FY25 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) | N0001424SF002

Opportunity Information: Apply for N0001424SF002

The FY25 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) funding opportunity is a competitive federal grant program that supports high-risk, high-payoff basic research led by university teams. MURI sits within the broader University Research Initiatives (URI) portfolio and is sponsored jointly by the Department of Defense research offices: the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Army Research Office (ARO), and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). The intent is to fund ambitious, multidisciplinary efforts aimed at developing foundational scientific understanding or demonstrating fundamentally new capabilities, especially in areas where outcomes are uncertain but the potential upside is substantial.

This announcement is a formal Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under DoD Grants and Agreements regulations (DoDGARS), specifically 32 CFR 22.315(a). It is not a two-step process that will later be followed by a separate Request for Proposals; the FOA itself is the controlling solicitation, and the DoD explicitly states that no additional RFP, solicitation, or further announcement materials will be issued beyond what is provided here. Applicants should plan their submissions accordingly, treating the FOA as the definitive source of requirements, evaluation expectations, and submission rules.

The program emphasizes bold basic research that tries to achieve something that has not been done before, reflecting MURI's long-running role (over 35 years) as a catalyst for major scientific advances. Historically, the DoD positions MURI as a mechanism that has yielded breakthroughs with broad ripple effects, including advances in fundamental science, contributions to economic growth, and the eventual emergence of revolutionary military technologies. A defining feature of MURI is active program management: Service Program Officers are closely involved and provide research guidance over the course of the award, which signals that teams should be prepared for ongoing technical engagement and course-shaping discussions rather than a purely hands-off grant relationship.

Funding will be made primarily through grants. For submissions associated with ARO specifically, awards may be issued either as grants or as cooperative agreements, which typically implies a potentially higher level of government involvement in project execution compared to a standard grant. All awards under this opportunity will be governed by DoD terms and conditions that reflect federal financial assistance regulations, including DoD's implementation of Office of Management and Budget guidance in 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards). In practice, applicants should expect standard federal rules covering allowability of costs, budgeting, reporting, audit expectations, and institutional compliance.

Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education, including both public/state-controlled universities and private universities. The activity category is science and technology and other research and development, and the assistance listing is tied to CFDA/Assistance Listing number 12.300. The awarding/administrative agency identified is the Office of Naval Research, which commonly serves as the portal for MURI announcements even when topics span the service research offices.

From a funding scale perspective, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $7,500,000, indicating that individual projects can be large, multi-year efforts appropriate for coordinated, multidisciplinary teams. The DoD anticipates making about 25 awards under this cycle, though it also explicitly reserves the right to fund all, some, or none of the proposals received. Applicants should also note several procedural points: the DoD will not reimburse proposal development costs; submitted technical and budget proposals and related materials will not be returned; and white papers and proposals will be treated as sensitive competitive information, with disclosure limited to evaluation purposes. The original closing date for submissions is September 6, 2024, and the opportunity number is N0001424SF002 for tracking and administrative reference.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as an invitation for university-led research teams to propose ambitious, cross-disciplinary basic research programs that could open new scientific frontiers with long-term defense relevance. Strong proposals will generally align with the MURI ethos: foundational science, clear novelty and risk, credible multidisciplinary integration, and a plan that can be actively managed and guided in partnership with DoD program officers over the life of the award.

• The Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY25 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI)" 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 2024-02-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-06. (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 $7,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for N0001424SF002

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