# Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Defense Education Program

**R-2A activity** of project 120 — National Defense Education Program (NDEP)  
**Program element:** 0601120D8Z — National Defense Education Program (NDEP)  
**Component:** Defense-Wide · **Budget Activity:** 1  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601120D8Z/120/a0  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601120D8Z

## Summary

This activity requests $130.7M in FY2027, 79% of project 120, up 8.3% on FY2026. The R-2A exhibit describes it across FY2025–FY2027, including what the FY2027 money is planned to buy.

## What the FY2027 request buys

**FY2027 planned work.** • Continue FY 2026 efforts. • Award up to 450-500 new scholarships to meet DoW sponsoring facility demand. • Projected to have ~816 SMART scholars intern at DoW facilities in summer 2027 • ~447 SMART scholars projected to begin their service commitment to the DoW civilian workforce in 2027, transitioning to full-time DoW civilian scientists and engineers. ​ • Continue the SMART SEED grant. • Continue the SMART CREATES effort.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The increase between FY 2026 and FY 2027 of $10.023 million enables the DoW to create opportunities through the Creative Research & Engineering Advancing Technical Excellence in STEM (CREATES) awards and expand SEED and SMART scholarships for service awards while continuing to support international internships.

## Before the request year

**FY2026 plans — current year.** • Continue FY 2025 efforts. • Award up to 700-750 new scholarships to meet DoW sponsoring facility demand. • Maintain the number of awards for the SMART SEED award. • Continue the SMART Creative Research and Engineering Advancing Technical Excellence in STEM (CREATES) award to support SMART scholar graduates of and collaborations with historically Black colleges and universities, and enahnce partnerships with DoW Sponsoring Facilities (HBCUs).

**FY2025 accomplishments.** • Continue FY 2024 efforts. • Continue expansion of the SMART Diversity Initiative per the Sections 242 and 250 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2021 by expanding strategic recruiting partnerships with affinity groups, non-profits, and academic institutions focused on serving underrepresented students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). • Increase Awards to 525-575 to meet DoD sponsoring facility demand. • Increase the number of awards for the SMART SEED grant. • Expand the SMART Creative Research and Engineering Advancing Technical Equity in STEM (CREATES) grant to support SMART scholar graduates of and collaborations with historically Black colleges and universities, minority institutions, or minority serving institutions in alignment with the SMART Diversity Initiative and Sections 242 and 250 of the NDAA for FY 2021.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 134.2 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 120.7 |
| FY2027 | Request | 130.7 |

> Prior, current and budget year only — an R-2A activity carries no five-year plan. It sums exactly into its project in the request year and not necessarily in any other.

## Other activities in project 120

- [Joint Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) K-12 Education](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601120D8Z/120/a3) — FY2027 30.3
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education and Workforce Development — FY2027 4.5
- Biotechnology (BIOTECH) Education Program — FY2027 —

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0601120D8Z project 120 (PB PB2027). Narrative is the government's own text.
- **No marks, no contractors at this grain** — congressional marks land on the program element and R-3 performers on the project.
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_activity`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*