- OH 1 awards $6.5M
- PA 1 awards $6.5M
- MT 3 awards $5.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 12.006). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $19,690,874 | |
| 2025 | $22,981,831 | |
| 2026 est. | $20,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this STEM grant?
Nonprofits, colleges, universities, community colleges, state/local education agencies, industry, and consortia of these entities. Foreign entities are ineligible.
What is the application process?
This is an open NFO. You submit a white paper to a specific amendment or Industry Day announcement. Selected applicants are invited to submit full applications on Grants.gov.
What types of STEM activities are funded?
Education and outreach, community college support, manufacturing engineering, workforce development, scholarships, strategic partnerships, and program evaluation.
What is the funding range?
Awards range from $100,000 to $10,000,000, though specific amounts vary by amendment.
Is cost-sharing required?
No cost-sharing is required for this grant.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Monitor the Related Documents tab for active NFO amendments and Industry Day announcements. New opportunities post regularly.
- White papers are mandatory first submissions. Strong white papers directly address the specific amendment's program description.
- Keep white papers focused and concise. Vague or off-topic submissions will not receive invitations to apply.
- Strategic partnerships and consortia strengthen competitiveness in this highly technical defense-focused program.
- Budget carefully within the $100K-$10M range; tailor budgets to specific amendment funding levels.
⚠️ Common mistakes
White papers that fail to directly address the amendment's program description are rejected without evaluation. Applicants miss deadlines by not monitoring for active amendments regularly. Generic STEM activities unaligned with Defense Critical Technology Areas reduce competitiveness.
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