Department of the Navy Grant: Enhancing STEM Research and Education at HBCU/MIs for Defense Missions

A. Institutions of higher education eligible for assistance under Title III or V of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.); and
B. Accredited post-secondary MSIs that are recognized by the Department of Education (DoED) as one of the following:
• Alaskan Native or Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions ANNH);
• Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI);
• Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI);
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU);
• Native American-Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI);
• Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI);
• Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU).

For MSIs that are not formally designated as an HBCU or TCU (Tribal Colleges and Universities), enrollments, accreditation, and other factors may affect eligibility in any given year. To demonstrate that both criterion 1.A. and 1.B. (above) are satisfied, MSIs that are not formally designated as an HBCU or TCU must submit a letter from the DoED certifying eligibility for Title III or Title V assistance and MSI status; this letter must be applicable for the current academic year. The eligibility letter will not be included in the page limit (see Section II.D.2.). If a current eligibility letter is not submitted with the initial white paper for institutions that are not HBCUs or TCUs, the applicant will be deemed ineligible and the white paper will not be reviewed.

The Principal Investigator (PI) and all proposed personnel must be U.S. citizens on September 20, 2024 (Friday), the date white papers are due. In addition, the PI must have a full-time tenured, tenure-track, or tenure-track equivalent academic appointment at one of the seven MSI types listed above in Section II.C.1.B.

This is a single PI award. No Co-PIs and no sub-awards will be permitted.

     The Department of Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program aims to increase the quantity and quality of minority professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in the defense community. Research conducted at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) for the DoN HBCU/MI Program:

·        enhances the research and educational capabilities of HBCU/MIs in scientific and engineering disciplines critical to the defense mission of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps,

·        encourages cross-institutional, collaborative efforts that explore innovative solutions to naval science and technology (S&T) challenges, and

·        increases the engagement of students, including underrepresented minorities, in STEM fields important to the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.