Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary ResearchProgram of the University Research Initiative (MURI) | W911NF 21 S 0008

Opportunity Information: Apply for W911NF 21 S 0008

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Department of Defense (DoD) Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) is a competitive federal funding opportunity designed to support basic research in science and engineering at U.S. institutions of higher education. The core purpose is to build fundamental scientific understanding that could matter for long-term national security, even when the work is not aimed at an immediate product, prototype, or near-term application. In other words, this program is about high-risk, high-payoff foundational research that expands knowledge and creates the intellectual groundwork that future defense-relevant technologies may eventually draw from.

A defining feature of MURI is its emphasis on multidisciplinary teams. The program specifically targets research problems where meaningful progress depends on integrating more than one traditional academic discipline, with the expectation that cross-disciplinary interaction can accelerate breakthroughs. Because the expertise needed to tackle these complex topics often does not sit within a single department or even a single campus, the opportunity explicitly allows (and often expects) proposals that include investigators from multiple universities. This team-based structure is meant to complement other DoD basic research mechanisms that fund single-investigator efforts, by giving larger, coordinated groups the resources to pursue problems that are too broad or technically layered for an individual lab to address alone.

The scientific scope is tied to topic areas identified for the FY 2022 competition. The solicitation indicates that applicants should consult the official "Topic Descriptions" section (referenced as Section II.H in the full announcement) for the specific research topics and the designated Topic Chief for each. Those topic write-ups are described as guidance rather than rigid constraints: they are intended to provide a frame of reference while still encouraging creative, innovative approaches. In practice, this means an applicant is expected to align with one of the listed topics, but still has room to propose unconventional methods, new theoretical frameworks, or novel experimental strategies, as long as the work remains clearly within the boundaries of basic research.

From an administrative and proposal-structure standpoint, the solicitation requires a clearly defined leadership and award arrangement. Each proposal must name a single Principal Investigator (PI) who serves as the main technical point of contact, and that PI must be affiliated with the primary institution. Likewise, one institution must be designated as the primary awardee responsible for executing the award. If there are additional participating institutions, they typically participate through subawards or similar arrangements, and the proposal must plainly describe how responsibilities are divided across the team. The announcement also stresses that the allocation of funds among the participating organizations, including any subaward amounts, should be spelled out both in the proposal narrative and in the budget materials, so the government can see a coherent management plan and a realistic resourcing approach.

The opportunity is offered by the Department of Defense, specifically listed under the Department of the Army, Materiel Command. The funding opportunity number is W911NF-21-S-0008, and the assistance listing is CFDA 12.431. The available award instruments include cooperative agreements and grants, reflecting that some awards may involve varying degrees of government involvement or coordination depending on the topic and program needs. The activity category is science and technology and other research and development.

Key dates and funding parameters included in the notice are a creation date of March 22, 2021, with an original closing date of September 27, 2021. The stated award ceiling is $1,500,000, and the notice lists an expected 150 awards. Eligibility is summarized broadly as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," while the main body emphasizes U.S. institutions of higher education as the central performers, meaning applicants generally should be universities and should confirm any additional eligibility constraints in the full announcement text.

Overall, this MURI solicitation is best understood as a DoD basic research investment aimed at seeding fundamental advances through coordinated, multi-university, multidisciplinary teams. It prioritizes deep scientific exploration aligned to defense-relevant interest areas, with proposal flexibility for innovative ideas, but with clear expectations for team structure, single-PI leadership, a designated lead institution, and transparent roles and budgeting across all collaborators.

• The Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary ResearchProgram of the University Research Initiative (MURI)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.431.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 22, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 27, 2021. (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 $1,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 150 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for W911NF 21 S 0008

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