FY22 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA) for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Program | N00014 22 S F006

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00014 22 S F006

The FY22 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) STEM Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity (CFDA 12.330) intended to strengthen the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps long-term technological edge by growing and sustaining a highly capable STEM talent pipeline. At its core, the FOA looks for education and outreach projects that either expand strong existing efforts or introduce new, innovative approaches that directly contribute to building, maintaining, and improving STEM educational pathways and workforce opportunities for diverse U.S. citizens in areas that matter to ONR science and technology. The program is focused on practical, workforce-relevant outcomes: helping more people enter STEM, persist in STEM, and gain the skills and experiences that translate into naval-related science and technology careers.

A key idea behind the announcement is that the Department of the Navy science and technology workforce is tightly linked to the health of the broader STEM education ecosystem. ONR is therefore looking for projects that do more than offer one-off events; they should improve STEM student outcomes and also align education and outreach efforts with current and future Navy and Marine Corps science and technology workforce needs. The FOA explicitly encourages proposals that increase the capacity of schools, institutions, community organizations, and local education systems to deliver meaningful STEM learning experiences for students of all ages and for individuals already in the workforce. In practice, this means projects can target K-12 learners, higher education students, educators, informal learning environments, or incumbent workers, as long as the work strengthens engagement and builds naval-relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities.

The scope of acceptable projects is intentionally broad, and ONR signals openness to a wide range of sizes and levels of complexity. Proposals should be grounded in solid STEM education research and credible evidence about what improves participation, persistence, and achievement in STEM. ONR emphasizes the importance of using current research to inform program design, implementation, and pathways into STEM careers, especially those connected to naval science and technology. Projects are expected to meaningfully increase STEM engagement and capability, whether by developing new curricula and experiential learning models, strengthening mentorship and career awareness, building partnerships that connect learners to authentic naval-relevant problems, or improving systems that support sustained participation over time.

While the FOA does not make a formal requirement that projects focus on specific demographic groups, ONR strongly encourages applicants to consider under-represented and under-served populations, including women and minorities, when designing their plans and measuring impact. The announcement also highlights special audience priority areas that may include military-connected students, veteran-focused initiatives, and education systems that are integral to naval science and technology. This signals that proposals connecting to military communities, transition pathways for service members and veterans, and regions or institutions closely tied to naval research and industry may be particularly responsive, provided the project clearly advances the FOA goals.

Administratively, the opportunity is issued by the Office of Naval Research under Funding Opportunity Number N00014-22-S-F006, using the grant funding instrument, categorized under science and technology and other research and development. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, indicating a wide range of applicant types may apply, depending on standard federal grant rules and ONR-specific requirements in the full announcement. The original closing date is listed as March 31, 2023, and the FOA does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided source data, suggesting those details may be defined in the full FOA text or may vary by proposal and available funding.

In summary, this ONR STEM FOA seeks projects that measurably strengthen STEM pathways into naval-relevant fields by improving education and outreach systems, increasing engagement from early learners through the current workforce, and developing the skills and experiences needed for Department of the Navy science and technology missions. Competitive proposals are likely to show strong alignment with ONR science and technology thrust areas, a clear plan for impact on learners and/or workforce participants, credible use of STEM education research, and thoughtful strategies to broaden participation and reach communities important to naval readiness and innovation.

• The Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY22 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA) for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.330.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-04-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-03-31. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

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