1,000+ Opportunities
Find the right grant
Search federal, foundation, and corporate grants with AI — or browse by agency, topic, and state.
USSOCOM Engage SOF eSOF 2026 Commercial Solutions Opening for AI Autonomous Systems and Special Operations Technology is sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). USSOCOM Engage SOF (eSOF) is a Commercial Solutions Opening providing a rolling pathway for companies to submit AI and autonomous systems technologies aligned with Special Operations Forces capability needs across 14 domains including AI, ISR, cyber, mobility, weapons/electronic…
Get alerted about grants like this
Get emailed when new opportunities from “U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)” or related funders appear. Free, weekly, unsubscribe anytime.
Or search similar grants →Extracted from the official opportunity page/RFP to help you evaluate fit faster.
USSOCOM Engage SOF Funding for Defense & Dual-Use Technologies — BW&CO Engage SOF (eSOF) Capabilities of Interest – U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section). USSOCOM is accepting submissions through its Engage SOF (eSOF) process, the digital front door for industry engagement with U.S. Special Operations Command.
Companies with technologies that directly address published Capabilities of Interest (CoIs) can submit solutions for potential assessment, experimentation, prototyping, acquisition, or other engagement pathways. The application deadline is 31 Dec 2026 : 22:59 CST. USSOCOM states that solutions matching published CoIs will be prioritized for assessment and potential pathway navigation.
Technologies that do not align with current CoIs are encouraged to wait for future releases that may be a better fit. Current interests span aviation, communications, cyber, AI, autonomy, ISR, human performance, mobility, medical technologies, power systems, soldier systems, weapons, and other mission-critical areas supporting Special Operations Forces. How much funding would I receive?
Estimated $500K to $5 Million - Funding is not fixed. Awards vary depending on the pathway and may include contracts, OTAs, SBIR/STTR, CRADAs, or prize competitions. What could I use the funding for?
The solicitation does not provide direct grant funding parameters. Instead, USSOCOM is seeking commercial technologies that address published Capabilities of Interest.
Areas of interest include: Command, Control, Communications, and Computers (C4) Human Performance/Human Machine Interface Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Weapons and Electronic Attack Examples of capabilities sought include: AI-enabled decision support Human performance optimization Cyber operations capabilities ISR platforms and analytics Power and energy solutions Mobility and survivability systems Applicants should review the published Capabilities of Interest and clearly explain how their solution supports one or more CoIs.
Are there any additional benefits I would receive?
Potential benefits include: Assessment by USSOCOM subject matter experts Feedback on submitted capabilities Potential referral to relevant USSOCOM stakeholders Potential follow-on engagement opportunities Potential pathways identified by USSOCOM include: OTA for research projects or prototype projects (10 U.S. Code Sections 4021, 4022) Procurement for experimental purposes (10 U.S. Code Section 4023) Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) (15 U.S. Code Section 3710a) Prizes for advanced technology achievements (10 U.S. Code Section 4025) Prize competitions (15 U.S. Code Section 3719) FAR-based procurement contracts USSOCOM does not guarantee that submissions will advance through all stages of the Engage SOF process.
What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding? After submission, USSOCOM describes the following process: Initial review for completeness, relevance, and CoI alignment. Assessment by subject matter experts.
Potential referral and follow-on engagement activities. The solicitation does not specify: Funding disbursement dates Where does this funding come from? This opportunity is sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).
The Engage SOF process supports the USSOCOM Warfighting Acquisition System by sourcing, screening, and matching commercial technologies to validated Special Operations Forces capability interests. Who is eligible to apply? Based on the solicitation, organizations with commercial technologies that address published USSOCOM Capabilities of Interest may submit Scout Cards through the Engage SOF process.
Address one or more published CoIs Demonstrate technology maturity, readiness, and application Satisfy USSOCOM organizational and operational security standards Contain only UNCLASSIFIED information Who is not eligible to apply? The solicitation does not explicitly identify ineligible applicant categories. However, USSOCOM states that: Information submitted through the process must be UNCLASSIFIED.
Solutions that do not match published Capabilities of Interest may not be prioritized for assessment. Submissions must satisfy applicable organizational and operational security requirements. What companies and projects are likely to win?
USSOCOM states that submissions will be prioritized when they: Directly address published Capabilities of Interest Demonstrate evidence of technology maturity Demonstrate readiness and operational applicability Support current SOF challenges Address validated SOF warfighter needs Meet organizational and operational security requirements The strongest submissions will clearly explain how their technology aligns with specific CoIs and provide evidence supporting effectiveness, maturity, and mission relevance.
How competitive will this solicitation be? Competition level is not specified. However, USSOCOM indicates that: Solutions aligned with published Capabilities of Interest will receive priority consideration.
Assessment prioritization depends on alignment with current interests and stakeholder demand. Not all submissions will advance through the Engage SOF process. Organizations whose technologies closely match current CoIs are likely to be in a stronger position than companies submitting capabilities outside published interest areas.
Are there any restrictions I should know about? Key restrictions include: All information submitted must be UNCLASSIFIED. Solutions should align with published Capabilities of Interest.
USSOCOM may share submissions with government experts outside headquarters for evaluation and feedback. Capabilities may be subject to security reviews. Potential pathways may require: Protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Facility Clearance (FCL) requirements for classified applications Compliance with organizational and operational security standards How long will it take me to prepare an application?
The solicitation does not specify an application preparation timeline.
Applicants should expect to: Review the current Capabilities of Interest document Prepare evidence demonstrating technology maturity and readiness Explain operational relevance to SOF needs Complete a Scout Card submission through the Engage SOF platform Preparation effort will depend on the maturity of the technology and the amount of supporting documentation available.
Determine whether your technology aligns with current USSOCOM Capabilities of Interest Position your solution against specific CoIs Develop a compelling Scout Card submission Strengthen evidence of technical maturity and operational relevance Prepare supporting materials for USSOCOM review Support follow-on OTA, CRADA, SBIR/STTR, experimentation, or acquisition opportunities if interest is generated through the Engage SOF process Review the solicitation here (Requires Login).
Biotech healthtech Medtech Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Aerospace & Spacetech Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Cybersecurity Defense & Dual Use Technology Robotics & Autonomous Systems Quantum & Photonics https://www. bwcoconsulting.
com Project Development and Supply Chain Reimbursement Program (PDSCRP) – Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office (TANEO) Product Development Funding Programs – Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Open to any organization (small and large businesses, nonprofits, universities) capable of providing relevant commercial technologies. Submissions must be unclassified and align with published Capabilities of Interest. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows $500,000 to $5,000,000 USD per project with awards through OTAs, FAR contracts, SBIR/STTR, and CRADAs. Multiple non-dilutive funding pathways with rolling submission cadence. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Applications for USSOCOM Engage SOF eSOF 2026 Commercial Solutions Opening for AI Autonomous Systems and Special Operations Technology are due December 31, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, and final submission checks.
USSOCOM Engage SOF eSOF 2026 Commercial Solutions Opening for AI Autonomous Systems and Special Operations Technology is funded by U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
USSOCOM Engage SOF (eSOF) is a Commercial Solutions Opening providing a rolling pathway for companies to submit AI and autonomous systems technologies aligned with Special Operations Forces capability needs across 14 domains including AI, ISR, cyber, mobility, weapons/electronic attack, command and control, ISR, and human performance. Selected vendors gain direct access to USSOCOM Program Executive Offices and rapid acquisition pathways. The program emphasizes AI, autonomy, drone warfare, and human-machine teaming as SOF transforms into the Pentagon's lead integrator of these technologies, with a portfolio of 487 active CRADAs and 832 active BAA submissions.
The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Engage SOF (eSOF) program is a rolling submission opportunity connecting commercial technologies to special operations forces needs across AI, ISR, cyber, mobility, medical, and advanced technology domains. The program accepts submissions on a rolling basis through December 31, 2026, with multiple non-dilutive funding pathways. USSOCOM recently expanded its Advanced Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence focus area, seeking modular and open integration of cutting-edge AI and machine learning solutions to enable enhanced autonomy in unmanned systems. Specific areas of interest include agentic AI and vision language action (VLA) models for sophisticated autonomous behaviors including adaptive learning; neural radiance fields (NeRFs) for 3D scene representation and navigation; generative AI for simulation and data augmentation; advanced automatic target recognition (ATR) algorithms with edge node refinement and autonomous model retraining; and human-machine interface solutions. The program supports solutions across 13 capability areas: Aviation Systems, Biometrics and Forensics, C4, Cyberspace Operations, Human Performance and Human Machine Interface, Information Operations, ISR, Irregular Warfare, Medical, Mobility, Power and Energy, Soldier Systems, and Weapons and Electronic Attack. Award pathways include contracts, OTAs, SBIR/STTR, CRADAs, or prize competitions. All submissions must be unclassified.
The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Broad Agency Announcement USSOCOM-BAAST-2020, updated in July 2025, is a long-running open BAA accepting white papers on a rolling basis through December 31, 2030. A major 2025 amendment added a dedicated subsection for Advanced Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence, reflecting SOF's strategic priority to become early adopters of AI technologies as articulated in the SOF Renaissance strategic vision. The AI/autonomy subsection emphasizes modular, open integration of cutting-edge solutions and specifically seeks proposals addressing agentic AI and vision language action (VLA) models for sophisticated autonomous behaviors with adaptive learning, neural radiance fields (NeRFs) for 3D scene representation and navigation, generative AI for simulation and data augmentation, advanced automatic target recognition (ATR) algorithms with edge refinement, and machine learning operations (MLOps) for data management and model monitoring. Solutions must feature well-defined interfaces adhering to open standards to ensure interoperability with existing military architectures. The BAA also covers collaborative autonomy for multiple autonomous or remote-controlled systems sharing data in real-time, equipping small autonomous platforms including drones, ground robots, and uncrewed surface and underwater vessels with ISR and edge computing capabilities. SOFWERX, a military capabilities nonprofit partnering with SOCOM, hosts regular assessment events for selected participants to pitch and demonstrate solutions.
DoD Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) is sponsored by Department of Defense (DoD) - Office of Naval Research (ONR). The Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI), administered by the Department of Defense Office of Naval Research, supports basic research in science and engineering at U. S.
SBIR SF254-D1206: Knowledge-Guided Test and Evaluation Frameworks for proliferated Low Earth Orbit Constellations is sponsored by U.S. Air Force. DOD SBIR topic SF254-D1206: Knowledge-Guided Test and Evaluation Frameworks for proliferated Low Earth Orbit Constellations. Component: U.S. Air Force. Command: SDA. Solicitation: DoD SBIR 2025.4. Phase(s): D2PII, II, SPII. Status: Pre-Release. Open date: 3/4/2026.
ARPA-H's four Mission Office ISOs stay open year-round, and a Special Notice on serious mental illness closes August 9, 2026. The two-step Solution Summary process rewards a different skill than a classic NIH grant. Here's how to work it.
Read articleARPA-H Special Notice SN-26-156, Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness, sets an August 9, 2026 solution-summary deadline and routes through the Proactive Health Office ISO. It sits inside the $139.4M EVIDENT initiative, which will commit at least $50M to match state investments in psychedelic research for serious mental illness. Here is how the ARPA-H solution-summary process works and how to position a response.
Read articleNSF's NAIRR Operations Center solicitation (NSF 25-546) will make a single award of up to $35 million over five years to the organization that will run the National AI Research Resource — the shared computing, data, and model infrastructure that has already connected over 400 U.S. research teams. This is a rare winner-take-all federal competition where the prize is not funding for your own research but the mandate to operate national infrastructure. Here is what the NAIRR is, why its transition from pilot to permanent program matters, and what kind of organization can credibly win it.
Read article