FY2020 Department of Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program | N00014 20 S F001

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00014 20 S F001

The FY2020 Department of the Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to support science and technology research and related R&D efforts. The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number N00014-20-S-F001 and CFDA 12.300. Its purpose, as reflected in the announcement, is to direct Navy research funding to eligible Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) in the United States that have degree-granting STEM programs, strengthening their capacity to contribute to defense-relevant research and the broader STEM workforce.

Eligibility is tightly defined by statute and limited to U.S.-based MSIs of higher education with STEM degree programs, consistent with 10 U.S.C. 2362. An institution must qualify in one of two ways: (A) it must be an institution of higher education eligible for assistance under Title III or Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, or (B) it must be an accredited post-secondary MSI. The announcement highlights an important documentation requirement for institutions that are MSIs but not formally designated as an HBCU or a Tribal College or University (TCU). Because MSI eligibility can vary year to year based on enrollment, accreditation, and similar factors, those non-HBCU and non-TCU institutions must provide a current academic year letter from the U.S. Department of Education certifying Title III or Title V eligibility. This letter must be submitted at the white paper stage; if it is missing, the institution is treated as ineligible and the white paper will not be reviewed.

The program also imposes strict personnel and team structure rules. The Principal Investigator and all proposed personnel must be U.S. citizens as of December 18, 2019, which is the white paper due date referenced in the announcement. In addition, awards under this funding opportunity are structured as single-PI efforts: co-PIs are not permitted, and subawards are not allowed. That means the work is expected to be performed and led within one eligible institution under one PI, rather than distributed across multiple institutions or formally partnered through subcontracts/subawards.

From a budget and review standpoint, the announcement makes clear that cost sharing is not expected and will not influence merit review. Applicants should not assume that offering voluntary cost share will improve competitiveness; the program intends to evaluate submissions on their technical and programmatic merits rather than on an institution's ability to contribute additional funds. Administrative details in the listing indicate an original closing date of March 4, 2020, with the full program description and complete instructions referenced as being contained in the official announcement.

• The Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2020 Department of Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-11-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-03-04. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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