STATES MILITARY ACADEMY Broad Agency Announcement
Can you apply?
This grant is for research institutions and organizations that can address Army and Nation priorities. Eligible applicants include colleges, universities, nonprofits, state and local governments, and for-profit businesses. Foreign organizations and public entities may apply. Research must focus on novel study and experimentation advancing knowledge—not specific devices or components. Place of performance is unrestricted.
Research campaigns include socio-cultural topics, IT, weapons and ballistics, energy and sustainability, materials and facilities, unmanned systems and space, human support systems, and AI/machine learning/quantum technologies. Proposals should present cutting-edge innovative research with potential to create new Army capabilities and technologies.
This grant is for research institutions and organizations that can address Army and Nation priorities. Eligible applicants include colleges, universities, nonprofits, state and local governments, and for-profit businesses. Foreign organizations and public entities may apply. Research must focus on novel study and experimentation advancing knowledge—not specific devices or components. Place of performance is unrestricted.
Research campaigns include socio-cultural topics, IT, weapons and ballistics, energy and sustainability, materials and facilities, unmanned systems and space, human support systems, and AI/machine learning/quantum technologies. Proposals should present cutting-edge innovative research with potential to create new Army capabilities and technologies.
Program description
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point’s mission is “to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.” The United States Military Academy is located at West Point, New York. USMA executes research to enhance the education of cadets, develop the faculty professionally, and address important issues facing the Army and the Nation. In addition, the Academy conducts research and analysis in emerging fields that may realize novel or vastly improved Army capabilities.
At West Point, research is organized and administered through centers and institutes, most of which reside within academic departments. These centers and institutes, affiliated with each other through the Academy Research Council (ARC), coordinated and supported by the Academic Research Division (ARD), provide the infrastructure necessary to tackle the nation’s and the world’s most challenging problems. Our research centers and institutes bring context to the classroom, are central to our vibrant and pioneering faculty, and are one way West Point connects to the Army and to the Nation. Our students are driven, our faculty is world-class, and through our centers, scholars and scientists thrive and produce their best work. Cadets regularly win Best Paper Awards at national and international graduate-level conferences, our faculty hold fellowships and chairmanships in their discipline’s national organizations and our products are deployed to the soldier. In addition to applied research, there are centers and institutes at West Point that focus on other aspects of the USMA mission.
The USMA BAA identifies topics of interest to the USMA departments, directorates, and research centers and institutes. These groups focus on executing in-house research programs, with a significant emphasis on collaborative research with other organizations. The groups fund a modest amount of extramural research in certain specific areas, and those areas are described in this BAA.
The USMA BAA seeks proposals from institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, foreign organizations, foreign public entities, and for-profit organizations (i.e., large and small businesses) for research based on the following campaigns: Socio-Cultural; Information Technology; Ballistics, Weapons, and Protections; Energy and Sustainability; Materials, Measurements, and Facilities; Unmanned Systems and Space; Human Support Systems; and Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Quantum Technologies.
Proposals are sought for cutting-edge innovative research that could produce discoveries with a significant impact to enable new and improved Army technologies and related operational capabilities and related technologies. The specific research areas and topics of interest described in this document should be viewed as suggestive, rather than limiting.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Details
This grant is for research institutions and organizations that can address Army and Nation priorities. Eligible applicants include colleges, universities, nonprofits, state and local governments, and for-profit businesses. Foreign organizations and public entities may apply. Research must focus on novel study and experimentation advancing knowledge—not specific devices or components. Place of performance is unrestricted.
Research campaigns include socio-cultural topics, IT, weapons and ballistics, energy and sustainability, materials and facilities, unmanned systems and space, human support systems, and AI/machine learning/quantum technologies. Proposals should present cutting-edge innovative research with potential to create new Army capabilities and technologies.
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Whitepaper or Full Proposal (per BAA requirements)
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Institutional Capability Statement
- Team Qualifications and Biographical Sketches
Program contact
- 👤 Brandon S Hill Contract-Grant Specialist
- 📧 brandon.s.hill24.civ@army.mil
- 📞 919-541-5532
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 12.431 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$213,594,079
-
$88,655,689
-
$54,356,555
-
$49,736,421
-
$48,908,501
-
$42,638,567
-
$38,292,265
-
$34,850,000
-
$31,526,562
-
$27,457,336
Top States by Funding
- MD 10 awards $367.6M
- MA 13 awards $197.8M
- CA 10 awards $180.7M
- PA 9 awards $126.4M
- TX 5 awards $114.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 12.431). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $764,057,529 | |
| 2025 | $750,782,726 | |
| 2026 est. | $800,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Colleges, universities, nonprofits, state and local governments, for-profit businesses, and foreign organizations are eligible. Only research proposals—not device-specific applications—qualify.
What research areas does this grant support?
Eight main campaigns: socio-cultural, information technology, ballistics and weapons, energy and sustainability, materials and facilities, unmanned systems and space, human support systems, and AI/machine learning/quantum technologies.
Is there a cost-sharing requirement?
No cost sharing is required for this grant. You can request full funding.
What types of research does this fund?
Novel, cutting-edge research advancing state-of-the-art knowledge. Proposals focused on specific devices or components are not in scope.
When is the deadline?
The fixed deadline is March 31, 2027. Check the BAA for any rolling submission windows or multiple deadlines before then.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Align your proposal to one of eight research campaigns. Explicitly state how your work advances Army capabilities or national priorities.
- Emphasize innovation and novel approaches. Generic or incremental research won't be competitive.
- Review the full BAA for specific topics and subtopics. The listed campaigns are suggestive, not exhaustive.
- Include evidence of institutional capacity and team qualifications. Military research requires credibility and track record.
- Avoid proposals focused on specific devices or components. Focus on fundamental research and knowledge advancement instead.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Submitting device-focused proposals instead of fundamental research. Failing to connect proposed work to military or national priorities. Weak justification of innovation or novelty.
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