Engineering Index and Search

CoE Directory CoE Site Index

Sign Ons

ERI Funding Opportunities

Welcome to the ERI Funding Opportunities Site

College of Engineering campus
Research drives excellence in the College of Engineering by serving as a magnet to attract and retain outstanding faculty and students. Funding opportunities relevant to the College of Engineering will be posted here. If you are interested in pursuing any of these opportunities please contact Lori Jarmon (ljjarmon@iastate.edu, 294-3316) for assistance or additional information. New opportunities are posted weekly. To have the new opportunities delivered directly to your inbox please subscribe using your ISU email address. One email per week.

Autonomous Decisions, Algorithms, and Modeling (ADAM)

AFRL

Notice of Intent

Solicitation: FA2377-25-S-1207

https://sam.gov/opp/826532a830974581ad9a3229f5a237d3/view

Posted Date: March 26, 2025

Opportunity will open this year

Solicitations issued under this MAA will seek approaches covering one or more of the following Technical Areas. Efforts awarded under these Technical Areas may consist of concept development, analysis, basic research, applied research, advanced technology development, advanced component development and prototyping, experimentation and/or transition activities that will enable future efforts.

Technical Area 1: Multi-Domain Sense Making

Technical Area 2: Sensing Autonomy

Technical Area 3: Sensing and Effects Analysis

Technical Area 4: Multi-Sensing Knowledge

Technical Area 5: Sensing Management

 

Hybrid Proposers Day – Exponentiating Mathematics (expMath)

DARPA

Solicitation: DARPA-SN-25-44

https://sam.gov/opp/11ef0d3da9b947c693a0f4e5cee8da75/view

Posted Date: March 25, 2025

Proposers Day: April 23, 2025 at 10:00 am ET In person and Virtual

Registration Due Date: April 16, 2025 by 5:00 pm ET   REGISTER HERE

DARPA I2O is sponsoring an unclassified hybrid Proposers Day in support of the anticipated Exponentiating Mathematics (expMath) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The purpose of this event is to provide information on the expMath technical goals and challenges, address questions from potential proposers, and provide an opportunity for potential proposers to consider how their research may align with the expMath program objectives. Attendance is voluntary and is not required to propose to the expMath BAA.

RFI: Flexible and Malleable Battery Test and Evaluation Support

DoD

Solicitation: DARPA-SN-25-64

https://sam.gov/opp/a6a0dba30ed74455b3e31c645b17f745/view

Posted on: March 24, 2025

Response Due Date: April 21, 2025, by 05:00 pm EDT

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) seeks information on independent verification and validation (IV&V) capabilities for testing and evaluation of flexible or malleable batteries. Flexible and malleable batteries present IV&V challenges that are not found with current rigid designs, such as the need for a combination of mechanical testing with battery discharge monitoring.
The goal of this Request for Information (RFI) is feedback regarding the testing, evaluation, and metrology of flexible and/or malleable battery systems from stakeholders including industry, university-affiliated research centers (UARCs), government labs, and federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) detailing infrastructure, equipment, testing methodology, and expertise related to the validation of battery systems with flexible or malleable characteristics. Responses to this RFI will be used to inform and support future DARPA solicitations on related topics.

 

 

NextFlex PC 10.0

DoD / NextFlex

Solicitation: PC 10.0

NextFlex

Posted Date: March 20, 2025

Webinar Date: March 27, 2025  Registration Deadline March 24, 2025 REGISTER HERE

Proposal Due Date: May 21, 2025

Project Call (PC) 10.0 is the tenth project call issued by NextFlex. Like the previous project calls, it is intended to advance the state of the art in manufacturing for hybrid electronics and to promote
the strength, competitiveness, and interconnectedness of the U.S. manufacturing ecosystem for hybrid electronics. Each NextFlex project call builds from and implements changes relative to past project calls, and all proposers should carefully read all sections of this guidebook to understand changes in proposal
development, required content, submission, evaluation, eligibility, and selection criteria.

Topics for PC 10.0 include:

  • Topic 10.1: Maturing and Derisking Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Processes and Devices
  • Topic 10.2: AI/ML for Design, Manufacturing, and Qualification of Hybrid Electronics
  • Topic 10.3: Hybrid Electronics Platform Demonstrator
  • Topic 10.4: Additive Manufacturing and Repair of Electronics in the Defense Industrial Base
  • Topic 10.5: Platform Demonstrator for Reduced Life Cycle Costs and Improved DoD Readiness
  • Topic 10.6: Open Topic for “New Project Leads”

Bilateral Academic Research Initiative (BARI) Program – Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE)

DoD

Solicitation: HQ003425NFOEASD05

https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/358555

Posted Date: March 14, 2025

Required White Papers Due: May 30, 2025 by 4:00 pm ET

Full Proposals by Invitation Only

This NFO is for the Bilateral Academic Research Initiative Pilot Program (BARI), which is jointly sponsored by the US Office of the Under-Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of the Republic of Korea (ROK). The BARI program addresses high risk basic research as an international collaboration. This research should attempt to provide the scientific foundation towards the development of future generations of robotics designs and concepts, via embodied intelligence. The goal of this program is to produce significant scientific breakthroughs and knowledge that will be critical steps in enabling revolutions in robotics technology and stimulate the emergence of new industries. Proposals that focus on incremental steps are not within the scope of this NFO.

Without a doubt, embodied intelligence can be of great potential benefit to the design of advanced robotics, allowing faster responses and considerably reducing the design complexity and energy resources. However, this also suggests that each case of embodiment leads to a unique robot design, since the process of designing the material, structure, circuit, and sensors must be repeated when the desired functionality and operation constraints are changed. It becomes desirable then to design the embodiment at the component level, and such that these components can be re-used in various robotic system designs, while being iteratively improved. Complex engineered systems (e.g., planes, trains and automobiles) are designed that way, an approach which provides the basis for rapid, low-cost and scalable development. However, that practice is currently based on “dumb” components1, with fixed and well-documented functionality and standardized interfaces. Components with embodied intelligence would then be a paradigm shift for robotics and new generations of complex machines.

Applied Mathematics

NSF

PD 16-1266

https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/applied-mathematics

Reissued March 19, 2025

Proposal Due Dates: November 1 2025 – November 17, 2025

November 1 – November 15, Annually Thereafter

The Applied Mathematics program supports mathematics research motivated by and contributing to the solution of problems arising in science and engineering. Successful proposals must demonstrate mathematical innovation, as well as breadth and quality of impact on applications. Projects that additionally provide opportunities for rigorous mathematical training of junior applied mathematicians through their involvement in research are encouraged. The proposals considered by the Applied Mathematics program may range from single investigator to interdisciplinary team projects.

Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education (FIRE)

NSF

Solicitation: 25-345Y

https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/fire-fire-science-innovations-through-research-education

Posted Date: March 13, 2025

Proposal Due Dates: June 20, 2025 by 5:00 pm Local Time

February 03, thru February 10, Annually Thereafter

Wildland fire is a powerful force on the planet, one that is rapidly accelerating in complexity beyond our current understanding. A new approach is needed. This approach requires a proactive and scalable perspective that recognizes the variety and connectedness of components of wildland fire. Coordinated scientific research and education that enables large-scale, cross-cutting breakthroughs to transform our understanding of wildland fire is urgently needed. In an era of rapid change, our society needs forward-looking research built on new frameworks that will realign our relationship with wildland fire.

The Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education (FIRE) program invites innovative multidisciplinary and multisector investigations focused on convergent research and education activities in wildland fire. All areas of science, engineering, and education supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation are included in this program. Projects developed by a wide array of groups including, for example, academics, educators, scientists, community members, students, industry partners, practitioners, resource managers, and Tribal representatives, working together to generate new knowledge of the interactions among biological, social, geoscientific, and engineering processes encompassing multiple fields, scales, and perspectives on wildland fire are encouraged.

TraCSS Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Research and Technology Development

NOAA

Solicitation: BAA-NOAA-SSA-STC-2025

https://sam.gov/opp/e01e1c07b909476790484203e6c3efb2/view

Posted Date: March 14, 2025

Required White Paper Due Date: May 30, 2025 by 12:00 pm ET

Full Proposals by Invitation Only

The United States Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Space Commerce (OSC) is requesting White Papers that could lead to Proposals and funded research to enhance and advance technologies in Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Traffic Coordination (STC).

Space Situational Awareness Data
Summary: OSC is interested in exploring the utility of data fusion, including but not limited to the fusion
of state vectors to state vectors and observations to state vectors, and other methods to improve the
states of objects and reduce ambiguity in conjunction screening results, especially in circumstances
where independent data streams and supporting information may be deficient. Improvements in
covariance, object accuracy and uncertainty of position, velocity and orbit are sought via unique and
novel combinations of available sensors and information. This effort will include creating new strategies
for handling the reconciliation of orbit states and related SSA Data from multiple independent data
sources.

Conjunction Assessment
Summary: OSC seeks efforts on improvements to conjunction assessment techniques and algorithms
including, but not limited to flexibility, scalability, and speed with application to launch, on-orbit and
end-of-life operations. In addition, OSC seeks to explore the impact of various variables and factors in
the calculations of conjunction assessments and how to optimize approaches for items such as, but not
limited to, hard body radius modeling.

General Category for Space Situational Awareness Technologies
Summary: OSC is interested in general technologies that advance the state of the art of space situational
awareness in the application of space safety and space traffic coordination. This category is intended to
cover areas not specifically mentioned earlier and solicit for unique ideas. However, the other categories
will be prioritized for this BAA.

 

Crystal Substrate Bonding Technologies and Algorithms (CRYSTAL) Webinar

DARPA

Solicitation: DARPA‐SN‐25-57

https://sam.gov/opp/3ee4921500324f38918f8a004fb11ecb/view

Posted Date: March 11, 2025

Registration Due Date: April 1, 2025 by 12:00 pm ET  REGISTER HERE

Webinar Date: April 02, 2025 at 11:00 am ET

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is sponsoring a live virtual webinar to provide information about the Crystal Substrate Bonding Technologies and Algorithms (CRYSTAL) Advanced Research Concepts (ARC) Opportunity (DARPA-EA-25-02-04). The webinar will include information specific to the CRYSTAL ARC Opportunity as well as an overview of the ARC initiative. Registrants will hear from Government personnel and leading researchers in related fields and participate in question-and-answer sessions. The virtual webinar will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
Registration is required for all attendees of the webinar.

Overview: DARPA/DSO has issued an ARC Opportunity, inviting submissions of abstracts
for innovative exploratory research concepts in the technical domain of wafer bonding of thinfilm crystals (https://www.darpa.mil/ARC). ARC Opportunities are designed to allow an
individual researcher the opportunity and time to focus on nascent, paradigm-shifting ideas for
national security. This ARC Opportunity, titled CRYSTAL, is issued under the master ARC
Exploration Announcement (EA), DARPA-EA-25-02.

 

Discover DSO Day (D3)

DARPA

Solicitation: DARPA-SN-25-59

https://sam.gov/opp/c5ad671182824fbba3d875273b32118e/view

Posted Date: March 10, 2025

Registration Due Date: April 08, 2025 by 5:00 pm  REGISTER HERE 

Event Date: April 23-24, 2025

DARPA seeks to identify and pursue high-impact research initiatives across a broad spectrum of science and engineering disciplines for the U.S. Department of Defense. The objective of this event is to connect DSO with the science and technology community to help generate world-leading technologies and capabilities for U.S. national security, which is critical to the Office’s mission of creating and preventing scientific surprise. DARPA DSO focuses on nascent and emergent technologies that may result in breakthrough capabilities for U.S. national security applications and the demonstration of the potential of these technologies through targeted development efforts.
DSO research opportunities are broadcast through a variety of mechanisms, including program solicitations such as Broad Area Announcements (BAAs), Disruption Opportunities (DOs), and Advanced Research Concepts (ARCs). DARPA designed these opportunities to enable the global research community to pursue breakthrough ideas while understanding that such ideas often include substantial technical risks.
DSO is interested in engaging with the broad research and development community to tackle complex challenges and validate impactful research concepts and ideas that address DARPA’s mission and lead to transformative capabilities.

View All Opportunities