Research

Apply to Internal Competition // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

Limiting Language
Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique UEI or NIH IPF number) is allowed.

Purpose
The purpose of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to support research and/or preclinical development of highly efficacious vaccines against malaria - one of the deadliest mosquito-borne diseases - by capitalizing on recent technological innovations, particularly in structure-based immunogen design, improved formulations, and combination vaccines. The goal is to achieve long-lasting, highly effective protection that can save lives, strengthen public health security in the United States, and serve as a model for, or are potentially effective against, other mosquito-borne diseases. 

Full sponsor guidelines are linked here.

Apply to Internal Competition // Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 2

Limiting Language
Each eligible institution may submit a maximum of two proposals for the 2027–2028 funding cycle.
 

Overview
The ASCENDR Research Program is a competitive, faculty-led program designed to advance research aligned with the U.S. Department of War’s (DoW) science and technology priorities. Through targeted research funding, faculty across HSRU Alliance institutions will lead projects that address real-world defense challenges while engaging graduate students in meaningful research experiences. The program supports the development of innovative solutions in key technical areas and fosters deeper collaboration between academic researchers and the defense enterprise.

Critical Technology Areas
For the 2027–2028 funding cycle, proposed research must contribute to one or more of the six DoW Critical Technology Areas identified for this competition. Proposals may address a Critical Technology Area directly or advance foundational, enabling, or cross-cutting research with a clearly articulated connection to one or more of the areas

1. Applied Artificial Intelligence (AAI)
   Research that advances the effective application of artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and related computational methods to improve decision-making and operational efficiency. Relevant research may include algorithms, data methods, autonomy, human-machine teaming, modeling and simulation, trustworthy and assured AI, and approaches that enable reliable AI adoption across defense domains.
2. Biomanufacturing (BIO)
   Research that harnesses living systems, biological processes, and bioengineering to produce critical materials, substances, or capabilities at scale. Relevant research may include bioprocess development, synthetic biology, biofabrication, scale-up, quality and reproducibility, and approaches that reduce supply-chain vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience.
3. Contested Logistics Technologies (LOG)
   Research that enables forces to operate and sustain missions when transportation, supply networks, communications, or infrastructure are disrupted, degraded, or denied. Relevant research may include energy storage and power systems, resilient supply networks, predictive logistics, autonomous or distributed resupply, maintenance and sustainment, and production at the point of need.
4. Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance (Q-BID)
   Research that advances technologies needed to maintain information advantage in degraded or denied environments, including resilient communications, precision navigation and timing, sensing, and electromagnetic-spectrum maneuverability. Relevant research may draw on quantum science and engineering, radio-frequency technologies, photonics, radar and electronic warfare, secure networks, signal processing, and other approaches that improve the availability, accuracy, and survivability of battlefield information.
5. Scaled Directed Energy (SCADE)
   Research that advances scalable and affordable high-energy laser and high-power microwave capabilities for the precise neutralization of threats. Relevant research may include energy sources, materials and components, power and thermal management, beam generation and control, modeling and testing, manufacturability, and approaches that overcome cost and production barriers.
6. Scaled Hypersonics (SHY)
   Research that enables the affordable and scalable development of systems operating at Mach 5 or greater. Relevant research may include propulsion, aerothermodynamics, high-temperature materials and structures, thermal protection, guidance, navigation and control, sensing, modeling and simulation, testing, and manufacturing approaches that improve speed, precision, survivability, and production at scale

Eligibility

The proposal must originate from an HSRU member institution in good standing.

• Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator(s) must be a Research Faculty member or Tenure/Tenure Track Faculty member that is early to mid-career, defined as within the first 8 years of their professional research career.     
• The Principal Investigator must hire and integrate at least one Graduate Research Assistant for this project. The graduate assistant must be enrolled at the start of the project and maintain enrollment eligibility throughout the proposed project.  
• All PIs, Co-PIs, and the graduate assistant working on this project must be U.S. Persons, defined as U.S. born or U.S. Naturalized Citizens.
• The Principal Investigator and Co-PIs must agree to jointly participate in the ASCENDR Leadership Program.

Full sponsor guidelines are linked here.

Apply to Internal Competition // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

Limited Language
This is a limited submission opportunity: each institution may nominate ONE applicant for this funding opportunity 

Program Overview
At Susan G. Komen®, we are committed to saving lives by meeting the most critical needs in our communities and investing in breakthrough research to conquer deadly and aggressive breast cancers. We are determined to change the unacceptable reality that each year about 43,000 people in the U.S. will die from breast cancer. As part of this goal, we are focused on improving the care and outcomes for people with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a rare and highly aggressive form of breast cancer.  

IBC is characterized by tumor cell emboli blocking the breast lymph vessels. This blockage causes inflammatory-like changes in the breast, including swelling and skin reddening. The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) guidelines define IBC by the rapid onset (less than 6 months) of erythema occupying at least 1/3 of the breast, edema, peau d’ orange (orange peel-like appearance) and/or warmth (with or without an underlying mass), and pathologic confirmation of invasive carcinoma. Although IBC has been recognized as a distinct form of breast cancer for over a century, its etiology and underlying biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. Consequently, no validated, widely adopted IBC-specific biomarkers or targeted therapies exist, and current management is largely informed by evidence from non-IBC breast cancer. This limited understanding of IBC biology remains a significant barrier to the development of more precise diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, highlighting the need for research focused on the unique mechanisms driving the disease. Therefore, the goal of the Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) Research Grant is to support innovative, hypothesis-driven research that advances our understanding of the biological underpinnings of IBC and opens new avenues of investigation into the disease.  

To identify areas where investment could have the greatest impact, the Susan G. Komen-IBCRF IBC Collaborative, in partnership with the Milburn Foundation, convened the Biology of IBC Task Force, a group of IBC researchers and patient advocates. The Task Force identified three broad areas of scientific opportunity that require significant investigation to advance the field: 

• 1. IBC onset and development, including studies focused on the tumor and host microenvironment, epigenetic and proteomic drivers of disease, host genetic factors and biological contributors to health disparities. 

  2. IBC metastatic dissemination, including mechanisms of cell migration and mobility, biological characteristics associated with therapeutic response and the role of tumor and host, epigenetic and proteomic factors in IBC disease progression. 

  3. IBC monitoring and detection, including approaches to detect minimal residual disease (MRD), improve prognostication, assess therapeutic response and advance theragnostic strategies. 

Eligibility 
Applicant/PIs and Institutions must conform to the following eligibility criteria to apply for an Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Grant. Grants will be awarded to a single Principal Investigator (PI). Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) are not allowed. CoInvestigators are permitted. 
Applicant/PI 

• Must be nominated as the sole Applicant/PI from their institution by the Institution’s Office of Sponsored Programs, Grants Office, or equivalent. This is a limited submission opportunity, and the Applicant/PI cannot self-nominate.  
• Must have a doctoral degree, such as M.D., Ph.D., D.Ph., D.O. or equivalent. 
• Must hold a full-time faculty appointment or have a formal offer letter from the Institution that confirms position and start date by the Full Application due date (January 18, 2027), documented by the Applicant/PI Biosketch.  
• May NOT be the PI of an active Komen Grant that includes specific aims or objectives focused on IBC at the Full Application due date (January 18, 2027).  
• May NOT be the PI of two or more active Komen Grants at the Full Application due date (January 18, 2027) 
• Must ensure that all past Komen-funded Grants are up to date and in compliance with all Komen requirements, e.g., progress and financial report submissions, IRB approvals, etc. by the Full Application due date (January 18, 2027), if applicable. 
• Is not required to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. 
• The institution-nominated Applicant/PI may submit only one Letter of Intent in response to this funding announcement.  

Apply to Internal Competition // Limit: 1 (Lead Applicant) // Tickets Available: 1

Limiting Language
You can submit only one application for this NOFO. If you submit more than one, we will only review the last timely submission. Any other submissions listing the same entity as the applicant for the same topic area will not be eligible. This limitation does not prohibit you from collaborating on other applications (e.g., as a potential subrecipient or partner) if you are not listed as the applicant on more than one application for each topic area of this NOFO.

Executive Summary
The goal of this award is to develop a potentially revolutionary Light Water Reactor (LWR) Silicon Carbide (SiC) cladding material that can withstand significant accident and transient conditions. This program seeks to support research and development of SiC cladding technology, including mechanical, thermal-hydraulic, high temperature, and corrosion testing for both unirradiated and irradiated SiC cladding samples. This will provide the useful performance data to enable future commercial lead test rods (LTRs) irradiation testing. Irradiation campaigns in research reactors (e.g., INL ATR, ORNL HFIR, MITR) and Post Irradiation Evaluations (PIEs) are expected to provide irradiation performance data for fuel vendor licensing and accident analyses methods needed for NRC licensing review. Improvements in SiC/SiC composite cladding fabrication methods are expected to be made.

Full sponsor guidelines are linked here.

Request Ticket // Limit: 3 // Tickets Available: 3

Limiting Language
A maximum of three RGP applications will be accepted from one institution in any one grant cycle; it is the responsibility of the Lead Applicant and the host institution to coordinate the number of applications submitted. Institutions are encouraged to contact us to discuss the prioritisation of their applications, if needed. The INSPIRE Research Challenge is delivered as a separate grant call, so you are welcome to make another three applications as an institution to this.

Research Priority Areas
To focus this expanded programme where it can have the greatest impact, our 2026-27 grant calls will include six priority areas, identified through evidence gaps highlighted by the Global Cancer Update Programme, our strategic objectives and consultation with our scientific stakeholders.

For the 2026-27 grant call, applications must focus on at least one of the six priority areas. Applications may span more than one priority area where this is scientifically justified; applicants should identify all relevant areas and make the main alignment of the proposed research clear.  Alignment with a priority area does not replace the usual requirements for scientific quality, relevance to WCRF International’s remit, feasibility and potential impact. For this year’s grant call, sleep will be included as a primary exposure alongside diet, nutrition, physical activity and body composition.

1. Integrative Oncology
2. Lifestyle and weight-loss medications
3. Early-onset cancers
4. Early-life exposures
5. Ingested contaminants
6. Ultra-processed foods

Submit Letter of Intent // Limit: 2 (lead organization) // Limit: 2 

Limiting Language
An eligible organization can submit a maximum of two Written Proposals per Topic Announcement for Phase 0 as a lead organization. Senior/Key Personnel may be listed on a maximum of one Written Proposal per Topic Announcement.

Topic Description 
Decades of progress in AI algorithms, robotics, sensing, and embedded computing, combined with accelerating industry investment, have positioned the U.S. to redefine how intelligent systems interact with the physical world. While digital AI has advanced rapidly, the next frontier requires developing intelligent, adaptive, and scalable systems capable of perceiving, acting and learning directly within complex physical environments with adaptive human-robot interaction.

Achieving this vision demands innovations in foundational platform technologies to support situational adaptability, continuous learning, and right-sized simulation-to-reality systems. 

Imagine heterogeneous autonomous swarms in military and disaster triage environments capable of high-stakes collective decision making in collaboration with human counterparts and the situational adaptability to perform complex locomotion, sensing, and targeted delivery tasks. Or bio-inspired robotics that operate with adaptive sensing for reflexive sensor input control, neuromorphic cognitive efficiency, and self-healing materials and behaviors. These advances demand significant, continual, and cross-disciplinary ecosystems to save lives, and catalyze U.S. technological and economic innovation. 

NSF X-Labs teams will target early-stage platform technologies that enable breakthroughs to accelerate entirely new forms of AI integration in physical systems including advanced sensors, robotics, embodied systems, human-robot interfaces, or cyber-physical systems. Examples of relevant Missions include, but are not limited to: technologies to enable new forms of distributed learning and swarming; adaptive behavior in the absence of connectivity; novel algorithms for sensor integration into digital twin or cyber-physical simulations; new capabilities in edge AI for physical systems; new modalities for AI control of emerging robotics such as bio-inspired or biohybrid components; platforms to support the next generation of robotic manufacturing based on mass-customizability and intuitive learning; and breakthroughs in the development of training data that, together with other advances, prepare physical AI systems for real-world variability including interactions with human counterparts. The resultant innovative platform technologies should benefit a broad range of application domains critical to U.S. competitiveness and security, which may include healthcare, national defense, emergency response, advanced manufacturing, and scientific discovery. 

An NSF X-Labs Mission in this Topic must be transformative, accelerating breakthrough R&D in physical AI towards creating or reshaping new lines of research and technologies. Successful teams will develop platform technologies, overcome technical barriers facing AI for physical systems, demonstrate measurable impact on the U.S. science and technology landscape, and position their technologies for widespread use and investment. Teams proposing to this Topic must justify that their proposed Mission will develop a technology not presently supported by existing R&D investments by the U.S. public or private sector. 

Examples of challenges not considered in scope for this Topic include computational or software solutions without practical integration into a physical system, integration of current technologies without significant advancement of the state-of-the-art, development of technologies where the impact is narrow and not widely deployable, fundamental research without potential for application in platform technologies, incremental advancement of the state-of-the-art, or advancement of technologies that are already appropriately developed to the point of full-scale commercialization.

Request Ticket // Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 1

J. Schwartz (Pharmacology)

Limiting Language 
Submissions will be evaluated to ensure they align with our mission and funding criteria. A limit of two proposals may be submitted from the same institution, researcher, or foundation.

Program Overview
SebastianStrong Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of childhood cancer and accelerating the development of more targeted, less toxic treatments by funding bold, early-stage research. Since 2017, we have awarded over $4 million to cutting-edge, peer-reviewed pediatric cancer research. Through strategic partnerships, matched contributions, and follow-on funding secured by investigators, our overall impact now exceeds $6 million.
 

We exist because kids deserve better. Too many promising ideas in pediatric cancer research go unfunded due to limited institutional support, lack of commercial incentive, and minimal government investment, especially for rare and relapsed cancers. At SebastianStrong, we focus exclusively on childhood cancers, where small patient populations often mean traditional funders and pharmaceutical companies overlook research.

ABOUT THE DISCOVERY SCIENCE AWARD

The Discovery Science Award typically provides up to $500,000 in funding for groundbreaking research that aligns with our mission. In select cases, proposals demonstrating exceptional potential for impact and scalability may be considered for higher levels of support.

Our Scientific Advisory Board, composed of leading pediatric oncologists and researchers, conducts a two-stage review process. First, Letters of Intent (LOIs) are evaluated to identify projects that best align with our mission and funding priorities. Selected applicants are then invited to submit a full proposal, which is reviewed in detail to determine final award decisions. Funding recommendations are made by the Scientific Advisory Board and approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

To be considered for funding, proposals must meet the following criteria:

1. Are focused on pediatric cancer
2. Will lead to less toxic, more targeted treatments
3. Are clearly communicated in lay terms (accessible to our Board and donor community)
4. Demonstrate strong potential to progress toward a clinical trial in 1-3 years

We welcome new, ongoing, and updated peer-reviewed research. However, we do not accept in-progress or ongoing clinical trials. Any author or researcher conflict of interest must be disclosed at the time of submission. All submissions are treated as CONFIDENTIAL and are accessible only to members of SebastianStrong’s Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board until the time of award. We are happy to execute NDAs upon request.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

SebastianStrong funds one or more proposals each year that advance meaningful change in pediatric cancer treatment. We are especially interested in research that:

• Focuses on pediatric cancers with low survival rates or high relapse rates
• Has transitional potential within 36 months
• Pursues underfunded or unconventional approaches that could change the status quo

Limit: 1* (additional application possible for cancer types specified below) // Tickets Available: 0

J. Schwartz (Pharmacology)

Limiting Language

• Each institution may submit one (1) LOI/application in each open St. Baldrick’s funding category. 
• ATTENTION:  St. Baldrick’s Foundation has identified the areas below as funding interests and has donors interested in supporting meritorious projects in these areas. To encourage submissions in these priority areas, institutions may submit one additional LOI beyond the standard limited submissions. Only one additional submission is permitted per institution for the entire cycle (Research, Scholar, International Scholar or Survivorship & Supportive Care Research Grant); this does not allow one additional submission in each program or funding category. 
  • Brain tumors – all types, including rare forms, especially atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT), diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG)/diffuse midline glioma (DMG), and glioblastoma (GBM) 
  • Burkitt lymphoma – all types, especially sporadic 
  • Rhabdoid tumors - Extrarenal 
• Applications submitted in the above funding interest areas will be considered in a separate study section. 

Program Overview
These grants are for specific two-year research projects which are hypothesis driven and may be either laboratory, clinical, or epidemiological in nature. Please submit a realistic budget for the project. Grants will be $100,000/year or less, for two years.

No Applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

Limiting Language
An organization may submit only one application as lead applicant and may apply for only one region. An organization may participate as a partner or subrecipient on applications for other regions, provided such participation does not create conflicts of interest or compromise the organization’s ability to fulfill its primary commitment.

Summary
Child welfare agencies continue to face challenges in recruiting and matching adoptive families for children awaiting permanency, due in part to outdated processes, limited data integration, and inconsistent access to effective tools. Most jurisdictions rely on static photo listing services, fragmented data systems, and manual caseworker knowledge to identify potential matches. While existing national recruitment resources provide important visibility for waiting children, there is a growing need for modern, technology-enabled approaches and tools that actively support caseworkers in timely, data-informed, and high-quality matching decisions. 

ACF will fund regional innovation hubs to design, implement, and evaluate human- centered technology-enabled solutions that improve adoptive family recruitment and matching. These solutions may include data-informed recruitment tools, AI-assisted matching, and predictive analytics to accelerate permanency for children in foster care. 

ACF expects to fund three regional innovation hubs—you must apply to the appropriate region: 

• Eastern Region. 
• Central Region. 
• Western Region. 

Innovation hubs will partner with pilot jurisdictions in their region to develop, deploy, and evaluate these tools; strengthen agency capacity; and support implementation through intensive technical assistance, training, and continuous quality improvement. Hubs will also disseminate tools, best practices, and lessons learned to jurisdictions across their region and collaborate nationally to promote shared learning.

For the purposes of this NOFO, pilot jurisdictions must be public child welfare agencies that administer Title IV-E foster care and adoption assistance programs at the state, territorial, tribal, or local level. 

If awarded, recipients will focus on the following activities: 

• Applied research, development, and testing of technology-enabled recruitment and matching solutions. 
• Training, coaching, and technical assistance to support implementation. 
• Advancement of interoperability and data standards. 
• Implementation of privacy, security, and safeguards. 
• Dissemination and knowledge sharing to support the broader field. 

To support effective implementation of all program activities, each innovation hub must establish and implement a robust performance measurement and continuous quality improvement (CQI) framework to assess progress, inform decision-making, and drive continuous improvement. 

Through these activities, the program aims to accelerate permanency, improve the quality and stability of adoptive placements, and strengthen the child welfare system’s ability to use data and technology to support children and families.

No Applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

Limiting Language
Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique UEI number or NIH IPF number) is allowed.

Purpose
In response to a longstanding congressional mandate (P.L. 98-619, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriation Act, 1985), NIMHD invites applications from eligible institutions to establish a national coordinating center (CC) for the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMIs) initiative. The RCMI CC will coordinate activities across funded RCMI U54 Centers, prospectively evaluate the overall RCMI program, and serve as a national resource to help these centers achieve their primary goals. The RCMI CC will be responsive to requests generated by RCMI site key personnel, NIMHD, NIH, the scientific community, and the general public.