The Fiscal Year 2025 Department of Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program aims to enhance research and educational capabilities at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) in scientific and engineering disciplines critical to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Administered by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the program supports research that aligns with the Navy’s science and technology (S&T) objectives, encouraging cross-institutional collaborations to address naval challenges while engaging students, particularly underrepresented minorities, in STEM fields. This program is intended to foster innovation in areas such as cybersecurity, undersea warfare, maritime access, sea platforms, and warfighter performance, among others. Applicants are expected to focus on research that not only contributes to naval S&T but also promotes student and faculty engagement.

The program requires the submission of a mandatory white paper by September 20, 2024, with full proposals only accepted by invitation. The white paper should describe the proposed research, its relevance to naval S&T, and how the project will engage students and faculty. Successful projects will demonstrate clear alignment with naval priorities and aim to expand the research capacity of participating institutions.

Eligible applicants are U.S.-based Minority-Serving Institutions with STEM degree programs. These include Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and other minority-serving institutions such as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). The principal investigator (PI) must be a U.S. citizen with a full-time tenured or tenure-track position at one of these institutions.

Award amounts will be up to $525,000 over three years, with specific limits on the allocation of funds for materials, equipment, and supplies. The program encourages collaboration with Navy technical experts to ensure that proposed research aligns with the Navy’s needs. Applicants are urged to contact Navy Technical Points of Contact (TPoCs) during the application process to discuss their research ideas.

Applications are submitted electronically, with white papers due on September 20, 2024, and full proposals due by December 13, 2024, for invited applicants. Awards are expected to be announced by March 28, 2025, with project start dates in July 2025. No cost-sharing is required, although voluntary contributions are allowed. The program emphasizes the development of innovative solutions to naval challenges while building research and educational capacity at MSIs.