Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (FY21 Air Force Submission) | FOA AFRL AFOSR 2020 0002

Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA AFRL AFOSR 2020 0002

The Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) (FY21 Air Force Submission) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity sponsored by the Department of Defense through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). It is released under Funding Opportunity Number FOA AFRL AFOSR 2020 0002 and is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development activities (CFDA 12.800). The program is structured to support ambitious, high-impact basic research efforts that require multidisciplinary university teams, with the intent of advancing fundamental science and creating new knowledge that can eventually underpin future Air Force capabilities. A central point of the announcement is that applicants must consult the full solicitation materials in the "Related Documents" area to see the specific MURI research topics being solicited, since topic details are not contained in the brief summary.

This opportunity uses the grant funding instrument type, indicating support for research rather than procurement of a specific product or service. While the summary does not list every eligibility category in-line, it states "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," meaning eligibility is broader than a single institution type and applicants are expected to rely on the official eligibility language in the full announcement. In practice, MURI competitions are typically aimed at university-led teams, often involving multiple academic disciplines and potentially multiple institutions, but the definitive rules for this competition are contained in the official notice.

Key dates and submission milestones are clearly defined. The announcement was created on February 26, 2020, and the original closing date for the opportunity is September 14, 2020. The solicitation also sets an earlier two-step engagement process common to these programs: questions and white paper inquiries were due by May 18, 2020 (a Monday), and required white papers had to be received no later than June 1, 2020 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. This indicates that prospective applicants were expected to submit an initial white paper (often used for topic fit screening and feedback) before moving forward with a full proposal package by the final deadline.

From a funding perspective, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $7,500,000, signaling that individual awards can be large and are intended to sustain substantial research programs over multiple years with multiple investigators. The notice lists "Expected Awards: 500," which is included in the source data; however, the plausibility and interpretation of that number can vary depending on how the posting system records anticipated actions, so applicants typically confirm expected award counts and typical award sizes in the full solicitation text and any associated Q&A or amendments. Regardless, the posted ceiling makes clear the Air Force is willing to support major, team-based research efforts when aligned with the specified MURI topics.

Overall, this announcement is best understood as a topic-driven, AFOSR-managed competition for multidisciplinary basic research teams, with required early white paper submissions and a later full proposal deadline. Anyone considering applying would need to review the complete announcement package in the Related Documents folder to identify the exact topic areas, submission requirements, evaluation criteria, eligibility definitions, and any formatting or compliance rules that govern both the white paper and full proposal stages.

• The Department of Defense, Air Force Office of Scientific Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (FY21 Air Force Submission)" 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 Feb 26, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 14, 2020 September 14, 2020. White Paper Inquiries and Questions 18 May 2020 (Monday). White Papers must be received no later than 01 June 2020 (Monday) at 1159 PM Eastern Time.. (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 500 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for FOA AFRL AFOSR 2020 0002

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