Minerva Research Initiative’s (Minerva) Defense Education and Civilian University Research (DECUR) Partnership | HQ003423NFOEASD13

Opportunity Information: Apply for HQ003423NFOEASD13

The Minerva Research Initiative's Defense Education and Civilian University Research (DECUR) Partnership is a Department of Defense grant opportunity run through the Office of the Secretary of Defense that funds basic, security-relevant social science research conducted jointly by Professional Military Education (PME) institutions and civilian research universities. The central idea is to create durable, collaborative partnerships where civilian academics and PME faculty work side by side on fundamental research that deepens understanding of the social and cultural forces influencing U.S. strategic interests around the world. In practical terms, the opportunity is meant to connect the strengths of civilian universities (disciplinary depth, research infrastructure, and broader academic networks) with the mission-focused perspective of PME institutions (education of defense professionals and direct engagement with defense-relevant problem sets).

A key emphasis of the DECUR Partnership is alignment with the 2022 National Defense Strategy, meaning proposed projects should clearly relate to strategic priorities and future defense challenges rather than narrowly technical or purely historical questions with limited relevance to national security decision-making. Minerva, as a program, is known for supporting multidisciplinary and cross-institutional research, often drawing on multiple social science fields and encouraging collaboration across universities and other research organizations, potentially including international partners. The overall goal is to strengthen the Department's "intellectual capital" in the social sciences, improve DoD's capacity to anticipate and address emerging strategic challenges, and build stronger, more constructive bridges between the defense community and the broader social science research community.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number HQ003423NFOEASD13) under the Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, within a science and technology and other research and development activity category (CFDA 12.630). The opportunity anticipated making around six awards, with an award ceiling of $400,000 per award. The original posting date was August 21, 2023, with an original closing date of September 13, 2023. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with the expectation that applicants consult the notice of funding opportunity for the specific eligibility rules and partnership requirements, which are central to the DECUR model since proposals are intended to be collaborative efforts between PME institutions and civilian universities.

Overall, the DECUR Partnership can be understood as a targeted investment in fundamental social science: research that is not simply applied consulting for immediate operational needs, but instead builds foundational knowledge about societies, cultures, and strategic dynamics in ways that can inform education, policy, and long-term national security planning. It extends Minerva's long-running approach of sponsoring academically rigorous work on questions of strategic importance, while placing special weight on collaboration with PME educators to ensure the resulting insights and research capacity are more directly integrated into defense education and the broader defense intellectual ecosystem.

• The Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Minerva Research Initiative’s (Minerva) Defense Education and Civilian University Research (DECUR) Partnership" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 21, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 13, 2023. (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 $400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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