Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 DoD Research and Education Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) Equipment/Instrumentation | W911NF 20 S 0010

Opportunity Information: Apply for W911NF 20 S 0010

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 DoD Research and Education Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) Equipment/Instrumentation opportunity is a discretionary grant program from the Department of Defense (DoD), administered through the Department of the Army, Materiel Command. It is focused specifically on funding the purchase and acquisition of research equipment and instrumentation for eligible HBCUs and other Minority-Serving Institutions. The core intent is capacity-building: helping institutions strengthen their research infrastructure in areas that matter to the DoD while also improving the quality and reach of STEM education on campus.

This funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number W911NF 20 S 0010; CFDA 12.630) supports proposals that request equipment or instrumentation that either expands what an institution can already do or enables entirely new research capabilities. The equipment must be tied to research areas of interest to the DoD, meaning applicants are expected to connect the requested instrument(s) to defense-relevant science and engineering needs, even when the work is fundamental research or broadly applicable. In practical terms, the proposal should make a clear case that the instrument is not just a general upgrade, but a strategic investment that will produce measurable gains in research competitiveness, productivity, and technical capability aligned with DoD priorities.

A second major emphasis is STEM workforce development, specifically attracting more students into STEM pathways that lead to long-term careers. Even though the program does not allow the grant funds to be used for direct student support (such as stipends, scholarships, or wages), applicants are still required to explain how the equipment will increase student participation in research. That means the narrative should address how the instrument will be integrated into research experiences, lab courses, capstone projects, undergraduate research programs, graduate training, or other hands-on activities that give students real exposure to modern tools and research methods. The expectation is that better equipment translates into better training environments and more compelling research opportunities, which in turn helps recruit and retain students in STEM.

From a funding and scale standpoint, the award ceiling is listed at $600,000 per award, indicating the program is meant for substantial equipment purchases rather than small supplies. The opportunity anticipated a large number of awards (expected awards: 1000), which signals an intent to make broad investments across many institutions rather than concentrating resources in only a few places. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development, which reinforces that the primary purpose is building research and educational capability through infrastructure rather than supporting a single narrow project.

Key administrative details include a creation date of May 20, 2020, and an original closing date of Aug 28, 2020. Eligibility is summarized as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which typically means the program is limited to the intended institutional types (HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions) and may include specific definitions or documentation requirements in the full announcement. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an equipment-focused capacity-building program: it funds major instrumentation that strengthens DoD-relevant research at HBCU/MI campuses and requires applicants to demonstrate how that equipment will meaningfully increase student engagement in research, even without paying for student support directly.

• The Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 DoD Research and Education Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) Equipment/Instrumentation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 20, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 28, 2020. (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 $600,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1,000 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for W911NF 20 S 0010

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