Upcoming

IMPORTNAT NOTE: 
We are proceeding with our normal internal competition schedule even though there is not currently a live solicitation for the NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program. We are monitoring the program and will provide updates as they are available. If there are major changes in a new solicitation, we will work with applicants to respond accordingly. 

Apply to Internal Competition // Limit: 4 (subject to change, see above) // Tickets Available: 4

Limiting Language
Each performing organization may submit in revised "Tracks" as defined below, with no more than two (2) submissions in Track 1 and no more than one (1) submission in Track 2. For the newly defined Track 3, no more than one (1) submission per competition is permitted. As a result, it is now possible for an institution to submit up to four MRI proposals within the Track limits as described above.

Inclusion as a funded subawardee on a development proposal at a level in excess of 20% of the total budget requested from NSF, or as a funded subawardee, when allowed, on any acquisition proposal, will be counted against an organization's proposal submission limit. If you plan to partner at a level in excess of 20%, please notify RDS by the internal deadline. 

Program Description

The NSF Major Research Instrumentation Grant is awaiting a new solicitation. The old solicitation for the program is linked here. The program page is linked here. Details from the previous solicitation are included below.

The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program (MRI Program Website) serves to increase access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and research training in our Nation's institutions of higher education and not-for-profit scientific/engineering research organizations. An MRI award supports the acquisition of a multi-user research instrument that is commercially available through direct purchase from a vendor, or for the personnel costs and equipment that are required for the development of an instrument with new capabilities, thereby advancing instrumentation capabilities and enhancing expertise for instrument design and fabrication at academic institutions. MRI instruments are, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs.

MRI provides support to acquire critical research instrumentation without which advances in fundamental science and engineering research may not otherwise occur. MRI also provides support to obtain next-generation research instruments by developing instruments with new capabilities that open new opportunities to advance the frontiers in science and engineering research. Additionally, an MRI award is expected to enhance research training of students who will become the next generation of instrument users, designers and builders.

An MRI proposal may request from NSF up to $4 million for either acquisition or development of a research instrument. Each performing organization may submit in revised "Tracks" as defined below, with no more than two (2) submissions in Track 1 and no more than one (1) submission in Track 2. For the newly defined Track 3, no more than one (1) submission per competition is permitted. As a result, it is now possible for an institution to submit up to four MRI proposals within the Track limits as described above.

• Track 1: Track 1 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than $100,0001 and less than $1,400,000.
• Track 2: Track 2 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $1,400,000 up to and including $4,000,000.
• Track 3: Track 3 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,0001 and less than or equal to $4,000,000 that include the purchase, installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment and instrumentation to conserve or reduce the consumption of helium. Institutions may submit no more than one Track 3 proposal. Submission of a Track 3 proposal does not impact limits that apply for Track 1 and Track 2 proposals.

Cost sharing requirements for new awards in the MRI Program are waived for a period of 5 years beginning with the FY 2023 MRI competition. Institutional submission limits for Track 1, Track 2 and Track 3 proposals remain.

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

Limiting Language
Limit of one application per institution for either the Collaborative or the Individual grant with the  endorsement of the Chief(s) of the Division(s) of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology.  

Goals and Focus
The goal of these grants is to overcome barriers to the clinical application of new treatment approaches for childhood cancer. A priority is to fund projects that have already shown great promise, but that have a specific funding need to move forward. The three main focus areas for this RFP are: 

• Cancer immunotherapy or targeted therapy  
• High-grade brain tumors or other difficult-to-treat pediatric cancers  
• Epigenetic modifying therapy or gene therapy  

Applications of novel technologies (e.g. nanotechnology, omics, gene editing, bioinformatics, and AI) in these areas are welcome. 

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

Limiting Language 
We welcome you to submit up to two nominations.

Eligibility Criteria
We ask that you only nominate exceptional candidates who satisfy the following criteria:

• Have achieved tenure or an equivalent status prior to the nomination deadline and within the past three calendar years (between January 1, 2023 and August 10, 2026),
• Have a remarkable record of accomplishment in mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and/or engineering,
• Have a demonstrated history of pursuing and publishing results in more than one field,
• Have a desire and plan to expand their research portfolios by exploring a substantive disciplinary or methodological shift, but have not yet launched such shifts,
• Demonstrate a need for additional funding to enable new experiments, explorations, or shifts in research directions.

Funding Goals
The Schmidt Science Polymath Program seeks to empower intensely creative, mid-career researchers to take adventurous leaps into new research domains, experiment with new methodologies and ideas, and inspire impactful scientific breakthroughs.

The Schmidt Science Polymath Program (“the program”) recognizes extraordinary researchers with remarkable track records, promising futures, and a desire to expand their research portfolios by exploring a substantive disciplinary or methodological shift soon after achieving tenure.

The program will offer research support to professors who have achieved tenure or an equivalent status within the past three calendar years with remarkable track records and highly promising futures. Each professor will be awarded $500,000 per year, paid through their institution, for up to five years to help support a research group through talent, collaboration, equipment, and/or other resources. These grants are intended to make possible the exploration of new ideas across disciplines, using emerging technologies to test risky theories that may not otherwise receive funding or support. They are not intended to relieve the researcher of pursuing other grants to continue their mainstream work, nor to be large enough to fully support a modern lab.

Schmidt Sciences are especially interested in supporting highly creative, original, and risky research that is clearly distinct from past areas and directions.

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

The University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) is coordinating this limited submission. For more information please contact: UACC-PreAward.

Limiting Language
The University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) can nominate up to two applicants for the FY27 Susan G Komen Career Catalyst Research Grant.

Purpose of Award
For more than a decade, Susan G. Komen Career Catalyst Research (CCR) Grants have fostered promising breast cancer researchers who are in the early stages of their faculty careers by providing support for up to three years of “protected time” for research career development under the guidance of a Mentor Committee. We seek to support those who will emerge as the next key leaders in the fight against breast cancer.

The goal of the FY27 CCR Grant is to support early career investigators to advance these research goals. We are especially interested in hypothesis-driven studies that target breast cancer, in the development of strategies for earlier diagnosis, reduce risk of breast cancer, or increase the effectiveness of current therapies to lead to longer and better-quality outcomes for patients. Research projects must be hypothesis-driven, breast cancer-focused studies. They may be considered basic, translational, clinical and/or population science in nature and should align with Komen’s research priorities and/or mission to save lives from breast cancer.

Letters of Intent addressing topics not breast cancer focused, as described above, will be administratively withdrawn from consideration without an opportunity for appeal.

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

Limiting Language 
The University of Arizona is invited to nominate 1 individual to apply.

Program Description
Full sponsor guidelines are linked here.

The Searle Scholars Scientific Advisory Board is primarily interested in the potential of applicants to make innovative and high-impact contributions to research over an extended period of time.

Applicants for the 2027 competition (awards which will be activated on July 1, 2027) are expected to be pursuing independent research careers in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and related areas in chemistry, medicine, and the biological sciences.

Applicants should have begun their appointment as an independent investigator at the assistant professor level on or after May 1, 2025. The appointment must be their first tenure-track position (or its nearest equivalent).

Institutions which do not have tenure-track appointments should consult with the Scientific Director of the Program regarding eligibility of selected applicants PRIOR to nominating such individuals.

The Searle Scholars Program does not ordinarily support purely clinical research but has supported research programs that include both clinical and basic components. Potential applicants who are unsure if their research is appropriate for our Program are encouraged to examine the research interests of present and former Searle Scholars on this website.

Applicants who were nominated for awards in the previous competition year but were not awarded may still meet the eligibility criteria for the current competition. Institutions should consult with the Scientific Director of the Program regarding renomination of such individuals.

Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

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

Purpose
The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to solicit applications to maintain or establish Lead Academic Organizations (LAOs) as part of the NCI Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network (ETCTN). ETCTN LAOs will design, develop, monitor, conduct, and analyze early phase clinical trials (e.g., phase 0, phase 1, phase 2, pilot, and other experimental therapeutic clinical trials) involving agents under regulatory sponsorship for New Investigational Drug (IND) applications held by NCI's Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD), Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP). Each ETCTN LAO will participate in clinical trials it leads as well as clinical trials led by other LAOs in the network. 

The ETCTN LAOs will provide oversight for all scientific, programmatic, financial, and administrative matters related to the sites participating in ETCTN trials as part of their LAOs. ETCTN LAOs are also expected to provide mentorship for investigators who are in the early stages of their research careers with a focus on clinical trials. All ETCTN LAOs will be required to use the ETCTN Pharmacokinetic (PK) Resource Laboratory as a central resource to incorporate PK studies within their early phase clinical trials, when appropriate, to analyze pharmacokinetic endpoints, drug-drug interactions, cytochromes P450 (CYP) interactions, pharmacodynamics, and food effects associated with IND agents being evaluated in ETCTN trials. This PK Laboratory will conduct all pharmacokinetic studies for ETCTN clinical trials involving Investigational New Drug (IND) agents under the regulatory sponsorship of NCI’s Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD), Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP).  The ETCTN Pharmacokinetic Resource Laboratory  is funded through a separate award under the NOFO listed below.

• The ETCTN – Network Pharmacokinetic Resource Laboratory under RFA-CA-27-017.

Institutionally Coordinated - contact RDS if you are interested in this funding opportunity // Limit: 2 (lead organization)

SUBJECT TO CHANGE STATEMENT: The terms of this funding opportunity are actively under ORP review and the competition is thus subject to change. The solicitation indicates that academic institutions are not the end goal for this funding. 

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

Every revolution in science has been preceded by a revolution in what we can measure, from the telescope to modern Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines. Today, the frontier is starved for radically new modalities for sensing and imaging. We cannot watch a non-crystalline enzyme work at atomic resolution, probe the full dynamics of a working synapse, or identify the most reactive surface defect structures on advanced catalytic materials.

NSF X-Labs in this Topic will target specific platform technologies in sensing, imaging and supporting technologies that will form the basis for revolutionary new capabilities in scientific discovery and technology sectors. Teams might, for example, draw on quantum sensing, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven computational imaging, adaptive AI-based sensing algorithms, and/or entirely new modalities to redefine what we consider knowable. 

Examples of relevant, currently unmet R&D challenges may include, but are not limited to: detection of molecular-scale single-reaction events across timescales of femtoseconds to seconds; MRI-free deep-tissue imaging; non-destructive biomolecule microscopy at exquisite resolution; high-sensitivity quantum sensors suitable for operation in a variety of environments; instruments intentionally engineered for next-generation AI training pipelines; and sensors to resolve whole-brain activity at cellular resolution across long timescales. 

An NSF X-Labs Mission in this Topic must be transformative, accelerating breakthrough R&D in scientific instrumentation towards creating or reshaping new lines of research and technologies. Successful teams will overcome technical barriers facing sensing and imaging, develop platform technologies, demonstrate measurable impact on the U.S. science and technology landscape, and position their technologies for widespread use and investment in research and/or other sectors. 

Examples of challenges not considered in scope for this Topic include computational or software solutions without practical integration into an instrumentation system, 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.

Full sponsor guidelines are linked here. 

Upcoming Webinars
Thursday, May 28, 1–2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) 
Introduction to NSF X-Labs Funding Opportunity – Scientific Instrumentation for Sensing and Imaging
Register for the May 28 webinar.

Tuesday June 23, 2:30–3:30 p.m. EDT
Q&A for NSF X-Labs – Scientific Instrumentation for Sensing and Imaging
Register for the June 23 Q&A session.

Institutionally Coordinated - contact RDS if you are interested in this funding opportunity // Limit: 2 (lead organization)

SUBJECT TO CHANGE STATEMENT: The terms of this funding opportunity are actively under ORP review and the competition is thus subject to change. The solicitation indicates that academic institutions are not the end goal for this funding. 

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
Quantum computing and quantum information processing systems sit at the cusp of a watershed moment: through years of federally funded foundational discovery in quantum phenomena coupled with more recent industry investment in the buildout of quantum components and systems, the world is about to witness a new era in modern computation. Future quantum computing is expected to rapidly accelerate scientific discovery and use-driven applications in a range of technology sectors, while unlocking entirely new frontiers beyond the reach of classical computing. But to realize future functional and connected quantum systems will require further investment in foundational platform technologies centered on quantum interconnects and integrated quantum photonics, which will be key enablers to combine different quantum capabilities into a single system. 

Future quantum systems are expected to rely on interconnects to transfer quantum information – coherence and entanglement – between discrete physical subsystems. Quantum photonic technologies that utilize photons as robust carriers of quantum information in distributed architectures offer a compelling pathway toward scalable quantum computing, sensing and metrology, and networking. Integrated quantum photonics will further extend this capacity by enabling dense integration of optical components (e.g., entangled sources, interferometers, filters, switches, and detectors) onto compact chips and packages. 

NSF X-Labs in this Topic will focus on the research and development of technologies to enable next-generation quantum interconnects, integrated quantum photonics and/or their supporting technologies. NSF X-Labs teams will target specific platform technologies that, if successful, will provide a roadmap for the integration of second-generation quantum systems. Examples of relevant, currently unmet R&D challenges may include, but are not limited to: scalable modular architectures based on the interconnection of discrete processing units; interconnection of heterogeneous quantum sub-systems via quantum transducers; reconfigurable quantum photonic circuits for compact multi-qubit operations; and next-generation quantum light sources, low-loss waveguides, and integrated single-photon detectors. NSF X-Labs in this Topic will aim to develop foundational platform solutions that can form the basis for broad industry adoption and integrated, system-level capabilities. 

An NSF X-Labs Mission in this Topic must be transformative, accelerating breakthrough R&D in quantum technologies towards creating or reshaping new lines of research and technologies. Successful teams will develop platform technologies, overcome technical barriers facing quantum systems, demonstrate measurable impact on the U.S. science and technology landscape, and position their technologies for widespread use and investment. 

Examples of challenges not considered in scope for this Topic include computational or software solutions without practical integration into a quantum system, solutions that are inherently unsuitable for future scaling and commercial adoption, 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.

Full sponsor guidelines are linked here. 

Upcoming Webinars 

Thursday, June 4, 2–3 p.m. EDT
Introduction to NSF X-Labs Funding Opportunity - Quantum Systems: Interconnects and Integrated Photonics
Register for the June 4 webinar.

Tuesday, June 30, 2–3 p.m. EDT
Q&A for NSF X-Labs - Quantum Systems: Interconnects and Integrated Photonics 
Register for the June 30 Q&A session.

Internal competition undergoing peer review // Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 0

Limiting Language
The University of Arizona may submit two proposals for each cycle. 

Program Description
The APS Foundation supports programs that enhance academic achievement in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Since 1981, the Foundation has invested more than $44 million in projects throughout Arizona that help prepare students to compete in a 21st century economy.

A workforce proficient in STEM skills is critical to attracting and retaining high-quality businesses and industries to the state. The APS Foundation targets projects that help educators increase content knowledge in STEM subjects as well as the ability to transfer this knowledge effectively to students.

Typical funding amount to universities if $50-75k. 

Program Information: 

• Organizations must be registered as a 501(c)(3) public charity in good financial and public standing. At this University of Arizona, this means that your proposal will route through the University of Arizona Foundation. For more information on this, please contact Cyndi Laughren.
• Programs should demonstrate their ability to improve educational outcomes, increase access and/or offer an innovative approach to learning. The impact should be described and quantified where possible.
• Programs that support teacher professional development is APS Foundation’s primary focus. 
• Programs that impact students, supporting them in achievements in STEM, are the next priority.
• Pilot projects may be funded, and those awards are generally in the $10,000 - $30,000 range
• Programs requesting substantial funding (≥$75,000) should demonstrate proof of concept, detailed budget, and have a detailed execution plan.
• Strong measurements for proof of success are essential, especially for higher dollar asks. (At minimum, a pre, during, and post survey or variation of measurement will be required)
• Criteria used for evaluation include scalability, sustainability, and ability to leverage other funding (not required).
• Programs that serve underserved/under resourced students are well-received.
• All grantees will have specific reporting requirements and must submit a final evaluation before they can be considered for additional funding.

Please note, the APS Foundation will not support:
• Individuals
• Individual K-12 schools
• Religious organizations, churches and programs that are purely denominational in purpose
• Political, labor or fraternal organizations, associations or civic service clubs
• Legislative, lobbying or advocacy efforts or organizations
• Private or family foundations
• Animal shelters or agencies
• Foundations or organizations which are grant-making entities or that distribute funds to other nonprofit organizations (pass through)
• Start-up organizations defined as nonprofits whose ruling year has been granted by the IRS for less than three years
• Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, protected veteran status or any other classification protected by law
• Health organizations whose primary focus is funding programs or services for a specific disease or illness
• Sports teams or sporting programs
• Scouting troops
While not a part of our traditional grant program, the APS Foundation occasionally supports capital requests of our long-standing partners on an invite-only basis.

Proposal Tips from the spring cycle webinar: 

• Proposals should be written in lay language accessible to a broad audience.
• A detailed overview of the program is recommended. Instead of stating that you plan to support the professional development of teachers, outline how you plan to do so and what the deliverables will be.
• Describe and quantify the program's intended impact (number of students, teachers, etc) and reach.
• Multi-year funding is not available.
• Higher asks will be scrutinized at a higher level. Please ensure you have a solid description, strong success measurements, and have an established program/project for best chance of being successful.
• Pilot projects are allowable but tend to be funded at a lower dollar amount, typically in the $10,000 to $30,000 range.

Full sponsor guidelines are linked here. 

If you are interested in the FY 2027 Fulbright Specialist Program, please reach out to Danielle Barefoot, Associate for International Research Development and Fulbright Scholar Liaison.