HQ003425NFOEASD03 Department of War Cyber Service Academy (DoW CSA)

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s (DSCA) Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) promotes access to and production of knowledge on security cooperation. Security cooperation refers to “all Department of Defense (DoD) interactions with foreign security establishments that build and develop allied and partner security capabilities and capacity for self-defense and multinational operations, provide the Armed Forces of the United States with access to the foreign country during peacetime or a contingency operation, and build relationships that promote specific United States security interests” (Joint Publication 3-20, Security Cooperation, 1-2; see also 10 USC § 16, “Security Cooperation”). Evidence-, theory, and data-building activities that contribute to the body of knowledge on security cooperation or irregular warfare, and that result in lessons that can be applied to practice, are the primary focus of this notice of funding opportunity (NFO). Research products sponsored through this NFO must be unclassified and publicly accessible. DSCU expects awardees to participate in conferences, seminars, focus groups and events, and to make final research products and supporting data (if applicable) easily accessible to the public, in order to enhance dissemination of research findings and facilitate application of lessons learned in areas of policy, practice, and workforce professionalization. The DSCU research grant program, conducted pursuant to 10 USC § 4001 and 10 USC § 384(g), is generally open to a broad range of researchers, although individual DSCU components may have restrictions on who may receive grants. Please see the full NFO for complete details.

See the "Related Documents" and "Package" tabs for the complete application package, including the full text of the Notice of Funding Opportunity. The Department of War (DoW) Cyber Service Academy (CSA) is authorized by Chapter 112 of Title 10, United States Code, Section 2200. The purpose of the program is to support the recruitment of new cyber talent and the retention of current highly skilled professionals within the DoW cyber workforce. Additionally, this program serves to enhance the national pipeline for the development of cyber personnel by providing grants to institutions of higher education. Regionally and nationally accredited U.S. institutions of higher education, designated under the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) and known as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, Research, and/or Cyber Operations (hereinafter referred to as designated institutions) are invited to submit proposals for developing and managing a full-time, institution-based, grant-funded scholarship program in cyber-related disciplines for Academic Year 2026-2027. Consistent with 10 U.S.C. 2200b, proposals to this solicitation may also request modest collateral support for purposes of institutional capacity building to include faculty development, laboratory improvements, and/or curriculum development, in cyber-related topics to providing a strong foundation for a DoW CSA.

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 War (DoW) Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(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: STEM Education and Outreach Support for STEM Education at Two-Year Institutions/Community Colleges (2YI/CCs) Manufacturing Engineering Education Program Education and Workforce Development aligned to the DoW Critical Technology Areas STEM Scholarship Programs Strategic Partnerships Program Evaluations, Assessments, Data Analytics and Visualizations 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 osw.ndep.dowstem@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.