DoD grants

Defense Department grants are mostly for research at universities and labs, through the Office of Naval Research, Army Research Office and Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Small businesses compete through DoD SBIR/STTR, and communities near bases can get help from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation.

Open now: 86
Upcoming: 3
Next deadline: October 21, 2026

Funder's site All deadlines

Open and forecast DoD opportunities

From Grants.gov, soonest deadline first.

Closes21 OCT
DoW Military Burn, Discovery Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Military Burn Research Program (MBRP) Discovery Award supports innovative, untested, groundbreaking research that provides new insights and explores early concepts in combat-relevant burn care that provide the foundation for future translational and/or clinical research. The proposed project may be exploratory, hypothesis
Closes today$400,000 in total
Closes21 OCT
DoW Military Burn, Patient-Centered Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: Despite significant research investment in combat-relevant burn care, a disparity exists between newly discovered knowledge in burn care and its implementation into clinical practice across the distributed operational battlespace. The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Military Burn Research Program (MBRP) Patient-Centered Research Award (PCRA) seeks to bridge
Closes today$3.4 million in total
Closes21 OCT
DoW Military Burn, Technology/Therapeutic Development Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Military Burn Research Program (MBRP) Technology/Therapeutic Development Award (TTDA) is a burn-focused, product-driven award mechanism intended to provide support for the translation of promising preclinical findings into burn products for clinical application in an austere, resource-limited, distributed operational envi
Closes today$5 million in total
Closes22 OCT
DoW Arthritis Clinical Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Arthritis Research Program (ATRP) Clinical Research Award (CRA) supports clinical research that evaluates disease-specific factors and interventions. Research is intended to generate clinically useful evidence with potential to optimize patient outcomes and inform clinical care or policy. Research addressing any and all t
Closes tomorrow$7.2 million in total
Closes22 OCT
DoW Arthritis Translational Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Arthritis Research Program (ATRP) Translational Research Award (TRA) supports high-impact translational research that will accelerate critical findings into clinically relevant solutions. Research funded under this award mechanism will be hypothesis-driven, high-impact applied research that is relevant to Service Members,
Closes tomorrow$1.6 million in total
Closes22 OCT
DoW Autism Career Development Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Autism Research Program (ARP) Career Development Award supports early-career, independent investigators and/or the transition of established investigators from other research fields to conduct innovative, high-impact ideas or early-phase, proof-of-principle clinical trials with the potential to have a major impact on auti
Closes tomorrow$1.5 million in total
Closes22 OCT
DoW Autism Clinical Trial Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Autism Research Program (ARP) Clinical Trial Award supports the rapid implementation of clinical trials with the potential to have a significant impact on the treatment or management of autism. Clinical trials may be designed to evaluate promising new products, pharmacologic agents (drugs or biologics), devices, clinical
Closes tomorrow$3.3 million in total
Closes22 OCT
DoW Autism Idea Development Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Autism Research Program (ARP) Idea Development Award supports the development of innovative, high-risk/high-reward research that could lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate progress in improving outcomes for Autistic individuals. This award mechanism is designed to support innovative idea
Closes tomorrow$2.3 million in total
Closes22 OCT
DoW Tick-Borne Disease Idea Development Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The intent of the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Tick-Borne Disease Research Program (TBDRP) Idea Development Award (IDA) is to support conceptually innovative research that could lead to impactful discoveries or significant advancements that will accelerate progress toward reducing the burden of Lyme disease and/or other tick-borne diseases and conditions
Closes tomorrow$3.5 million in total
Closes22 OCT
DoW Tick-Borne Disease Therapeutic/Diagnostic Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The intent of the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Tick-Borne Disease Research Program (TBDRP) Therapeutic/Diagnostic Research Award (TDRA) is to support product-driven therapeutic and diagnostic development research aimed at reducing the burden of Lyme disease and/or other tick-borne diseases and conditions, and improving patient care and/or quality of life
Closes tomorrow$2.6 million in total
Closes30 OCT
ONR FY27 NOFO for Young Investigator Program
DoD · Others
The Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program seeks proposals addressing research areas (as described in the ONR Science and Technology Department section of ONR's website at https://www.onr.navy.mil) which are of interest to ONR Program Officers will be considered. Contact information for each division (a subgroup of an S&T Department) is also lis
Closes in 9 days
Closes04 NOV
DoW Bone Marrow Failure, Idea Development Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The BMFRP Idea Development Award (IDA) is intended to support innovative ideas and high-impact approaches based on scientifically sound evidence to move toward the BMFRP’s vision of understanding and curing BMF diseases. Distinctive Features: This funding opportunity is open to Established Investigators (EIs) and Early-Career Investigators (ECIs). R
Closes in 14 days$4 million in total
Closes04 NOV
DoW Bone Marrow Failure, Investigator-Initiated Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: Supports studies that further develop mature ideas, expand upon key discoveries, and have the potential to make significant advances in bone marrow (BMF) failure research and/or patient care. Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) applications may involve translational and clinical research including studies in preclinical models, research wit
Closes in 14 days$1.3 million in total
Closes04 NOV
DoW Bone Marrow Failure, Resource Development Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Bone Marrow Failure Research Program (BMFRP) Resource Development Award (RDA) supports the development of a multiomic atlas generated from well-annotated human bone marrow failure (BMF) samples, with omic data derived from marrow specimens. The resulting dataset should serve as an open-access, durable resource for the BMF
Closes in 14 days$1.3 million in total
Closes04 NOV
DoW Reconstructive Transplant, Concept Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) Concept Award supports the exploration of highly innovative new concepts or untested theories that address an important problem relevant to reconstructive transplantation. The Concept Award does not support clinical trials . Distinctive Features: · Innovation: Innovative r
Closes in 14 days$600,000 in total
Closes04 NOV
DoW Reconstructive Transplant, Investigator-Initiated Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award supports studies that have the potential to make an important contribution to reconstructive transplant research, patient care, and/or quality of life. All projects must demonstrate solid scientific rationale with military-relevant uti
Closes in 14 days$8 million in total
Closes06 NOV
DoW Parkinson’s, Early Investigator Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Parkinson’s Research Program (PRP) Early Investigator Research Award (EIRA) supports Parkinson’s disease (PD) research for investigators in the early stages of their careers. The FY26 EIRA offers two funding levels, which align to the research career stage of the Principal Investigator (PI). Funding Level 1 (for fellows)
Open$4.2 million in total
Closes06 NOV
DoW Parkinson’s, Investigator-Initiated Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Parkinson’s Research Program (PRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) supports highly rigorous, multidisciplinary, high-impact research projects that have the potential to make an important contribution to Parkinson’s disease research. Research must address at least one of the four FY26 PRP Focus Areas . Distinc
Open$10 million in total
Closes06 NOV
Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Department of War (DoW) Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP)
DoD · Others
In accordance with EO 14332, Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking, dated 7 August 2025, and EO 14303, Restoring Gold Standard Science, dated 23 May 2025, this Announcement seeks proposals from universities to purchase equipment and instrumentation in support of research in areas of interest to the DoW, reflecting the basic research priorities for the D
Open$50,000 to $3 million
Closes06 NOV
Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Department of War (DoW) Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP)
DoD · Others
Department of Army: The Department of War (DoW) announces the Fiscal Year 2027 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP). DURIP is designed to improve the capabilities of accredited United States (U.S.) institutions of higher education to conduct research and to educate scientists and engineers in areas important to national defense, by pro
Open$50,000 to $3 million
Closes06 NOV
Fiscal Year 2027 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP)
DoD · Public colleges, Private colleges
The Department of Defense (DoD) announces the Fiscal Year 2027 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP). DURIP is designed to improve the capabilities of accredited United States (U.S.) institutions of higher education to conduct research and to educate scientists and engineers in areas important to national defense, by providing funds for
Open$50,000 to $7 million
Closes12 NOV
DoW Spinal Cord Injury, Clinical Translation Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Clinical Translation Research Award (CTRA) supports high-impact, new, or emerging clinical research that requires additional preliminary studies, such as feasibility, pilot, or optimization, to prepare for future larger-scale clinical trials or implementation. Primary objectives
Open$6.1 million in total
Closes12 NOV
DoW Spinal Cord Injury, Clinical Trial Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Clinical Trial Award (CTA) supports the rapid implementation of clinical trials with the potential to have a significant impact on the treatment or management of spinal cord injury (SCI). Distinctive Features: This funding opportunity contains an Early-Career Partnership Option,
Open$9.8 million in total
Closes12 NOV
DoW Spinal Cord Injury, Investigator-Initiated Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) supports studies that have the potential to make an important contribution to spinal cord injury (SCI) research, patient care and/or quality of life. May focus on any phase of research from basic through translational science, though
Open$5 million in total
Closes12 NOV
DoW Spinal Cord Injury, Translational Research Award
DoD · Anyone eligible
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Translational Research Award (TRA) supports translational research that will accelerate the movement of promising ideas in spinal cord injury (SCI) research into clinical applications. Distinctive Features: • This funding opportunity contains an Early-Career Partnership Option,
Open$8.3 million in total

Showing 25 of 89, soonest first. The grant finder lists the rest.

Where DoD grant money went in 2025

Awards from October 2024 to September 2025, from USAspending.gov.

Largest programs
Program (Assistance Listing)	Awarded
National Guard Military Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Projects 12.401	$2.4 billion
Military Medical Research and Development 12.420	$1.3 billion
Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities Program 12.225	$974 million
Basic and Applied Scientific Research 12.300	$669 million
Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program 12.800	$577 million
Basic Scientific Research 12.431	$557 million
Military Construction, National Guard 12.400	$393 million
Uniformed Services University Medical Research Projects 12.750	$348 million

Largest nonprofit recipients
Recipient	Awarded
Msi Stem Research & Development Consortium	$25 million
Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation	$16 million
Battelle Memorial Institute	$13 million
Semi	$6.3 million
Universitaet Innsbruck	$3.9 million
Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area	$2.9 million
Georgia Tech Research Corp	$2 million
The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, INC.	$1.6 million

Questions

When is the next DoD grant deadline?

The next deadline is October 21, 2026 for DoW Military Burn, Discovery Award. One program takes applications at any time.

How do I apply for a DoD grant?

Register your organization in SAM.gov to get a Unique Entity ID, create a Grants.gov account, then find the opportunity and submit before its deadline. Some agencies finish the application in their own system, such as JustGrants, eRA Commons or Research.gov.

Can individuals get DoD grants?

Rarely. Federal grants go mostly to organizations: nonprofits, local governments, tribes, schools, colleges and, in research programs, small businesses. Help for individuals usually comes through state and local agencies.

Do I have to pay to apply for a grant?

No. Real grant programs never charge to apply or to receive an award. Anyone asking for a fee before you get grant money is running a scam.