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 Defense (DoD) Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(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:

1. STEM Education and Outreach
2. Support for STEM Education at Two-Year Institutions/Community Colleges (2YI/CCs)
3. Manufacturing Engineering Education Program
4. Education and Workforce Development aligned to the DoD Critical Technology Areas
5. STEM Scholarship Programs
6. Strategic Partnerships
7. Program Evaluations, Assessments, Data Analytics and Visualizations
8. 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 osd.dodstem@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.