Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI)
Funding program from Department of Defense promotes high-risk basic research for scientific breakthroughs and innovative military technology.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
Office of Naval Research has archived this opportunity.
Funder: Office of Naval Research
Due Dates: May 2, 2025 (White Papers, strongly recommended) | September 5, 2025 (Full Proposals)
Funding Amounts: Up to $1.5M/year for 5 years per award; typical total per award is $7.5M; overall program budget ~$170M (pending appropriations).
Summary: Supports multidisciplinary, high-risk basic research by U.S. universities to achieve scientific breakthroughs relevant to national security and future military technologies.
Key Information: Eligibility limited to U.S. degree-granting universities; white papers are optional but strongly encouraged; see detailed topic list and contact topic chiefs before submitting.
Description
The Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) is a flagship basic research program supporting teams of investigators from U.S. universities to pursue high-risk, multidisciplinary research with the potential for significant scientific breakthroughs. The program is managed by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Army Research Office (ARO), and Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), and is designed to address fundamental science and engineering challenges relevant to the DoD’s mission and future technological needs.
MURI projects are closely managed by Service Program Officers, who provide active research guidance. The program has a strong track record of enabling advances with broad scientific, economic, and military impact. Each year, specific research topics are announced, and proposals are solicited from multidisciplinary teams.
