Defense Department Awards $3.3 Million in NDEP Grants to Support Civic EngagementDOD Hyper-AMPD! Prize Challenge Awards $1 Million for Concepts Enabling Rapid Delivery of[...]

The Department of Defense today announced awards totaling $3.3 million for allocation to three institutions of higher education under the National Defense Education Program. The two-year grants support the NDEP's Civil Society programs to provide enhanced civics education in areas such as critical thinking and media literacy and interest in public service.

"Investments in civil society and civics education are vital to ensuring the United States prepares its talent base for the challenges of the 21st century," said Dr. Aprille Ericsson, assistant secretary of defense for science and technology. "DoD invests heavily in STEM to prepare students to tackle current and future technology challenges. It invests in civics education to prepare them to be tomorrow's leaders, able to think independently, communicate adeptly, and engage with their communities as active, informed citizens."

In 2023, 13 institutions received $53 million in grants to support Civil Society program as well as the department's Manufacturing Engineering Education Program, STEM scholarship programs, and Enhanced Civics Education programs.

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering awarded the 2024 grants to the following institutions:

• The Regents of the University of Colorado (Colorado Springs, Colorado): "Digital Citizenship and Civics Leadership in the Pikes Peak Region (DCCL)"
• University of Montana (Missoula, Montana): "Project on American Democracy"
• Winona State University (Winona, Minnesota): "Winona State University Civic Center"

Visit https://dodstem.us/about/partners/ to read the awardees' abstracts and learn about other DoD STEM partners.

About USD(R&E)

The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E) is the Chief Technology Officer of the Department of Defense. The USD(R&E) champions research, science, technology, engineering, and innovation to maintain the United States military's technological advantage. Learn more at www.cto.mil or visit us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/ousdre.