Opportunity Information: Apply for FOAAFRLAFOSR20240008
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Science Portal (NSP) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number FOAAFRLAFOSR20240008) is a discretionary federal grant program run by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). It falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category (CFDA 12.800) and is designed to strengthen and expand basic research capacity while also growing the pipeline of diverse STEM talent aligned with Department of Defense (DoD) needs. In practical terms, the program is meant to use the proven strengths of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Minority Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges (HBCU/MSI/TCs) as anchor institutions for larger, more ambitious research efforts that can develop into sustained centers of excellence.
At the heart of the NSP concept is the idea of accelerating research in DoD-critical scientific areas while simultaneously increasing participation in STEM from historically underrepresented communities. The solicitation emphasizes building on institutional excellence and translating it into durable capability: stronger research infrastructure, better-supported faculty, expanded student involvement in high-impact research, and a clearer pathway for students into STEM careers. The NSP framing is not just about funding individual projects; it is about creating an ecosystem at eligible institutions that can consistently produce cutting-edge basic research and skilled researchers over time.
A key feature of this opportunity is that the technical topics it aims to support are distinct from AFOSR's standing open Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) titled "Research Interests of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research." The NSP topics do not fit neatly inside a single existing AFOSR program area and are positioned as more cross-cutting. This matters because it signals that proposals are expected to bridge disciplines, connect methods and communities that do not usually collaborate, and produce synergies that speed progress on DoD-relevant research and development. The emphasis on multidisciplinary work suggests that strong applications will likely integrate multiple technical perspectives and build a cohesive plan for how the combined effort will move the science forward faster than isolated projects would.
The solicitation lays out three main objectives. First, it aims to attract and support faculty and students in conducting cutting-edge basic research within the technical areas specified in the full announcement (referenced as Section 1). Second, it seeks to build the capacity needed to sustain and expand that research, which typically implies investments in people, research structures, and enabling resources that make continued progress possible beyond a single award period. Third, it focuses on attracting students into educational pathways leading to STEM careers, explicitly including careers in government service, the defense industrial base, and academia. This combination makes the NSP both a research program and a workforce-development effort, with the expectation that research excellence and talent development reinforce each other.
Eligibility is listed as "Others," and the program description makes clear that HBCU/MSI/TCs are central to the intended applicant pool and beneficiaries. The NSP model is framed as a way to capitalize on demonstrated excellence at these institutions while expanding their capacity in strategically important research areas. While the summary information does not enumerate partnership requirements, the repeated focus on multidisciplinary synergy strongly hints that collaborative structures, whether within an institution or across multiple organizations, may be important for competitiveness, especially when tackling complex, cross-domain basic research problems.
From a funding perspective, this is a grant with an award ceiling of $4,500,000 per award and an anticipated total of three awards. Those figures indicate a relatively selective competition with a small number of relatively large awards. The closing date is July 26, 2024, and the opportunity was created on May 3, 2024, which implies a fairly standard application window for developing a substantial research and capacity-building proposal.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as an AFOSR investment in institution-centered research portals that combine high-quality basic research with deliberate capacity building and student pipeline development. The program is intentionally positioned outside the standard AFOSR BAA topic lanes and is meant to encourage broader, multidisciplinary research efforts that can advance DoD-relevant science while also expanding and diversifying the national STEM workforce. For full details on the specific technical areas, required proposal elements, and evaluation criteria, applicants are directed to the complete announcement referenced in the solicitation.Apply for FOAAFRLAFOSR20240008
- The Air Force Office of Scientific Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 National Science Portal (NSP)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.800.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-26. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $4,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the FY 2024 National Science Portal (NSP) opportunity?
The FY 2024 National Science Portal (NSP) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity run by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). It is designed to strengthen and expand basic research capacity while also growing a diverse STEM talent pipeline aligned with Department of Defense (DoD) needs.
2) What is the official funding opportunity number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is FOAAFRLAFOSR20240008.
3) Which agency is administering this grant program?
The program is administered by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).
4) What type of program is this (grant vs. contract) and how is it categorized?
This opportunity is a federal grant program. It is listed under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category and is associated with CFDA 12.800.
5) What is the main purpose of the NSP program?
The NSP program aims to accelerate basic research in DoD-critical scientific areas while increasing participation in STEM from historically underrepresented communities. In practice, it seeks to use the strengths of HBCU/MSI/TCs as anchor institutions for larger, more ambitious research efforts that can develop into sustained centers of excellence.
6) Is NSP focused on individual research projects or broader institutional efforts?
Based on the opportunity description, NSP is framed as more than funding individual projects. It emphasizes building an ecosystem at eligible institutions that can consistently produce cutting-edge basic research and skilled researchers over time, including stronger infrastructure, better-supported faculty, and expanded student involvement.
7) What are the primary objectives of the NSP solicitation?
The solicitation describes three main objectives:
- Attract and support faculty and students to conduct cutting-edge basic research within the technical areas specified in the full announcement (referenced as Section 1).
- Build the capacity needed to sustain and expand that research over time (often implying investments in people, research structures, and enabling resources).
- Attract students into educational pathways leading to STEM careers, including careers in government service, the defense industrial base, and academia.
8) Who is this program intended to benefit?
The description emphasizes Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Minority Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges (HBCU/MSI/TCs) as central to the intended applicant pool and beneficiaries, positioning them as anchor institutions for durable research capability and STEM workforce development.
9) What does the eligibility category "Others" mean here?
The summary lists eligibility as "Others." Within the program description provided, HBCU/MSI/TCs are highlighted as central. For the precise interpretation of eligibility and any additional eligible applicant types, the complete announcement referenced in the solicitation should be consulted.
10) How is NSP different from AFOSR's standing open Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)?
The NSP technical topics are described as distinct from AFOSR's standing open BAA titled "Research Interests of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research." NSP topics are positioned as cross-cutting and not confined to a single existing AFOSR program area, signaling an interest in multidisciplinary, integrative proposals.
11) Does this opportunity emphasize multidisciplinary research?
Yes. The description repeatedly emphasizes that NSP topics are cross-cutting and encourages bridging disciplines, connecting methods and communities that do not usually collaborate, and creating synergies that accelerate DoD-relevant research progress.
12) Are partnerships or collaborations required?
The summary information provided does not explicitly enumerate partnership requirements. However, the repeated focus on multidisciplinary synergy suggests that collaborative structures (within an institution or across multiple organizations) may be important for competitiveness, especially for complex cross-domain basic research problems.
13) What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?
The award ceiling is $4,500,000 per award.
14) How many awards are anticipated?
The opportunity anticipates a total of three awards.
15) What does the funding profile suggest about competitiveness?
With an anticipated three awards and a relatively large ceiling per award ($4,500,000), the program appears relatively selective, supporting a small number of substantial efforts rather than many small projects.
16) What is the application deadline?
The closing date is July 26, 2024.
17) When was the opportunity posted/created?
The opportunity was created on May 3, 2024.
18) What is meant by using HBCU/MSI/TCs as "anchor institutions"?
In the description provided, "anchor institutions" refers to leveraging the proven strengths and demonstrated excellence of HBCU/MSI/TCs to lead broader, more ambitious research efforts, with the goal of building durable capabilities that can evolve into sustained centers of excellence.
19) What kinds of capacity-building outcomes does NSP emphasize?
The program description emphasizes durable capability, including stronger research infrastructure, better-supported faculty, expanded student involvement in high-impact research, and structures that enable research progress beyond a single award period.
20) Is workforce development part of this program?
Yes. The NSP is described as both a research program and a workforce-development effort. It explicitly seeks to attract students into educational pathways leading to STEM careers, including government service, the defense industrial base, and academia.
21) Where can applicants find the specific technical areas and required proposal elements?
The summary indicates that the specific technical areas are listed in the full announcement (referenced as Section 1). Applicants are directed to the complete announcement for details on the technical areas, required proposal elements, and evaluation criteria.
22) Are the NSP technical topics listed in the summary?
No. The summary references technical areas specified in the full announcement (Section 1) but does not list them directly.
23) What is the overall program concept in plain terms?
The NSP concept is an AFOSR investment in institution-centered research portals that combine high-quality basic research with deliberate capacity building and student pipeline development. It is intentionally positioned outside standard AFOSR BAA topic lanes to encourage broader, multidisciplinary efforts that advance DoD-relevant science while expanding and diversifying the STEM workforce.
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