FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2021-0004: Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Department of Defense Space University Research Initiative
Closed
This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: AFRL/AFOSR Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 University Center for High-Speed Aerothermoelasticity (FA955027S0001). Status: Closes April 2, 2027 (146 days left). It is in our archive of Air Force Office of Scientific Research notices from 2021.
Air Force Office of Scientific Research offered grants of up to $10.0 million to colleges and universities. It expected to make about 5 awards. Applications closed on June 30, 2021.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed May 20, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$10.0 million
- Expected awards5
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | March 17, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | June 30, 2021 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | July 30, 2021 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to colleges and universities.
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
All responsible, potential applicants from academia and industry are eligible to submit proposals. AFOSR particularly encourages proposals from small businesses; however, no portion of this BAA is set aside for a specific group. Proposals from Federal Agencies, including subcontracting/sub recipient efforts will not be evaluated under this BAA. Federal agencies should contact the primary POCs listed under each technical area to discuss funding through the internal Government procedures
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program awards averaged $943,430; this notice allows up to $10.0 million per award.
- Most of the program's money (59% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
This is a special Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) in support of the research objectives the Department of Defense (DoD) Space University Research Initiative (SURI), sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Chief Technologist Office (hereafter collectively referred to as “DoD agencies”). DOD’s SURI program is focused on directing basic research toward applications that meet US Space Force (USSF) needs and challenges. The program was initiated as a pilot to foster engagements between various DoD agencies and the academic community in a developing USSF University Consortium, with the goal of improving the transition of critical concepts from the academic sector into revolutionary new military technologies. Key to the program’s success is the close management of the SURI projects by DoD agency program officers, and their role in providing research guidance and supporting transition of research products into DoD applications. The SURI program is intended to support basic and applied research in Space-related science and engineering at U.S. institutions of higher education (hereafter referred to as "universities"), with potential transition to critical applications of DoD interest. As such, SURI differs from the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) that is funded by DoD basic research funds for basic research products. SURI is co-funded by applied research dollars, and thus expands the scope of work to include science and technology development. The SURI program supports multidisciplinary research efforts, ideally creating synergies to speed DoD-relevant research and development.
Who has won Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program (12.800) awarded $3.7 billion across 3,902 grant awards, an average of $943,430 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bioindustrial Manufacturing and Design Ecosystem | California | 1 | $539 million |
| National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining | Pennsylvania | 2 | $309 million |
| Flextech Alliance, Inc. | California | 1 | $233 million |
| The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | New York | 3 | $128 million |
| Cornell University | New York | 52 | $74.0 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, FA955027S0001, which is open now.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is FOA-AFRL-AFOSR-2021-0004 still open?
No. It closed on June 30, 2021. A newer notice is open: FA955027S0001, closes April 2, 2027 (146 days left).
Who can apply for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Department of Defense Space University Research Initiative?
Air Force Office of Scientific Research accepted applications from colleges and universities. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Department of Defense Space University Research Initiative?
Closed June 30, 2021. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $10.0 million each.
Who has won Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Bioindustrial Manufacturing and Design Ecosystem, National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, Flextech Alliance, Inc. The program made 3,902 awards worth $3.7 billion in that time.