Minerva Research Initiative
The Minerva Research Initiative supports social science research aimed at improving our basic understanding of security, broadly defined. All supported projects are university-based and unclassified, with the intention that all work be shared widely to support thriving stable and safe communities. The goal is to improve DoD’s basic understanding of the social, cultural, behavioral, and political forces that shape regions of the world of strategic importance to the U.S.
Program & History
Launched by the Secretary of Defense in 2008, the Minerva Research Initiative is a DoD-sponsored, university-based social science research initiative that focuses on areas of strategic importance to the U.S. national security policy.
Administration
The Minerva Research Initiative has a unique relationship between Research and Policy within the DoD, being jointly administered by the Office of Basic Research and the Office of Policy at the US Department of Defense. As such, leadership across the department collaborate to identify and support basic social science research issues in need of attention and to integrate those research insights into the policy-making environment. In doing this, the leadership team closely works with the program managers within the Military Service Branches.
2023 Minerva Meeting and Program Review
REGISTER NOW for the 2023 Minerva Meeting & Program Review. At this annual event, Minerva grant awardees will share research findings to date with defense policy makers and military operations personnel throughout the two-day review.
Pending conference approval, the 2023 Minerva Meeting will be held at the Hyatt Centric in Arlington, VA from May 2-3. To register, click here. More information including scheduling and topics is forthcoming! We look forward to seeing you there!
Grants and Fellowships
The Defense Education and Civilian University Research (DECUR) Partnership competition is NOW CLOSED.
The 2022 Funding Opportunity Announcement for University Research Grants is NOW CLOSED.
Please note, that the DECUR FOA follows different guidelines and deadlines than the Minerva University Grants FOA.