Funding Opportunities for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs)

Department of Defense

• Research and Education Program for HBCUs and MSIs
  • Supports basic research and instrumentation related to national defense (including, but not limited to artificial intelligence, cyber, biotechnology, quantum, materials science, or Fully Networked Command, Control and Communications).
  • Applications are typically due in April.
  • Note: this is a limited submission opportunity; contact Limited Submissions if interested. When a solicitation is available, the campus process will be posted on our limited submissions portal, InfoReady.

• Research and Education Program for HBCUs and MSIs: Equipment/Instrumentation
  

  • Supports the acquisition of equipment/instrumentation to augment existing capabilities or develop new capabilities in priority areas of the DOD to enhance research capabilities at MSIs and HBCUs.

  • There is no current RFA. The last open cycle was in February 2025.

  • Note: this is a limited submission opportunity; contact Limited Submissions if interested. When a solicitation is available, the campus process will be posted on our limited submissions portal, InfoReady

• Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Minority Leaders-Research Collaboration Program (ML-RCP)

  • Helps enhance and expand research capabilities through collaborative research efforts with AFRL.

  • Project Opportunity Announcements (POA) are released periodically. There are currently no open POAs.

Department of Education

• Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Program

  • Offers grants to eligible institutions to improve their capacity to serve Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander students, as well as low-income individuals.

  • This program was most recently competed in FY2025.

• August F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program

  • Supports centers of excellence at MSIs to increase the number of well-prepared teachers, including teachers of color, resulting in a more diverse teacher workforce prepared to teach in our Nation’s low-performing elementary and secondary schools and close achievement gaps.

  • The application deadline is typically in June.

• Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences Program

  • Supports innovative approaches for training and mentoring students and researchers from diverse backgrounds for success in education research careers.

  • The application deadline is typically in January.

Department of Energy

• Faculty-Applied Clean Energy Sciences (FACES) Program

  • A 10-week program where participating faculty will work at National Renewable Energy Laboratory facilities and develop scalable education modules on topics like community engagement, human behavior, energy and environmental science, and artificial intelligence.

  • The deadline for applications is typically in February.

• National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program (MSIPP)

  • Supports partnerships that focus on building and supporting the workforce capacity of the National Nuclear Security Administration.The solicitation lists deadlines through 2026. 

  • Note: this is a limited submission opportunity; contact Limited Submissions if interested. The campus process will be posted on our limited submissions portal, InfoReady.

Department of Homeland Security

• Minority Serving Institutions Program
  • Through the MSI Program, DHS works to develop a diverse talent pool to bolster the Homeland Security Enterprise workforce. This program supports faculty through the following initiatives:
    • DHS Summer Research Team Program for MSIs
      • Places teams from MSIs comprised of early-career faculty, undergraduate and graduate students for ten weeks to conduct full-time collaborative research at DHS Centers. Research must relate to homeland security science, mathematics, and engineering priorities.
      • Applications are typically due in February. 
    • Scientific Leadership Award (SLA) Program
      • Provides grants to students and faculty in research relevant to the Homeland Security Enterprise and pairs recipients with a DHS Center sponsor to learn techniques, build capacity and connect with organizations that support homeland security mission areas.

Department of State

• Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Program
  

  • Through the S-I-R Program, institutions host a scholar from outside of the United States for a semester or full academic year to teach courses, assist in curriculum development, guest lecture, develop study abroad/exchange partnerships and engage with the campus and the local community.

  • MSIs encouraged to apply.

  • Applications are typically due in May or June. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP)

  • Funds STEM projects at minority-serving institutions by creating innovative approaches to using NASA-themed content to support higher education teaching and learning.

    • MUREP Space Technology Artemis Research (M-STAR)
      

      • Will fund research to support the Agency’s advancement of technologies needed for exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. 

      • Applications are due by August 11, 2026.

National Science Foundation

• Build and Broaden (B2)

  • Aims to increase proposal submissions, advance research collaborations and networks involving MSI scholars, and support research activities in Social, Behavioral, and Economic science at MSIs.

  • Applications are due on the third Thursday in January, annually. The last open cycle was in January 2025. 

• Partnerships for Research and Education in Chemistry (PREC)

  • Supports partnerships between MSIs and Division of Chemistry-supported institutes and centers to increase recruitment, retention and degree attainment of those most underrepresented in chemistry research.

  • The solicitation is not currently open. The last open cycle was in January 2022.

• Partnerships for Research and Education in Physics (PREP)

  • Supports partnerships between MSIs and Division-supported Physics Frontiers Centers to increase the participation of members of underrepresented groups in physics.

  • The solicitation is not currently open. The last open cycle was in March 2024.

• Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials (PREM)

  • Supports partnerships between minority-serving institutions and centers or facilities supported by the Division of Materials Research (DMR).

  • This program is held every three years with the last deadline being in March 2024.

Department of Defense

• Department of the Navy HBCU/MI Post-Doctoral Research Program

  • This two-year funded program looks to provide recent HBCU or MI graduates to work alongside scientists and engineers on research areas in STEM to strengthen America’s naval defense.

  • Applications are typically due in February. 

Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund

• APIA Scholarship Program
  

  • Scholarships are open to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) undergraduate students attending U.S. accredited colleges or universities.

  • Applications are typically due in Early Winter.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

• Educational Partnership Program with Minority-Serving Institutions

  • Provides funds for two years of undergraduate study to rising junior undergraduate students majoring in STEM fields that directly support NOAA's mission.

  • Applications are typically due in January.

Department of Defense

• DOD HBCU/MI Summer Research Internship Program

  • This program aims to help minority STEM students perform advanced research relevant to the defense mission and present their research at symposiums by DOD scientists and engineers.

  • Applications are typically due in January annually.

• Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) HBCU/MI Undergraduate Internship Program

  • Supports undergraduates at minority-serving institutions through a paid summer internship at the NRL in Washington, DC.

  • Applications are typically due in January annually.

Department of Energy

• Minority Educational Institution Student Partnership Program (MEISPP) Internships

  • A summer internship program focused on providing students interested in STEM fields opportunities to work with a mentor from one of the 17 DOE national laboratories, site offices, or DOE Headquarters on scientific research or a focus on policy, business, and government relations.

• Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (MSIPP)

  • Provides grants to students of minority-serving institutions in STEM disciplines relevant to nuclear security, nonproliferation, and other emerging science and technology fields of importance to DOE national security missions.

  • The call for application usually opens in August and applications are typically due in October.

Department of Homeland Security

• Minority Serving Institutions Program

  • Through the MSI Program, DHS works to develop a diverse talent pool to bolster the Homeland Security Enterprise workforce. This program supports qualified university students and faculty through the following initiatives:

    • DHS Summer Research Team Program for MSIs

      • Places teams from MSIs comprised of early-career faculty, undergraduate and graduate students for ten weeks to conduct full-time collaborative research at DHS Centers. Research must relate to homeland security science, mathematics, and engineering priorities.

    • Scientific Leadership Award (SLA) Program 

      • Provides grants to students and faculty in research relevant to the Homeland Security Enterprise and pairs recipients with a DHS Center sponsor to learn techniques, build capacity and connect with organizations that support homeland security mission areas.

    • Homeland Security Workforce Opportunities to Increase Research Engagement and Diversity

      • An 8-12-week internship program for graduate and undergraduate MSI students interested in supporting cutting-edge research with leading scientists and engineers.

      • Applications are typically due in January.

    • Homeland Security Professional Opportunities for Student Workforce to Experience Research 

      • A 10-week, paid, internship program geared toward undergraduate and graduate students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields to include political and social sciences.

      • Applications are typically due in December.

Department of Transportation

• Federal Aviation Administration: Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Intern Program

  • Provides students from MSIs internship opportunities in fields including air traffic control, computer science, aviation management, business administration, engineering, and information technology

  • Internships are offered in Spring, Summer, and Fall, so application deadlines are determined based on the semester being applied for.

• Federal Highway Administration: Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups

  • A ten-week paid internship at the Department of Transportation headquarters and in field offices across the country for currently enrolled college and university students. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP)

  • NASA periodically releases student research opportunities through their MUREP program.  

  • AMRD University Student Research Challenge
    • Seeks to challenge students to propose new ideas/concepts that are relevant to NASA Aeronautics. USRC will provide students, from accredited U.S. colleges or universities, with grants for their projects and with the challenge of raising cost share funds through a crowdfunding campaign.