Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program Grants (Assistance Listing 12.800)

Air Force Office of Scientific Research · Up to $10M

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research funds basic research aligned with Air Force priorities across engineering, information science, and physical and biological sciences, with awards reaching up to about $10 million. Eligibility is governed by the announcement itself ('See Announcement'); these programs commonly fund universities, research institutions, and industry labs. Applicants should review the specific AFOSR announcement for detailed eligibility, restrictions, and submission requirements before applying.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Amount varies

This Air Force Research Laboratory opportunity (CHEERS) solicits white papers, and potentially later technical and cost proposals, on human performance research areas defined in attached statements of objectives. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to clarification in the full announcement, so a range of organizations including businesses, nonprofits, and universities may be able to apply. Applicants must reference the related Multiple Authority Announcement to obtain required attachments. Award amounts are not specified, and specific eligibility terms are somewhat vague, so review the full solicitation carefully.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Amount varies

The Air Force Research Lab's CHEERS announcement funds science and technology work in human performance and aerospace medicine, spanning basic research through technology maturation, via multiple open solicitations accepting white papers. Eligibility is generally broad, but note specific constraints: Federally Funded Research and Development Centers face restrictions and must obtain sponsor and AFRL determinations, foreign-owned firms should contact the Contracting Officer first as restrictions may apply, and the Commercial Solutions Opening track is not grant-eligible. No award amounts are stated; review the paired solicitations for scope and instructions.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Amount varies

This Air Force Research Laboratory solicitation (CHEERS) seeks white papers, and potentially later proposals, on human-effectiveness and aerospace-medicine research for experimental and test purposes in defense development. Eligibility is unrestricted, meaning any type of entity may apply, subject to clarifications in the notice. No award amount is specified. Applicants must reference the related Multiple Authority Announcement to obtain required attachments, and the work is tied to specific defense research objectives.

Munitions Directorate · Up to $750M

This Air Force (Munitions Directorate) Broad Agency Announcement funds research and development supporting air dominance, with a program ceiling reported up to roughly $750 million. Eligibility is described as unrestricted and open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement, making it broadly accessible to businesses, universities, and nonprofits. Because it is defense-focused R&D, applicants should expect security and compliance requirements and should review the full BAA for specifics.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Up to $99.9M

This is an Air Force Research Lab research-and-development opportunity (Foundations of Trusted Systems) for organizations working in defense-related science and technology. The total ceiling across the program is very large (up to roughly $99.9M), so awards typically go to established research institutions, universities, and contractors rather than small applicants. Full eligibility and requirements are only in the linked SAM.gov notice, so review that posting before applying.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Up to $99M

This Air Force Research Laboratory opportunity funds research in automated knowledge discovery and information retrieval, with a ceiling reported up to roughly $99 million across the program. Note that no Grants.gov submissions are accepted; all applications must follow instructions in the linked SAM.gov announcement, which also contains the full eligibility details. Because the eligibility criteria are not stated here, prospective applicants must review the SAM.gov notice to confirm whether they qualify.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Up to $49M

This Air Force Research Laboratory funding opportunity supports university research and development in directed energy, with a program cost ceiling of roughly $49 million and a mandatory letter of intent required before full proposals. The announcement is aimed at universities (university assistance instruments), but full eligibility details are in the FOA itself, which applicants must consult. Because it is defense-focused, expect a security risk review as part of the selection process.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Up to $24.9M

This Air Force Research Laboratory opportunity (CANVAS) funds research on coordinating austere/edge computing nodes through virtualization and analysis of data streams, with a ceiling reported up to roughly $24.9 million. No Grants.gov submissions are accepted; all applications must follow the instructions in the linked SAM.gov announcement, which also holds the full eligibility details. Prospective applicants must review the SAM.gov notice to determine whether they qualify.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Up to $99.9M

This Air Force Research Laboratory opportunity funds geospatial intelligence processing and exploitation work, with awards potentially up to $99.9 million. Critically, it does not accept submissions through Grants.gov; all applications must go through SAM.gov following that portal's separate instructions. The deadline is September 30, 2026.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Amount varies

This Air Force Research Lab opportunity lists unrestricted eligibility — any type of entity may apply unless later guidance narrows it further. It supports aerospace-related engineering and research capabilities, though the notice provided doesn't detail specific focus areas or funding amounts. The long-dated deadline suggests this functions as an open, rolling solicitation rather than a single competition.

USAF 347 Contracting Squadron · From $10K

This U.S. Army (DEVCOM) open broad agency announcement seeks fundamental research collaborations specifically in the Indo-Pacific region. A key restriction: the government supports engagements ONLY in the Indo-Pacific region and does not support work performed in the continental United States, so this is geographically narrow. The minimum award is around $10,000; the maximum is not specified. Eligibility terms are otherwise vague in the available text, so applicants should review the full announcement on SAM.gov to confirm who may apply and the geographic requirements.

Munitions Directorate · Up to $750M

A Department of Defense (Munitions Directorate) Broad Agency Announcement for research on air-delivered effects. Eligible applicants include public and private higher-education institutions, 501(c)(3) nonprofits other than higher-education institutions, and small businesses. The listed maximum is very large, up to about $750,000,000, though actual awards depend on the specific proposal and topic. This is a defense research solicitation requiring relevant technical capability, not a fit for general nonprofits or individuals.

Air Force Academy · Up to $99M

The U.S. Air Force Academy uses this Broad Agency Announcement to fund research that supports cadet learning, faculty development, and Air Force mission needs across diverse fields such as hypersonics, cybersecurity, spatial disorientation, athletic performance, and homeland defense. It is open to non-government firms and partners (universities, businesses, and other non-federal entities); federal agencies are not eligible and should pursue internal government channels instead. The stated award range is very broad (from $0 up to about $99 million), so funding varies widely by project, and applicants typically begin by submitting a white paper.