Opportunity Information: Apply for WHS AD FOA 19
The Minerva Research Initiative is a Department of Defense grant program focused on basic social science research that can inform issues of strategic importance to U.S. national security policy. Its core purpose is to strengthen DoD's long-term intellectual capital in the social sciences, improve the Department's ability to anticipate and respond to future security challenges, and build durable connections between DoD and the broader academic social science community. The program is structured to support rigorous, policy-relevant scholarship while encouraging open, candid engagement between researchers and government stakeholders. Minerva brings together universities and other research institutions, including collaborations that may span multiple institutions and disciplines, to address priority research areas selected by DoD.
This particular competition invites innovative white papers and full proposals aligned with nine topic areas. These topics cover a mix of international relations, political and economic security, logistics and infrastructure resilience, computational social science, and emerging technology impacts on society and conflict. The nine areas are: (1) peer and near-peer statecraft, influence, and regional balance of power; (2) power, deterrence, and escalation management; (3) alliances and burden sharing; (4) economic interdependence and security; (5) the economic viability, resilience, and sustainability of logistics infrastructure; (6) multi-domain behavioral complexity and computational social modeling; (7) autonomy, artificial intelligence, machine ethics, and social interactions; (8) models and methods for understanding covert online influence; and (9) automated cyber vulnerability analysis. DoD notes that the detailed descriptions of these areas are meant to frame and guide ideas rather than restrict them, so applicants can propose creative approaches as long as they clearly connect to one or more of the stated interests.
The opportunity is open to a broad range of applicants (unrestricted eligibility, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement). Funding is provided as a discretionary grant under CFDA 12.630 (science and technology and other research and development). Proposals may be submitted by a single investigator or by larger, multidisciplinary teams. Team-based proposals are explicitly encouraged when the required expertise spans multiple disciplines or institutions, such as different departments within a university or multiple universities working together. Even for team proposals, the application must designate one Principal Investigator as the responsible technical point of contact, and one institution must serve as the primary award recipient for administrative purposes.
For collaborative projects, the announcement emphasizes clarity and accountability in project organization and finances. Applicants are expected to describe how participating institutions will work together, specify each partner's role, and explain how funds will be allocated, including any subawards. This division of responsibilities and funding must be consistent across both the narrative proposal and the budget. The proposal must also clearly articulate the project's basic research contribution, meaning it should explain how the work advances fundamental understanding in the relevant social science or interdisciplinary area, not just produce short-term applied outputs.
Key administrative details included in the listing are: the funding opportunity title "MINERVA RESEARCH INITIATIVE," opportunity number "WHS AD FOA 19," agency "Department of Defense," creation date May 03, 2019, original closing date June 20, 2019, an award ceiling of $1,250,000, and an expected total of about 12 awards.Apply for WHS AD FOA 19
- The Department of Defense in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "MINERVA RESEARCH INITIATIVE" 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 May 03, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 20, 2019. (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 $1,250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Minerva Research Initiative (DoD)
What is the Minerva Research Initiative?
The Minerva Research Initiative is a Department of Defense (DoD) grant program that supports basic social science research intended to inform issues of strategic importance to U.S. national security policy. It is designed to strengthen DoD's long-term intellectual capital in the social sciences, improve the Department's ability to anticipate and respond to future security challenges, and build durable connections between DoD and the broader academic social science community.
What type of research does this program fund?
This program funds basic research in the social sciences (and related interdisciplinary work) that is rigorous and policy-relevant. Proposals are expected to clearly describe how the work advances fundamental understanding in the relevant area, rather than focusing only on short-term applied deliverables.
How does Minerva engage with researchers and government stakeholders?
The program aims to encourage open and candid engagement between researchers and government stakeholders while supporting rigorous scholarship that connects to national security policy concerns.
What is the specific competition described in this opportunity?
This competition invites innovative white papers and full proposals aligned with nine DoD-selected topic areas spanning international relations, political and economic security, logistics and infrastructure resilience, computational social science, and the societal and conflict impacts of emerging technologies.
What are the nine topic areas for this competition?
The opportunity identifies nine topic areas:
- Peer and near-peer statecraft, influence, and regional balance of power
- Power, deterrence, and escalation management
- Alliances and burden sharing
- Economic interdependence and security
- The economic viability, resilience, and sustainability of logistics infrastructure
- Multi-domain behavioral complexity and computational social modeling
- Autonomy, artificial intelligence, machine ethics, and social interactions
- Models and methods for understanding covert online influence
- Automated cyber vulnerability analysis
Are applicants limited to only the exact topic descriptions provided?
No. DoD indicates that the detailed descriptions of the topic areas are intended to frame and guide ideas rather than restrict them. Applicants may propose creative approaches as long as they clearly connect to one or more of the stated interests.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity states that eligibility is unrestricted, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement.
Can an application be submitted by a single investigator?
Yes. Proposals may be submitted by a single investigator.
Are team-based or multidisciplinary proposals allowed or encouraged?
Yes. Larger, multidisciplinary team proposals are allowed and explicitly encouraged when the expertise needed spans multiple disciplines or institutions (for example, across multiple university departments or multiple universities).
How are roles handled in collaborative or multi-institution projects?
For collaborative projects, applicants are expected to clearly describe how participating institutions will work together, specify each partner's role, and explain how funds will be allocated (including any subawards). The responsibilities and funding split must be consistent across both the narrative proposal and the budget.
Does a team proposal need a single lead researcher?
Yes. Even for team proposals, the application must designate one Principal Investigator (PI) as the responsible technical point of contact.
Does a collaborative application need a single primary institution?
Yes. One institution must serve as the primary award recipient for administrative purposes.
What is the CFDA number and grant type for this funding?
Funding is provided as a discretionary grant under CFDA 12.630 (Science and Technology and other Research and Development).
What is the funding opportunity title and number?
The funding opportunity title is "MINERVA RESEARCH INITIATIVE" and the opportunity number is "WHS AD FOA 19."
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The agency listed for this opportunity is the Department of Defense.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed in the opportunity is $1,250,000.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The listing indicates an expected total of about 12 awards.
What are the key dates shown in the listing?
The listing includes a creation date of May 03, 2019, and an original closing date of June 20, 2019.
Does the opportunity mention submitting both white papers and full proposals?
Yes. The competition invites innovative white papers and full proposals aligned with the nine topic areas.
What is meant by "basic research contribution" in the proposal?
The proposal must clearly explain the project's basic research contribution by describing how the work advances fundamental understanding in the relevant social science or interdisciplinary area, rather than focusing only on short-term applied outcomes.
What institutions can participate?
Minerva brings together universities and other research institutions, including collaborations that may span multiple institutions and disciplines.
What should applicants emphasize for project organization and finances in collaborations?
The announcement emphasizes clarity and accountability. Applicants should define partner roles, describe how the collaboration will function, and detail how funds will be allocated (including subawards), with the same division reflected consistently in the narrative and the budget.
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| DoD Prostate Cancer, Synergistic Population and Data Science Award Apply for W81XWH 19 PCRP SPDSA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 PCRP SPDSA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Prostate Cancer, Health Disparity Research Award Apply for W81XWH 19 PCRP HDRA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 PCRP HDRA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Lupus, Concept Award Apply for W81XWH 19 LRP CA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 LRP CA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Lupus, Impact Award Apply for W81XWH 19 LRP IA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 LRP IA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests CESU Apply for G19AS00052 Funding Number: G19AS00052 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $74,111 |
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| DoD Breast Cancer, Breakthrough Award Level 3 Apply for W81XWH 19 BCRP BTA3 2 Funding Number: W81XWH 19 BCRP BTA3 2 Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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