Research Education: Short Courses on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (Discontinued)

The FY2026 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program supports basic research in science and engineering at U.S. institutions of higher education, with emphasis on multidisciplinary research where more than one traditional discipline interacts. The Army, Navy, and Air Force basic research offices are seeking applications across 22 topic areas including artificial intelligence and autonomy, information sensing and processing, and systems manipulation. MURI grants typically provide $1.25 million to $1.5 million per year for three years with option to extend two additional years. Approximately $170 million in total funding is available annually across all topics. The program is administered through the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Army Research Office (ARO), and Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).

The NSF Convergence Accelerator is a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that funds multidisciplinary teams working to solve national-scale societal challenges through convergence research and innovation. Launched in 2019 under NSF's Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, the program operates in two phases: Phase 1 awards are up to $750,000, with successful teams advancing to larger Phase 2 awards. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education and nonprofit or for-profit organizations. Track I and Track K focus on specific high-priority topics announced each funding cycle. The next deadline is June 15, 2026. Proposals must comply with updated NSF research security policies effective July 2025.

AFWERX is the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force powered by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), comprising four core arms: AFVentures, Spark, Prime, and SpaceWERX. The 2026 SBIR/STTR program supports U.S.-owned small businesses developing AI, autonomous systems, and dual-use technologies aligned with the Department of the Air Force's strategic goal of becoming an AI-first force. AFWERX uses a predictable monthly cadence with pre-releases on the first Wednesday of each month, followed by one-month open submission windows. The program offers a structured progression from Phase I feasibility studies ($75K-$180K) through Phase II prototype development ($1.25M-$1.8M) to growth-stage funding via TACFI ($375K-$2M) and STRATFI ($3M-$15M), enabling small AI companies to scale from initial concept to operational deployment. AI focus areas align with the DAF AI Strategy released in 2026, including decision-support AI, autonomous platforms, AI for predictive maintenance, computer vision for ISR, and human-machine teaming. Upcoming FY2026 open solicitations include DoW SBIR Specific Topic 26.BZ Release 1 (May 6-June 3, 2026), Release 2 (May 27-June 24, 2026), and STTR Specific Topic 26.TZ Release 1 (May 6-June 3, 2026).

TechAccess: AI-Ready America (NSF 26-508) is a landmark national-scale initiative to accelerate AI readiness and adoption across the United States by establishing State/Territory Coordination Hubs. Each hub receives up to $1 million annually for three years (with a possible one-year extension) to serve as a central resource for AI education, workforce development, and technology deployment within their state or territory. Hubs are responsible for maintaining an AI Learning and Resource Navigator, strategic planning and evaluation for AI readiness, hands-on AI deployment support for businesses and government, training coordination across K-16 and workforce systems, and priority sector coordination in energy, agriculture, healthcare, and manufacturing. The program operates in three rounds: Round 1 selects 10 hubs (July 2026), Round 2 selects 20 hubs (January 2027), and Round 3 fills remaining slots (July 2027). This represents one of the largest federal investments in AI workforce readiness, aiming to ensure every state has coordinated AI adoption infrastructure.

This U.S. Department of State funding opportunity (DFOP0018449) supports research and policy work to identify and mitigate proliferation, chemical, and biological security risks arising from AI-enabled molecular design and biological foundation models. Projects may develop technical safeguards, evaluation frameworks, red-teaming approaches, and governance mechanisms to reduce the risk that advanced AI models could lower barriers to designing dangerous molecules or agents, while preserving beneficial scientific research. Total funding is up to roughly $4 million across awards. Applications close July 21, 2026.

The NSF CyberAICorps Scholarship for Service (CyberAI SFS) program is a new solicitation (NSF 26-503) that combines AI and cybersecurity education and workforce development into a unified program. It replaces the prior CyberCorps SFS program with expanded AI focus, reflecting the critical intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The program has two tracks: the Scholarship Track supports institutions in providing scholarships to students pursuing AI and cybersecurity careers in government service, with student stipends of $27,000/year (undergraduate) or $37,000/year (graduate), plus tuition and professional development allowances. Recipients commit to government service equal to the length of their scholarship. The Innovation Track funds transformative educational projects developing new curricula, instructional materials, professional development programs, experiential learning, and communities of practice in AI and cybersecurity. The program reflects the growing national need for professionals who understand both AI systems and cybersecurity, including using AI for cybersecurity defense and securing AI systems themselves. Two scholarship track competitions run in 2026: FY2026 (April 3 target) and FY2027 (July 21 hard deadline).

This Navy SBIR topic (DON26BX03-NP002), run jointly by NAVAIR and NAVSEA, funds small businesses to develop AI-enabled systems that detect, track, identify, and neutralize hostile drones and drone swarms. The effort emphasizes autonomous sensing, machine-learning-based classification, and counter-UAS engagement for naval operations. Phase I awards provide up to $315,000 to establish technical feasibility, with follow-on Phase II funding available for prototype development.

The Defense Innovation Unit's Specular MIST Prize Challenge invites commercial and nontraditional performers to compete for a share of an approximately $5 million prize pool by demonstrating advanced AI, machine-learning, and autonomy solutions for sensing, data fusion, and multi-domain situational awareness. The prize-challenge structure rewards teams that meet or exceed performance benchmarks, providing a fast, non-dilutive path for companies to prove capabilities and win funding without a traditional contract negotiation. Submissions close July 22, 2026.

The Department of Defense SBIR/STTR FY26 Release 1 supports U.S. small businesses developing innovative defense technologies under the Trusted AI and Autonomy critical technology area. The Generative AI BAA Open Topic seeks proposals to explore dual-use Generative Artificial Intelligence technologies and applications to enhance government operations, including streamlining processes, improving decision-making, automating complex tasks, and generating insights from large datasets. The solicitation is sponsored by the Chief Digital and AI Office (CDAO) within OSD. Three award phases: Phase I (early-stage development companies seeking product-market fit, 6 months); Direct-to-Phase II (companies with established product-market fit delivering Authority to Operate-ready prototypes, 18 months); Phase III (commercial and military applications). The Navy has funded over $11 billion through SBIR/STTR programs to commercialize small business innovations. DoD releases SBIR solicitations on a monthly cycle throughout FY2026.

The Defense Innovation Unit's Massed Modular Aircraft Commercial Solutions Opening seeks commercial solutions for low-cost, mass-producible, modular uncrewed aircraft with autonomous flight and AI-enabled coordination for collaborative, attritable operations. DIU aims to rapidly prototype and field autonomous aircraft that can be produced at scale and operate in coordinated groups. Selected companies receive prototype Other Transaction Agreements, with awards beginning around $500K and scaling to multi-million-dollar efforts. Submissions close July 23, 2026.