FY26 DEFENSE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (DEPSCoR) CAPACITY BUILDING (CB)

The Department of Defense (DoD) is announcing the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) – Capacity Building (CB) opportunity. The program aims to improve the research capabilities at institutions of higher education (IHEs) in eligible states/territories to perform competitive basic research in science and engineering that is relevant to the DoD mission. The program will support the strategic objectives of IHEs in DEPSCoR states/territories to achieve basic research excellence in areas of high relevance to the DoD. Key areas of focus include: • Improving research capabilities at IHEs in eligible states/territories • Enhancing the capabilities of IHEs to develop, plan, and execute science and engineering research relevant to the DoD mission • Increasing the probability of long-term growth in competitively awarded financial assistance that IHEs in eligible states/territories receive from the Federal Government for science and engineering research • Supporting the development of strategic plans to grow and expand basic research capacity at IHEs • Fostering new, strategic, multi-thrust efforts to increase basic research capacity in DoD-relevant research areas at IHEs