Department of War Cyber Service Academy (DoW CSA)
Funds designated U.S. institutions of higher education to run a full-time cyber scholarship program for academic year 2026-2027, with possible modest institutional capacity-building support for faculty development, lab improvements, and curriculum development in cyber-related topics.
⚑ Eligible applicants are regionally or nationally accredited U.S. institutions of higher education designated as NCAE-C National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, Research, and/or Cyber Operations. · Support is primarily scholarships/program administration; collateral support is limited and modest. · Award ceiling is $20,000,000.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 60 good | technical depth: central; funds training education (capped) |
| IPPRA | 40 partial | portfolio topic: cybersecurity (primary); social/behavioral work is minor; funds training education, not research (capped); capped at 40 (non-research funding) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 15 none | deep-tech content; no commercialization signal |
Description
See the "Related Documents" and "Package" tabs for the complete application package, including the full text of the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
The Department of War (DoW) Cyber Service Academy (CSA) is authorized by Chapter 112 of Title 10, United States Code, Section 2200. The purpose of the program is to support the recruitment of new cyber talent and the retention of current highly skilled professionals within the DoW cyber workforce. Additionally, this program serves to enhance the national pipeline for the development of cyber personnel by providing grants to institutions of higher education.
Regionally and nationally accredited U.S. institutions of higher education, designated under the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) and known as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, Research, and/or Cyber Operations (hereinafter referred to as designated institutions) are invited to submit proposals for developing and managing a full-time, institution-based, grant-funded scholarship program in cyber-related disciplines for Academic Year 2026-2027.
Consistent with 10 U.S.C. 2200b, proposals to this solicitation may also request modest collateral support for purposes of institutional capacity building to include faculty development, laboratory improvements, and/or curriculum development, in cyber-related topics to providing a strong foundation for a DoW CSA.
Eligibility
Please see Section C of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (under the "Related Documents" tab) for complete eligibility requirements.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Jonathan Bertsch Grantor <jonathan.e.bertsch.civ@mail.mil>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · Department of Defense (BAA-style) conventions SEE A DOD EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — Department of Defense (BAA-style)'s document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.