Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis

Funding Opportunity Purpose:  DOE is soliciting new FY26 Phase I small team and Phase II large team applications in the following topic areas: advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, critical materials, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, quantum information science, semiconductors and microelectronics, discovery science, and energy (see specific focus areas in Section III Program Descriptions).

In addition, this RFA will remain available to allow the recipients of FY26 Phase I awards to apply for larger team Phase II awards. In a few weeks, DOE plans to amend the RFA to clarify the LOI and application guidelines for FY26 Phase II awards. In FY27, DOE plans to amend the RFA or to issue an alternative funding opportunity to update the topic and focus areas to allow a second competition of Phase I small team applications and Phase II large team applications.

Opportunity Overview: The DOE Office of Science (SC), Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI), Office of Environmental Management (EM), Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office of Electricity (OE), and Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Office (HGEO) hereby announce interest in receiving applications from interdisciplinary teams addressing the Genesis Mission National Science and Technology Challenges to accelerate scientific discovery and research and development (R&D) workflows using novel artificial intelligence (AI) models and frameworks. By achieving AI advantage, these teams will advance the DOE's mission and ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through science and technology. Teams are encouraged to leverage the extensive scientific and data resources of the DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the National Laboratories, U.S. industry, and academia. The resulting AI models and workflows, if successful, may be integrated into the American Science Cloud.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Applicant institutions are limited to no more than one application as the lead institution per focus area (include the chosen area in your submission - These focus areas have been reserved so far: "AI-Driven Materials Processing (BES)" , "AI-Enabled Manufacturing for Extreme Energy Systems (FES)", "Extraction and Processing Technologies (AMMPTO, AMMTO)", " Structural Materials (FES)") for Phase I and Phase II applications combined. Phase II applications must list a primary focus area but will have the option to list secondary focus areas. The primary focus area will be used for determining limitations on institutional submissions.

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361526                                                                                                                              

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: April 28, 2026 11:59 PM ET

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis

Funding Opportunity Purpose:  On April 7, 2026, the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO), in partnership with the Office of Geothermal, announced a “Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator” Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) of up to $69 million. The NOFO will focus investments on American, industry-led partnerships to prototype and pilot innovative critical materials processing technologies that are currently only proven at the bench scale to address challenges in high-impact areas. The program establishes a pipeline that will support technology maturation to ultimately unlock private capital investments. It will also leverage other DOE lab-based investments, such as the Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub and the Minerals to Materials Supply Chain Research Facility (METALLIC).

Opportunity Overview: This NOFO will help ensure a more secure, predictable, and affordable supply of critical minerals and materials that are foundational to American energy dominance, national security, and industrial competitiveness. 

The NOFO includes the following topic areas:

• Topic Area 1: Production and material efficiency for critical materials, including rare earth elements (REEs). Inclusive of the following sub-topics:                    
  • 1A: Recovery and production from postindustrial manufacturing scrap
  • 1B: Recovery and production from postconsumer scrap (with an emphasis on electronic waste and drivetrains)
  • 1C: Recovery and production from blended feedstocks including mine tailings, postindustrial scrap, and postconsumer scrap

This NOFO is one of several totaling nearly $1 billion that will advance and scale mining, processing, and manufacturing technologies across key stages of the critical minerals and materials supply chains. 

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Applicant institutions are Limited to 1 Full Application per Topic Area: Topic Area 1 (All Subtopics)

FOA is available online at: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx?Search=3589&SearchType=#FoaIdb2296432-4f64-4dd7-b0e3-730ef4584226

Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: April 21, 2026 5:00 PM ET                                                                                                                              

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: May 26, 2026 5:00 PM ET 

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis

Funding Opportunity Purpose:  On April 7, 2026, the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO), in partnership with the Office of Geothermal, announced a “Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator” Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) of up to $69 million. The NOFO will focus investments on American, industry-led partnerships to prototype and pilot innovative critical materials processing technologies that are currently only proven at the bench scale to address challenges in high-impact areas. The program establishes a pipeline that will support technology maturation to ultimately unlock private capital investments. It will also leverage other DOE lab-based investments, such as the Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub and the Minerals to Materials Supply Chain Research Facility (METALLIC).

Opportunity Overview: This NOFO will help ensure a more secure, predictable, and affordable supply of critical minerals and materials that are foundational to American energy dominance, national security, and industrial competitiveness. 

The NOFO includes the following topic areas:

• Topic Area 2: Processes to refine and alloy gallium, gallium nitride, germanium, and silicon carbide. 

This NOFO is one of several totaling nearly $1 billion that will advance and scale mining, processing, and manufacturing technologies across key stages of the critical minerals and materials supply chains. 

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Applicant institutions are Limited to 1 Full Application per Topic Area: Topic Area 2

FOA is available online at: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx?Search=3589&SearchType=#FoaIdb2296432-4f64-4dd7-b0e3-730ef4584226 

Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: April 21, 2026 5:00 PM ET                                                                                                                              

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: June 22, 2026 5:00 PM ET 

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis 

Funding Opportunity Purpose:  On April 7, 2026, the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO), in partnership with the Office of Geothermal, announced a “Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator” Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) of up to $69 million. The NOFO will focus investments on American, industry-led partnerships to prototype and pilot innovative critical materials processing technologies that are currently only proven at the bench scale to address challenges in high-impact areas. The program establishes a pipeline that will support technology maturation to ultimately unlock private capital investments. It will also leverage other DOE lab-based investments, such as the Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub and the Minerals to Materials Supply Chain Research Facility (METALLIC).

Opportunity Overview: This NOFO will help ensure a more secure, predictable, and affordable supply of critical minerals and materials that are foundational to American energy dominance, national security, and industrial competitiveness. 

The NOFO includes the following topic areas:

Topic Area 3: Cost-competitive direct lithium extraction, separation, processing, exploration, and co-production. Inclusive of the following sub-topics:

• 3A: Cost-competitive direct lithium extraction
• 3B: Advancing pre- and post- treatment and disposal technologies for direct lithium extraction of geothermal brines
• 3C: Exploration and characterization of critical materials and REEs from volcanic hosted geothermal systems

This NOFO is one of several totaling nearly $1 billion that will advance and scale mining, processing, and manufacturing technologies across key stages of the critical minerals and materials supply chains. 

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Applicant institutions are Limited to 1 Full Application per Subtopic Area: 3A, 3B, 3C

FOA is available online at: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx?Search=3589&SearchType=#FoaIdb2296432-4f64-4dd7-b0e3-730ef4584226 

Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: April 21, 2026 5:00 PM ET                                                                                                                              

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: July 20, 2026 5:00 PM ET 

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis

 Funding Opportunity Purpose: 

Scope. The IDSS program supports national-scale performant operational systems and services that broadly facilitate open, data-intensive and artificial intelligence-driven science and engineering research, innovation, and education. IDSS projects should be aimed to broadly impact the science and engineering research and education community in a transdisciplinary and demonstrably multi-disciplinary way, enabling researchers and educators from diverse domains and disciplines to utilize research data, integrate data, and connect data sources with other scientific resources such as computing resources, facilities, instrumentation and repositories. Projects that aim to primarily benefit a single science discipline, domain, project, or application are not supported. 

Emphasis on integration. The IDSS program supports projects that demonstrably contribute to the vision of an integrated, federated and accessible advanced research cyberinfrastructure ecosystem that meets the Nation’s foundational needs for world-leading data, computing, and networking capabilities.  Projects are expected to leverage and interconnect with other existing operational cyberinfrastructure systems and services and other data and relevant facilities, whether supported by NSF or by other entities, as appropriate to project objectives. Inline with this emphasis, all proposed projects, including collaborative projects, must be submitted as a single proposal in which a single award is being requested (PAPPG Chapter II.E.3.a). The involvement of partner organizations should be supported through subawards administered by the submitting organization.

Scientific data lifecycle. The IDSS program aims to develop a portfolio of projects that collectively enable data utilization pathways and workflows across the end-to-end scientific data lifecycle. The IDSS program has an inclusive and flexible view of the scientific data lifecycle that may include stages and functionalities such as acquisition, transfer, management, exploration, analysis, curation, sharing, synthesis, discovery, and archiving, as may be defined by a project or community. A given IDSS project need not support all stages of a reference data lifecycle but must be clear about how the project enables one or more scientific pathways through all or few stages of a lifecycle. 

Storage and curation. The IDSS program supports integrated resources, services and environments to enable hosting, manipulation of, and workflows for research data. The IDSS program does not support costs for permanent long-term hosting, storage, archival, and curation of the research data itself. Projects that involve partnerships, fee-based models, or other such mechanisms to support these long-term data storage and curation costs are encouraged. 

Innovation and adaptability: A portion of an IDSS project is expected to be dedicated to innovation and improvement of operational services over the lifetime of the award. Proposed projects designed to enable research communities to build customized tools and capabilities upon the IDSS-supported project infrastructure are also encouraged. Projects that have the goal of cyberinfrastructure innovation without operations expectations and plans are not supported. 

Relationship to other funding programs. Proposed IDSS projects should not be appropriate for funding by any other current NSF programs or solicitations. The IDSS program is complementary to other production/operations-oriented national-scale cyberinfrastructure programs supported by the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC) including the Advanced Systems and Services Program (ACSS) and the ACCESS coordinated services program. ACSS and ACCESS address advanced computing needs of the broad S&E community; the IDSS program focuses on data infrastructure. The IDSS program is also complementary to the OAC CSSI and CC* programs. CC* emphasizes institutional and regional capabilities and CSSI primarily supports data and software infrastructure development; IDSS supports national-scale operational projects. Prospective proposers of pilot- and prototype-stage projects should consider other OAC programs such as CSSI or other relevant NSF programs.   

Opportunity Overview:  

Programmatic areas of interest 

Current areas of particular interest to the IDSS program include, but are not limited to and may involve a combination of:

• Projects that facilitate the connection of data sources with advanced computing resources and analytic environments in integrative ways for an appropriately broad array of use cases. 
• Projects that address the emerging data-intensive workflows and data integration needs of artificial-intelligence (AI)-driven research (including research about AI and research using AI capabilities). 
• Projects that focus on enabling one or more specific points in the data lifecycle applied at a national scale. 

Projects that enhance the ability of the research and education community to access and utilize open research data supported by other federal agencies are welcome, provided that such projects are not primarily benefitting a single science discipline, domain, project, or application, and are complementary to, not overlapping with investments being made by those other agencies for similar purposes. 

Proposal categories and descriptions 

IDSS offers the following three categories of proposals: 

• Category I. Development, deployment, and operation of novel national-scale integrated data systems and services, which may include interfacing with or leveraging other existing capabilities, systems and services as appropriate to the project.  Between $10 million to $30 million for up to 5 years. Potentially renewable.
• Category II. Transition of established smaller scale, regional, pilot, or prototype data-focused systems and services to national-scale production/operational quality/level. This may also include enhancement and expansion of existing national-scale data-focused operational systems and services. Up to $9 million for up to 3 years. Potentially renewable.
• Category III. Planning grants for future potential development/deployment or transition/enhancement IDSS projects. Up to $500,000 for up to 2 years. Not renewable. 

 Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: 

An organization may submit only one proposal as lead institution for each of Category I and Category II for each solicitation deadline but may be a subawardee on other Category I and II proposals responding to this solicitation. The restriction to no more than one submitted proposal as lead institution is to help ensure that there is appropriate institutional commitment necessary for responsible oversight, by the potential recipient institution, of a national data infrastructure resource. This restriction does not apply to Category III proposals. 

In the event that any organization exceeds this limit, any proposal submitted to this solicitation from an organization after the first proposal is received at NSF will be returned without review. No exceptions will be made. 

Category III. There are no restrictions or limits. 

FOA is available online at: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/idss-integrated-data-systems-services/nsf25-544/solicitation

 Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: July 28, 2026 @ 5:00 PM   

Documents Needed for the Preproposals:

Submitters will complete and submit a form providing the following:

• Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.    
• Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format);       
•  List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

Change in application form: Since the limited submission process does not involve OSP assistance with budget development, we are now using a budget template in the Submittable form. This template is designed to capture a general overview of the budget. Additionally, we have included a budget justification section directly in the form, eliminating the need for applicants to upload separate budget documents with their pre-proposal materials.

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition     All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the criteria referenced in this announcement.   

Funding Opportunity Purpose: The purpose of the NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Early-Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) program is to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented, NCI-supported, independent investigators. This program is designed for postdoctoral fellows with research and/or clinical doctoral degrees who do not require an extended period of mentored research training beyond their doctoral degrees. The objective of this award is to facilitate a timely transition of these fellows from their mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions. The program will provide independent NCI research support during this transition to help awardees to launch competitive, independent research careers. Researchers in the scientific areas of cancer control, cancer prevention and cancer data sciences are especially encouraged to work with their institutions to apply.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is designed specifically for candidates proposing research that does not involve leading an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary clinical trial. Under this NOFO candidates are permitted to propose a research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor. Those proposing a clinical trial or an ancillary clinical trial as lead investigator, should apply to the companion NOFOs (PAR-23-287 or PAR-23-288).

Opportunity Overview: 

The overall goal of the NIH Research Career Development program is to help ensure that a pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) support a variety of mentored and non-mentored career development award programs designed to foster the transition of new investigators to research independence and to support established investigators in achieving specific objectives. Candidates should review the different career development (K) award programs to determine the best program to support their goals. More information about Career programs may be found at the NIH Extramural Training Mechanisms website.

The objective of the NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Early-Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) is to help postdoctoral researchers complete needed, mentored training and transition in a timely manner to independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions. The K99/R00 award is intended to foster the development of a creative, independent research program that will be competitive for subsequent independent funding and help advance the NCI mission. This program is designed for postdoctoral fellows with research and/or clinical doctoral degrees who do not require extended periods of mentored research training beyond their original doctoral degrees before transitioning to research independence, which is common for those working in cancer control, cancer prevention and cancer data sciences, as defined in Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility. Therefore, researchers from these disciplines are particularly encouraged to work with their institutions to apply. This K99/R00 award is intended to support individuals who require no more than 2 additional years of mentored research training and career development (K99 phase) before transitioning to the independent stage (R00 phase) of the program. Consequently, the strongest applicants will require and will propose, a well-conceived plan for 1 2 years of substantive mentored research training and career development that will help their investigators become competitive candidates for tenure-track faculty positions and prepare them to launch robust, independent research programs. Individuals must be in mentored, postdoctoral training positions to be eligible for support under the K99/R00 program. If an applicant's candidate achieves independence (any faculty or non-mentored research position) before a K99 award is made, neither the K99 award, nor the R00 award, will be made. The K99/R00 award will provide up to 5 years of support in two phases. The initial (K99) phase will support up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase will provide up to 3 years of independent research support, which is contingent on satisfactory progress during the K99 phase and an approved, independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty position. The two award phases are intended to be continuous in time. Therefore, although exceptions may be possible in limited circumstances, R00 awards will generally only be made to those applicants' K99 PDs/PIs who accept independent, tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions by the end of the K99 award period.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization:   Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct, and each is from a different candidate.

Each eligible institution (defined as having a unique UEI number or NIH IPF number) may submit up to a combined total of four applications (one in Cancer Data Science, one in Cancer Control Science, one in Molecular/Precision Cancer Prevention, and one in Other Cancer Research) to any companion NOFO or any combination of companion NOFOs (PAR-23-286,PAR-23-287, and/orPAR-23-288).

FOA is available online at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-23-286.html

Internal Competition Submission Deadline: April 17, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m

Internal Competition Results Announced: May 15, 2026                                                                                                                         

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: June 15, 2026, at 5:00 PM      

Documents Needed for the Preproposals: 

Submitters will complete and submit a form providing the following:

• Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.    
• Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format);       
•  List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

Change in application form: Since the limited submission process does not involve OSP assistance with budget development, we are now using a budget template in the Submittable form. This template is designed to capture a general overview of the budget. Additionally, we have included a budget justification section directly in the form, eliminating the need for applicants to upload separate budget documents with their pre-proposal materials.   

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu. 

 Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition  

All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the criteria referenced in this announcement.   

Funding Opportunity Purpose: The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational Cultural Affairs announces the FY2026 American Film Showcase open competition for one cooperative agreement to support thematic projects in film, television, gaming, and other media arts-based, international cultural and commercial diplomacy exchanges that create partnerships through artistic collaboration and professional development activities, promote economic opportunities, demonstrate the power of free expression, and support Administration foreign policy and America First priorities. 

Opportunity Overview: The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) intends to award one Cooperative agreement for approximately $1,540,000 to fund the FY 2026 American Film Showcase (AFS), a dynamic and adaptable initiative that combines and harnesses the power of cultural and commercial diplomacy to elevate American creativity as a driver of global influence and economic vitality. By highlighting U.S. leadership in film, television, gaming, and media arts, AFS opens new markets for American creative industries, attracts foreign investment, and reinforces the nation’s reputation as a global center for innovation and storytelling. U.S. embassies play a key collaborative role by identifying and submitting program ideas and nominating participants, allowing AFS to deliver tailored engagements, such as lectures, masterclasses, residencies, screenings, and workshops, led by top industry professionals. This flexible model not only advances U.S. foreign policy but also strengthens American global business and creative competitiveness and cultural influence by forging connections between U.S. and international entertainment professionals, creating lasting commercial and professional opportunities for American creatives. Finally, the FY 2026 AFS award will also include Made in America: Creative Capital, an expansion component designed to further amplify program impact. This initiative will broaden activities by incorporating a commercial diplomacy focus, featuring activities such as business residencies, co-production labs, a Creative IP & Licensing Exchange, creative showcases, export-ready labs, global creative business accelerators, international fellowships, investment forums, and market access and distribution workshops. These activities will help equip an estimated 40-50 U.S. creators to succeed in international markets and forge long-term commercial partnerships. By integrating cultural initiatives with commercial strategy, Made in America: Creative Capital positions the United States as the premier destination for creative investment, fueling job creation, innovation, and sustained economic growth. Together, these efforts ensure that American public diplomacy remains agile and effective, advancing national prosperity and global influence through the transformative power of creativity.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant. 

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361402

Internal Competition Submission Deadline: April 17, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m. 

Internal Competition Results Announced: May 4, 2026      

Sponsor (Statement of Interest) Deadline: June 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET                                                                                                                             

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

 Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition     All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the criteria referenced in this announcement.   

Funding Opportunity Purpose: The purpose of the NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Early-Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) program is to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented, NCI-supported, independent investigators. This program is designed for postdoctoral fellows with research and/or clinical doctoral degrees who do not require an extended period of mentored research training beyond their doctoral degrees. The objective of this award is to facilitate a timely transition of these fellows from their mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions. The program will provide independent NCI research support during this transition to help awardees launch competitive, independent research careers. Researchers in the scientific areas of cancer control, cancer prevention and cancer data sciences are especially encouraged to work with their institutions to apply.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is designed specifically for candidates proposing to serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or a separate ancillary clinical trial, as part of their research and career development. Those not planning an independent clinical trial, or proposing to gain research experience in a clinical trial led by another investigator, must apply to companion NOFO (PAR-23-286).

Opportunity Overview: 

The overall goal of the NIH Research Career Development program is to help ensure that a pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) support a variety of mentored and non-mentored career development award programs designed to foster the transition of new investigators to research independence and to support established investigators in achieving specific objectives. Candidates should review the different career development (K) award programs to determine the best program to support their goals. More information about Career programs may be found at the NIH Extramural Training Mechanisms website.

The objective of the NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Early-Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) is to help postdoctoral researchers complete needed, mentored training and transition in a timely manner to independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions. The K99/R00 award is intended to foster the development of a creative, independent research program that will be competitive for subsequent independent funding and that will help advance the mission of the NCI. This program is designed for postdoctoral fellows with research and/or clinical doctoral degrees who do not require extended periods of mentored research training beyond their original doctoral degrees before transitioning to research independence, which is common for those working in cancer control, cancer prevention and cancer data sciences, as defined in Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility. Therefore, researchers from these disciplines are particularly encouraged to work with their institutions to apply. This K99/R00 award is intended to support individuals who require no more than 2 additional years of mentored research training and career development (K99 phase) before transitioning to the independent stage (R00 phase) of the program. Consequently, the strongest applicants will require and will propose, a well-conceived plan for 1 2 years of substantive mentored research training and career development that will help their investigators become competitive candidates for tenure-track faculty positions and prepare them to launch robust, independent research programs. Individuals must be in mentored, postdoctoral training positions to be eligible for support under the K99/R00 program. If an applicant's candidate achieves independence (any faculty or non-mentored research position) before a K99 award is made, neither the K99 award, nor the R00 award, will be made. The K99/R00 award will provide up to 5 years of support in two phases. The initial (K99) phase will support up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase will provide up to 3 years of independent research support, which is contingent on satisfactory progress during the K99 phase and an approved, independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty position. The two award phases are intended to be continuous in time. Therefore, although exceptions may be possible in limited circumstances, R00 awards will generally only be made to those applicants' K99 PDs/PIs who accept independent, tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions by the end of the K99 award period.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization:   Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct, and each is from a different candidate.

Each eligible institution (defined as having a unique UEI number or NIH IPF number) may submit up to a combined total of four applications (one in Cancer Data Science, one in Cancer Control Science, one in Molecular/Precision Cancer Prevention, and one in Other Cancer Research) to any companion NOFO or any combination of companion NOFOs (PAR-23-286,PAR-23-287, and/orPAR-23-288).

FOA is available online at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-23-288.html

Internal Competition Submission Deadline: April 17, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m

Internal Competition Results Announced: May 15, 2026                                                                                                                         

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: June 15, 2026, at 5:00 PM      

Documents Needed for the Preproposals: 

Submitters will complete and submit a form providing the following:

• Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.    
• Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format);       
•  List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

Change in application form: Since the limited submission process does not involve OSP assistance with budget development, we are now using a budget template in the Submittable form. This template is designed to capture a general overview of the budget. Additionally, we have included a budget justification section directly in the form, eliminating the need for applicants to upload separate budget documents with their pre-proposal materials.   

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu. 

 Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the NSF review criteria referenced in this announcement.  

 Funding Opportunity Purpose: 

A national program to coordinate readiness and accelerate deployment supports a coordinated national network of state and territorial hubs, partnerships and pilot initiatives that expand AI literacy, workforce skills and real-world adoption — helping communities, businesses and governments effectively use and benefit from AI.   

Opportunity Overview:TechAccess: AI-Ready America is a national-scale initiative to accelerate Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness and adoption across the U.S. by strengthening coordination, leveraging partnerships and resources, filling gaps, and scaling what works — so local and state priorities can lead in shaping an AI-driven economy that benefits all Americans.

Unlike initiatives centered around K – 16 education, AI-Ready America additionally reaches businesses, public-serving organizations, and individuals, among others, expanding access to AI knowledge, tools, and resources. The program also emphasizes practical implementation through hands-on assistance and workforce up-skilling, including experiential learning such as internships, project-based work, and apprenticeships, to ensure stakeholders can effectively apply and innovate with AI.

The program supports:

1. State/Territory Coordination Hubs (Coordination Hubs) – one in every state, the District of Columbia (DC), or territory in the United States – connecting partners, strengthening planning and deployment, and rapidly scaling approaches;
2. A National Coordination Lead (National Lead) – facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing among Coordination Hubs, coordinating priority economic sectors, and informing national AI strategies; and
3. AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions – a series of topic-driven competitions issued over the course of the program to pilot and scale innovative approaches that address critical national AI readiness needs.

This funding opportunity focuses on Coordination Hubs. The National Lead will be funded as an Other Transaction (OT) offered through an Other Transaction Agreement Solutions Offering. AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions will be announced through an NSF-approved mechanism, with proposals submitted according to the instructions provided at the time of announcement.

 Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization:Up to two (2) preliminary proposals per lead organization are allowed. NSF will review the preliminary proposals and provide a binding "Invite" or "Do Not Invite" response for each preliminary proposal. Invited organizations will be allowed to submit a full proposal on the project described in the preliminary proposal by the full proposal submission deadline.

FOA is available online at: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/techaccess-ai-ready-america/nsf26-508/solicitation

 Internal Competition Submission Deadline: April 20, 2026  @ 11:59 p.m

Internal Competition Results Announced: May 12, 2026     

Sponsor Preliminary Proposal Deadline (Required): June 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM 

 Documents Needed for the Preproposals: 

  · Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.               

  · Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format)              

  · List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

If assistance is needed to create the PDF, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu

Review Criteria: Internal review criteria shall mirror the NSF criteria in the FOA.   

Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided in a timely fashion to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis   

Funding Opportunity Purpose: The English Access Scholarship Program (Access) leverages American English to build English language capacity with strategic audiences through in-person programming and exchanges in the United States. The program promotes economic self-reliance which strengthens American national security and economic prosperity. Access showcases U.S. educational excellence, demonstrates U.S. educational technology, and promotes opportunities for American business partnerships.

Opportunity Overview: The FY 2026 Access Program will support approximately 7,000 participants globally. Programming may be in-person, virtual, or hybrid and occur in-country, in the region, or in the United States. ECA anticipates that the majority of the award costs will be for program activities detailed across the three program components below. Channeling U.S. expertise in English language education and education technology towards an expanded range of target audiences and critical industry fields, Access is comprised of: 

• Access Scholarships: Designed to reach target audiences identified by U.S. embassies based on U.S. national interest including but not limited to emerging voices and established opinion leaders. This component provides participants a foundation of English language, leadership, and professional skills to be better equipped to pursue further education and employment in their home countries, with enhanced understanding of and connections to Americans and the United States. Historically, approximately 30- 40% of the total award costs will be utilized to support the Access Scholarships. Final participant numbers and funding levels will be determined in coordination with the Office of English Language Programs (ECA/A/L). 

• Access Educational Seminars and Content Development: U.S. education experts conduct educational seminars abroad and in the United States for teachers, who learn best practices of American English teaching methodology and apply them in their own English language classrooms, shaping participants’ understanding of the United States and fostering greater interest, partnerships, and favorability towards Americans and the United States. They also develop content focused on information about the United States, American principles, critical thinking, and service learning in addition to teaching methodology to highlight U.S. leadership, innovation, and achievements. Alumni teachers serve as role models and mentors to other English teachers, providing a multiplier effect in-country, and those trainees carry what they learn into their classrooms. In past years, ECA has seen demand for this component shift based on the needs of the field. Historically, approximately 30-35% of the total award costs will be utilized to support the Access Educational Seminars and Content Development. Final participant numbers and funding levels will be determined in coordination with ECA/A/L. 

• Access Alumni: Alumni engagement helps maintain a global network of individuals who are supportive towards the United States. Both ECA and U.S. embassies connect with Access alumni (both former students and teachers) through opportunities to reinforce their strong association with their U.S. counterparts, the United States, each other, and their global network. Historically, approximately 5-10% of the total award costs will be utilized to support Access alumni programming. We encourage applicants to propose cost-efficient models for alumni engagement to advance the program’s force multiplier effect. Final participant numbers and funding levels will be determined in coordination with ECA/A/L

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant. 

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361396   

Sponsor (Statement of Interest) Deadline: May 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET                                                                                                                             

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis

Funding Opportunity Purpose: Established in 2015, the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI) honors the legacy of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, whose career reflected the best of American diplomacy—curiosity, optimism, and a belief in the power of open dialogue. His example embodies America’s founding values of liberty, opportunity, and engagement with the world.  The JCSVEI advances U.S. foreign policy priorities by championing American scientific excellence, technological leadership, and innovation, while promoting core U.S. principles—freedom of speech, individual liberty, and the rule of law—as foundations of peace and prosperity. The program achieves these goals through American-led virtual exchanges that connects young leaders in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) with peers across the United States.  Through immersive digital platforms, participants will explore America’s leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and apply these skills to address shared global challenges. The program will integrate cutting-edge virtual exchange tools, including virtual reality (VR) environments, hackathons, and collaborative online innovation labs that simulate real-world problem-solving. Participants will engage in projects that showcase U.S. expertise in entrepreneurship, research, and technology-driven development, reinforcing the United States as the global standard for excellence and ingenuity. Program themes will include Science and Technology Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Prosperity, Digital Media and Storytelling, and Civic Engagement grounded in American founding principles such as freedom of speech and the rule of law. These focus areas will connect American youth ages 18–25—particularly those from rural communities—with peers in the Middle East through virtual exchanges that showcase U.S. excellence in innovation, leadership, and enterprise

Opportunity Overview: A signature feature of the initiative, the JCSVEI Alumni Leadership Academy, will provide advanced learning opportunities and mentorship for high-performing alumni. Through multi-month programming and in-person engagement, participants will gain deeper exposure to American approaches to scientific innovation, digital entrepreneurship, and civic leadership—equipping them to serve as catalysts for peace, stability, and opportunity in their own communities. The JCSVEI directly supports key U.S. strategic objectives in the MENA region by: 

1. Promoting enduring partnerships between the United States and regional stakeholders that advance peace, prosperity, and security. 

2. Showcasing American excellence in science and technology, demonstrating how innovation and enterprise drive growth and strengthen free societies. 

3. Championing open exchange and freedom of speech through modern digital platforms that connect future leaders in shared learning and innovation. 

4. Developing leadership, STEM, and professional capacity among participants to reinforce economic opportunity and regional stability. 

5. By linking rising leaders with America’s scientific innovation, digital technologies, and founding values, the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative strengthens U.S. leadership, expands American influence, and promotes peace through knowledge, collaboration, and technological excellence across the Middle East and North Africa.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant. 

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361398    

Sponsor (Statement of Interest) Deadline: May 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET                                                                                                                             

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis

Funding Opportunity Purpose: The Office of Citizen Exchanges of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is pleased to announce an open competition for proposals to administer the FY 2026 National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program. NSLI-Y increases the number of American youth (ages 15 to 18) who learn critical foreign languages in support of bolstering U.S. national security; promoting U.S. competitiveness and economic prosperity; and building mutual understanding with critical regions of the world. The award will support approximately 275 American teens to study critical languages through intensive overseas language programs in locations where the target languages are widely spoken, and through virtual programming. U.S. public and private non-profit organizations, meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 USC 501(c)(3), may submit proposals to cooperate with ECA in the overall administration of NSLI-Y and the implementation of summer, academic year, and virtual programs according to the guidance in this solicitation. 

Opportunity Overview: The NSLI-Y program is designed to increase the number of young Americans with linguistic and cultural skills necessary to advance American interests on the global stage. Launched in 2006 to address the deficit of speakers of critical languages in the United States, NSLI-Y creates a pipeline of American youth with linguistic and professional skills needed for a wide variety of careers that directly strengthen U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. NSLI-Y in-person overseas immersive programs and virtual programs accelerate and advance participants’ language skills through structured classroom language instruction as well as less formal interactive and applied learning opportunities. Virtual NSLI-Y is a 10-week virtual program for U.S. high school students who are at the absolute beginner level and have not studied the target language before. It provides students with an introduction to the target language and culture with the goal of sparking an interest in critical languages and regions and inspiring students to continue their studies both domestically and abroad.  

The FY 2026 award will be executed as a cooperative agreement between ECA and a single award recipient. The award will fund approximately 275 current or recently graduated American high school students to study Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, or Russian in overseas summer and academic year programs, or virtually. Overseas programs will take place in countries and locations where the target language is widely spoken. Program locations and local host institution partners are subject to annual ECA approval. The award also supports programming for NSLI-Y alumni since the program’s inception in 2006, totaling over 10,000 alumni to date.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant. 

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361397   

Sponsor (Statement of Interest) Deadline: May 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET                                                                                                                             

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis

Funding Opportunity Purpose: The Office of Citizen Exchanges in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) invites proposals for the FY 2026 Leaders Lead On-Demand program (LLOD). This program develops ideas from across the Department of State into customized, two-way exchange projects. LLOD provides rapid response, flexible programming focused on building self-sustaining global, regional, and country-based networks of practitioners. The recipient will design and carry out a series of exchange projects for emerging leaders and mid-level professionals representing government, business, and civil society. The program expects to support approximately four to six exchange projects for approximately 75 participants, including approximately 55 foreign and 20 U.S. participants. Each project will feature a group of foreign participants who will travel to the United States for an intensive, customized program. Activities may include workshops, meetings, or events. Every U.S.-based exchange must also include at least one segment overseas, which should involve U.S. participants. All participants should have relevant experience or expertise in the project’s field. U.S. participants will work with foreign participants during both the U.S. and overseas segments. The award recipient will work closely with ECA, other State Department staff, and partner organizations in the relevant countries or regions as appropriate to identify participants and design activities that meet each project’s goals. ECA must approve 3 the final list of foreign and U.S. participants. Additional project elements, such as regional meetings overseas, small grants competitions, or local trainings, should be included as needed to support project objectives and promote American leadership and expertise

Opportunity Overview: LLOD was developed to strengthen existing public diplomacy efforts for emerging leaders and mid-level professionals and to help the Department of State quickly respond to new foreign policy priorities. LLOD exchanges allow for a rapid 5 response, flexible project design that seeks to build self-sustaining global, regional, and country-based networks of practitioners. Each LLOD project will address different topics, but all should build participants’ capacity to address key challenges in their home communities by highlighting U.S. leadership and expertise in the given subject matter.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant. 

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361400

Sponsor (Statement of Interest) Deadline: May 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET                                                                                                                             

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis

Funding Opportunity Purpose: This NOFO will provide continued support for the National Mentoring Resource Center to help OJJDP grantees, the mentoring field, and practitioners more broadly by providing comprehensive resources and training materials on the OJJDP National Mentoring Resource Center website and providing TTA for OJJDP grantees to support youth mentoring programs in implementing safe, quality, and effective practices. Applicants should  refer  to  Application  Contents,  Submission  Requirements,  and  Deadlines: Budget  Detail  Form  for  information  on  allowable  and  unallowable  costs that  may inform  the  development  of  their  project  design.

Opportunity Overview: In  order  to  advance  public safety and  help  meet  its mission,  OJP  will  provide  priority consideration  to  applicants that  propose  (as applicable  within  the  scope  of  this funding  opportunity)  projects designed  to  advance  the  goals listed  below.  Applicants seeking  priority consideration  should  specify in  the  proposal  narrative  (and  in  the  budget  detail  form,  if  applicable)  which  of  the  following  goal(s)  the  project  is intended  to  advance  and  how  it  will  do  so:  (a)  Directly supporting  law  enforcement  operations (including  immigration  law  enforcement  operations);  (b)  Combatting  violent  crime;  (c)  Supporting  services to  American  citizens;    (d)  Protecting  American  children;  and  (e)  Supporting  American  victims of  trafficking  and  sexual  assault.   Note:  Addressing  these  priority areas is one  of  many factors that  OJP  considers in  making  funding  decisions.  Receiving  priority consideration  for  one  or  more  priority areas does not  guarantee  a  funding  award

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: An  applicant  may submit  only one  application  in  response  to  this NOFO.

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361629

Sponsor (Statement of Interest) Deadline: May 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET                                                                                                                             

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis

Funding Opportunity Purpose: The Fueling AI Innovation and Adoption program (FAIIA) addresses foundational barriers to AI deployment and adoption abroad. FAIIA promotes the U.S. approach to AI innovation, competition, application, and governance. The program addresses critical challenges. First, it pushes back against excessive and onerous regulation that would stifle private sector innovation and threaten American technological leadership. Second, it counters China’s campaign to spread its authoritarian influence globally through AI technologies, which amplifies a pro-China narrative, technological dependencies, and enables censorship. In addition, China is also pushing a false narrative that the United States is restricting access to AI solutions to international partners.

Through FAIIA, the U.S. Department of State can shift the trajectory of the recipient country toward the American AI ecosystem, counter the Chinese government’s false narratives, and solidify the position of the U.S. as the partner of choice. This program seeks to strengthen the foundational AI capabilities of partner nations so that they will mature as AI-ready partners who will ultimately purchase and integrate American AI technologies, including through the American AI Exports Program outlined in E.O. 14320. FAIIA is organized around three lines of effort: 

1. Roadmaps to AI Readiness – assistance to support partner countries in mapping and developing their national AI strategies, frameworks, guidelines, standards, best practices, infrastructure, and governance models which will serve as institutional scaffolding to drive maturation of AI readiness in alignment with American commercial interests. 

2. Environments for AI Adoption – assistance to support the adoption of policy and regulatory environments conducive to secure investment, adoption, and innovation in AI; technical and legal support for policies that enable local experimentation and innovation with American AI systems. Foreign partners need support both to build these environments and navigate challenges that may constrain them.  

3. Upskilling for “AI-First” Partners – assistance to build a cohort of local experts trained to develop and deploy AI models, tools and governance frameworks that align with and promote the U.S. approach. This is an upskilling program that strengthens local capacity to use, operate, and sustain AI technology.

This project should be designed to achieve the following high-level goal: maintain U.S. leadership in AI by helping 1) U.S. technology companies grow their global market share while appropriately safeguarding U.S. technology and innovation from hostile exploitation and theft; 2) counter China’s efforts to disseminate Chinese ICT and AI tech ecosystem; and 3) emerging economies adopt American AI and related technologies.

Opportunity Overview: The Fueling AI Innovation and Adoption program (FAIIA) addresses foundational barriers to AI deployment and adoption abroad. FAIIA promotes the U.S. approach to AI innovation, competition, application, and governance. Through FAIIA, the U.S. Department of State can shift the trajectory of the recipient country toward the American AI ecosystem, counter the Chinese government’s false narratives, and solidify the position of the U.S. as the partner of choice. This program seeks to strengthen the foundational AI capabilities of partner nations so that they will mature as AI-ready partners who will ultimately purchase and integrate American AI technologies.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Applicants are only allowed to submit one proposal per organization. If more than one proposal is submitted from an organization, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible for funding.

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361479

Sponsor (Statement of Interest) Deadline: May 11, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET      

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Due to the time restraint on the deadline, this opportunity will be reviewed on a first-come-first served basis

Funding Opportunity Purpose:U.S. LEADS advances U.S. foreign policy and national interests by strengthening international partnerships with countries strategically important to U.S. industry and supply chains. This Freedom 250 initiative will showcase U.S. innovation and the unique role of community colleges in preparing the 21st-century workforce. The program will share U.S. best practices with key international policymakers focused on vocational-technical education, paving the way for future U.S. trade and investment. The program will also facilitate partnerships that advantage U.S. companies and enhance global competitiveness while building networks between U.S. community colleges, international educational institutions, and industry partners.

Opportunity Overview: The United States Leadership in Education, Advanced Manufacturing, and Digital Skills (U.S. LEADS) Program celebrates America's 250th anniversary by showcasing U.S. leadership from the Industrial Revolution to the Digital Revolution, focusing on revitalizing manufacturing, advancing AI, and strengthening supply chains. This Freedom 250 initiative will spark collaboration between U.S. community colleges, international vocational leaders, and U.S. industry partners to address emerging labor market demands that advance U.S. interests and drive economic development. The program will launch with a summit in Washington, D.C. to highlight America’s industrial heritage, current leadership in manufacturing and AI, and the role of U.S. community colleges in preparing the workforce of tomorrow.

The program will also include a U.S. exchange for approximately 100 higher education officials, commerce leaders, and policymakers from countries strategically important to U.S. industry. The group should be divided into four cohorts comprised of approximately 25 representatives from approximately 3-4 countries, determined based on U.S. foreign policy priorities in consultation with ECA, U.S. embassies, and regional bureau input. These two-week regional programs will take place in approximately four U.S. cities with strong higher education-industry partnerships. Through site visits, hands-on learning, and industry engagement, international participants will gain knowledge of U.S. best practices in manufacturing and technology training, enabling them to adopt similar approaches and establish partnerships that advantage U.S. companies. The summit should occur between December 2026 and March 2027 and be followed immediately by the in-person regional exchanges. The successful applicant will provide responsive and flexible programming with activities tailored to U.S. priorities for vocational-technical education and commercial diplomacy that will lead to measurable positive policy change.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Only one proposal will be considered by ECA from each applicant organization. In cases where more than one submission from an applicant appears in grants.gov, ECA will only consider the submission made closest in time to the NOFO deadline; that submission would constitute the one and only proposal ECA would review from that applicant.

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361493 

Sponsor (Statement of Interest) Deadline: May 11, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET                                                                                                                             

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the NSF review criteria referenced in this announcement.  

 Funding Opportunity Purpose: 

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to help communities comply with environmental regulations and to assist them in building their technical, managerial, and financial (TMF) capabilities to sustainably operate drinking water, wastewater, and private well infrastructure.

Opportunity Overview:

All communities deserve access to clean, reliable water. Yet too many communities across America face challenges in providing safe drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services to their residents. EPA’s Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) connects communities to experts who help assess and implement solutions for their drinking water, sewage, and stormwater needs and assist communities in reaching compliance with regulations. Improving water quality is a priority for EPA and the Trump Administration, as outlined in the Make Our Children Healthy Again White House Strategy. Protecting the health of the country is the top priority of EPA, and EPA’s RealWaterTA programs help ensure America – and America’s water – is healthy.

Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity under the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act, EPA will achieve greater public health protection through an increase in: trained water sector personnel, improved performance of small public drinking water and wastewater systems, Safe Drinking Water Act compliance, and protection of private drinking water wells from contamination. This action advances the Administration’s priorities to Make America Healthy Again by improving water quality and reducing exposure risks, and enabling responsible economic growth for small public water systems through improved drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. In partnership with States, Tribes, and local governments and grounded in sound science and the law, EPA will deliver cleaner

 Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Applicants may submit more than one application package under this announcement as long as each one is submitted separately and addresses only one National Priority Area.

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361870

Sponsor Proposal Deadline (Required): May 13, 2026 at 11:59 p.m ET

 Documents Needed for the Preproposals: 

  · Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.               

  · Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format)              

  · List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

If assistance is needed to create the PDF, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu

Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided in a timely fashion to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the NSF review criteria referenced in this announcement.  

 Funding Opportunity Purpose: 

The NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) invites applications for the establishment of the Cooperative Institute in the Northern Gulf of America (CINGA). This CI may consist of a group of academic institutions (a consortium), at times working in conjunction with supporting research affiliates, with expertise and capabilities in the NOAA priority areas that contribute to the areas of research described in the Funding Opportunity Description of this announcement. This application should address high level research themes (See Section I.B. of this Announcement) that could encompass future projects and should not include detailed projects at this time.

Opportunity Overview:

The purpose of this announcement is to invite the submission of proposals to establish a Cooperative Institute in the Northern Gulf of America (CINGA) and to provide details on the application, review, and selection process. NOAA's mission requires a forward-thinking, interdisciplinary perspective to provide the scientific underpinning for an ecosystem approach to management of ocean resources. This institute will focus on interdisciplinary research to support NOAA's mission, specifically addressing:

•  Model and observing system interactions among living resources, habitats, ecosystem processes, anthropogenic impacts, and stressors to assist with making ecosystem‐based management decisions that support seafood competitiveness, coastal restoration, and the ocean economy;
• Determination of impacts of extreme events on coastal areas on issues including rate of elevation change, shoreline change, role of coastal development in preventing migration of marshes and other habitats, and change in inland, coastal and ocean hydrology and apply this knowledge to inform coastal development and restoration;
• Identification of the relationships between nutrient loading, eutrophication, hypoxia and harmful algal blooms and examine their impacts on ecosystem health, including fisheries;
• Determination of the manner in which storm surge, subsidence and sea‐level change affects built and natural communities;
• Development of advanced sampling technologies to enhance and more comprehensively sample fish stocks in challenging regimes (sub-littoral zones) or fragile environments (coral and fringing reefs) to improve fisheries management;
• Improvement of survey methodologies for science and recovery projects in the Gulf of America (GoA) in support of deregulatory efforts and/or more cost-effective recovery actions for protected species;
• Development of innovative, standards-based data methods for long term data stewardship, to enhance the operational data stewardship capabilities inherent to NOAA’s mission and to support large scale data integration and dissemination needs for multidisciplinary, multidimensional data originating from numerous sources.

 Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Applicants to this Notice of Funding Opportunity will submit only one overarching application that seeks to establish the CINGA at an eligible group of institutions (a consortium). This application should be submitted by the lead institution of the eligible group. Due to the type of project this is outlined to be, please contact our office before submitting a response here. 

FOA is available online at: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361748 

Sponsor Proposal Deadline (Required): May 18, 2026 at 11:59 p.m ET

 Documents Needed for the Preproposals: 

  · Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.               

  · Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format)              

  · List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

If assistance is needed to create the PDF, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu

Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided in a timely fashion to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition 

All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the NSF review criteria referenced in this announcement. Funding Opportunity Purpose: NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program: (MRI) The MRI Program especially seeks broad representation of groups, institutions, and geographic regions that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines. Proposals from women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities and early-career PIs are encouraged, as are proposals that benefit early-career researchers and proposals with PIs from geographically under-served regions, including EPSCoR jurisdictions. Additionally, proposals are encouraged from under-resourced institutions, including from emerging research institutions, where MRI can significantly build capacity for research. Opportunity Overview: 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.

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.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: 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 inrevised"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.

FOA is available online at: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/mri-major-research-instrumentation-program/nsf23-519/solicitation#elig

Internal Competition Submission Deadline: June 5, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m.  Internal Competition Results Announced: July 3, 2026 Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: November 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM Documents Needed for the Preproposals:

Submitters will complete and submit a form providing the following:

• Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.    
• Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format);       
•  List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

Change in application form: Since the limited submission process does not involve OSP assistance with budget development, we are now using a budget template in the Submittable form. This template is designed to capture a general overview of the budget. Additionally, we have included a budget justification section directly in the form, eliminating the need for applicants to upload separate budget documents with their pre-proposal materials.

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

Review Criteria: Internal review criteria shall mirror the NSF criteria in the FOA. Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided in a timely fashion to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition 

All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the NSF review criteria referenced in this announcement.  

 Funding Opportunity Purpose: NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program: (MRI) The MRI Program especially seeks broad representation of groups, institutions, and geographic regions that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines. Proposals from women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities and early-career PIs are encouraged, as are proposals that benefit early-career researchers and proposals with PIs from geographically under-served regions, including EPSCoR jurisdictions. Additionally, proposals are encouraged from under-resourced institutions, including from emerging research institutions, where MRI can significantly build capacity for research.   Opportunity Overview: 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.

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 for requests that include the purchase, installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment and instrumentation to reduce consumption of helium.

 Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: 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 inrevised"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.

FOA is available online at: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/mri-major-research-instrumentation-program/nsf23-519/solicitation#elig

 Internal Competition Submission Deadline: June 5, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m.     

Internal Competition Results Announced: July 3, 2026    

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: November 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM   

Documents Needed for the Preproposals:

Submitters will complete and submit a form providing the following:

• Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.    
• Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format);       
•  List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

Change in application form: Since the limited submission process does not involve OSP assistance with budget development, we are now using a budget template in the Submittable form. This template is designed to capture a general overview of the budget. Additionally, we have included a budget justification section directly in the form, eliminating the need for applicants to upload separate budget documents with their pre-proposal materials.

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu 

 Review Criteria: Internal review criteria shall mirror the NSF criteria in the FOA.   Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided in a timely fashion to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition     All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the criteria referenced in this announcement.   

Funding Opportunity Purpose: This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites eligible institutions to seek funds to transform or improve the operations of existing shared research facilities through the purchase and installation of latest equipment that enable and enhance a broad range of research-supporting activities. Any equipment supported by this NOFO must be substantially used in a laboratory research core facility, animal facility, or similar shared-use research space to ensure broad benefits for the institutional research community. Moreover, any request must be justified by research-related demands for the modernization of research-supporting functions or for the advancement of facility operations. This NOFO does not support the purchase of scientific instruments or their components, nor components of building-level infrastructure equipment that indirectly support research activities (such as HVACs or power generators).

NIGMS will co-fund applications from higher education institutions that award undergraduate (B.S. or B.A.) and/or graduate degrees in biomedical sciences and have received no more than $6 million dollars per year (total costs) from NIH Research Project Grants (RPGs) in each of the preceding two fiscal years, calculated using NIH RePORTER, at the time of the application.  Applications to be considered must support research aligned with the NIGMS mission. Applications for research capacity building in Institutional Development Award (IDeA)-eligible states will be considered.  

NIH recognizes that modern physical infrastructure that supports the scientific enterprise is indispensable for the advancement of biomedical research. Laboratory spaces or animal facilities are considered eligible if the space/facility: i) employs a wide range of advanced technical solutions to create well-controlled environments, ii) provides research spaces with equipment to facilitate and optimize research-supporting activities, and iii) provides tools that assist in facility operations and monitoring.

Opportunity Overview: The objective of this NOFO is to support the acquisition of latest, technologically advanced equipment needed to advance the operational efficacy, productivity, and throughput; improve energy efficiency, enhance, or streamline operating processes and procedures in core laboratories, animal research facilities, or other shared-use research support space. Providing access to such equipment can also expand the capacity of essential support services for evolving and emerging research programs. Maintaining current functions, replacing broken equipment, and routine upgrading are not supported by this NOFO. This NOFO does not support the acquisition of scientific research instruments that acquire experimental data or any other instrument directly involved in experimental processes that lead to data collection. Some examples of such excluded instruments include, but are not limited to, spectrometers, microscopes, biomedical imagers, cell analyzers, sequencers, PCR machines, chromatography equipment, and metabolic cages. Computer and data storage systems supporting scientific data collection, storage, and analysis are also not supported by this NOFO. These instruments may be requested through ORIP’s shared instrumentation programs.

Animal research facilities are one of the targeted research areas of this NOFO. Examples of supported equipment for animal facilities include, but are not limited to:

• Multi-functional ventilated cages and/or cage racks for small animals
• Specialized caging system for large animals
• Aquatic animal systems equipped with water quality assessment sensors
• Automated feeding or watering systems to aid in consistency and accuracy of animal care
• Robotics and automations for animal facility operation
• Advanced, environmental-friendly, high performing or high-throughput cage, rack, bottle, and tunnel washer systems  
• Veterinary care devices and veterinary diagnostic systems
• Telemetry equipment to monitor cage conditions and/or animal well-being for purposes of animal husbandry (not experimental data collection)
• Environmental management devices that assist in the monitoring and customizing of environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, air flow, and lighting.

Core laboratories and specialized facilities are other spaces targeted by this NOFO. Without access to modern research facilities with well-controlled environments and furnished with specialized support equipment, many research functions are not feasible. Examples of supported modern laboratory research equipment include, but are not limited to:

• Modern biobanking or cryopreservation equipment
• Freezers assisted by robotic arms or other forms of automation
• Biosafety cabinets
• Fume hoods
• Incubators
• Centrifuges
• Autoclaves or other sterilizers
• Cryogenic gas recovery/recycling equipment (servicing two or more instruments)
• Environmental chambers, isolators, or other chambers designed to create specialized environments
• Bioreactors
• Lyophilizers
• Liquid dispensers or other automated sample preparation equipment (single piece of equipment)
• Cryostats or other tissue sectioning equipment
• Single piece, integrated slide staining equipment (multiple pieces for single steps in the process are not allowed)
• Nucleic acid extraction equipment
• Peptide or oligonucleotide synthesizers
• 3D Printers
• Automated cell processing equipment
• Water purification/treatment equipment (in lab, not for an entire building)

Other equipment that modernizes, streamlines, or improves the operating efficiency of the facility is also supported. Computers or other electronics that are built into the equipment with specialized software may also be a part of the equipment request if and only if they are inseparable from the requested equipment.

Equipment supported by this NOFO differs in its functionality from scientific research instruments, but such equipment is critically needed to advance and accelerate the operations of research facilities and, as a result, contributes indirectly to the overall advancement of scientific research. Any equipment acquired under this NOFO must benefit the larger biomedical research enterprise at the applicant institution and represent a technological step forward. The application narrative should demonstrate that the request for the equipment is driven by the demands of active areas of biomedical research at the institution. The facility may serve investigators whose research is supported by NIH, other Federal agencies, private foundations, institutional funds, or other sources. Current NIH research funding is not a requirement for submission of an application. Once installed, the requested equipment should enable new and advanced capabilities, offer innovative technological solutions, or enhance support operations, as well as benefit the user community and multiple research projects of many investigators. Maintaining current functions, replacing broken equipment, and routine upgrading are not supported by this NOFO. Likewise, equipment that is normally considered to be a component of building infrastructure is not supported, e.g., HVAC systems, building-level water treatment systems, or back-up power supplies of any type. Any application that proposes general outfitting, clusters of equipment, scientific instruments or their components, and/or other non-allowed expenses will be deemed unresponsive to this NOFO and subject to withdrawal from review or consideration for funding. The acquisition of a single piece of latest equipment necessary to support specialized research-supporting activities is the goal of this NOFO. Moreover, only one facility can be supported; this NOFO does not support the upgrading of multiple facilities at a single institution. Only one type of equipment may be requested. Auxiliary items required for the physical operation of the major equipment piece are also permitted, e.g., a centrifuge with a rotor. Such auxiliary items must be dedicated to the main equipment piece, required for the main equipment piece to function, and not be capable of stand-alone operation. Multiple items of the same type of equipment are also permitted, e.g., cages racks with cages, but any request must be justified by the research-related demands on the facility and the operational capacities therein. Clusters of equipment serving a single or multiple support function(s) are not permitted, e.g., incubators, biosafety hoods, and centrifuges for cell culture. General outfitting of the support space, e.g., purchasing multiple pieces of different equipment is also not permitted under this NOFO.

Moreover, it is encouraged that all requested equipment adheres to the highest level of energy efficiency available to reduce environmental impacts.

All applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Scientific/Research Contact(s) before submission of an application to discuss equipment requests and eligibility criteria. In addition, there is an FAQ and (archived) webinar providing additional guidance that can be viewed at ORIP's Equipment web page.  

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization: Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique entity identifier (UEI) or NIH IPF number) is allowed. An institution that received an award under this NOFO in the immediate past fiscal year is not eligible to apply for this NOFO unless the previous award has been fully closed out by the date of submission. Specifically, an institution that received an award under PAR-24-028 is not eligible to apply for this NOFO for the September 25, 2024 due date. In other words, only one active equipment award is permitted at a time.

FOA is available online at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-24-259.html

Internal Competition Submission Deadline: July 10, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m. 

Internal Competition Results Announced: July 31, 2026                                                                                                                                 Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: September 25, 2026, at 5:00 PM   

Documents Needed for the Preproposals: 

Submitters will complete and submit a form providing the following:

• Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.    
• Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format);       
•  List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

Change in application form: Since the limited submission process does not involve OSP assistance with budget development, we are now using a budget template in the Submittable form. This template is designed to capture a general overview of the budget. Additionally, we have included a budget justification section directly in the form, eliminating the need for applicants to upload separate budget documents with their pre-proposal materials.   

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu. 

 Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition     All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the criteria referenced in this announcement.   

Funding Opportunity Purpose: The United States Public Health Service (USPHS) is committed to achieving a society in which all people live long, healthy lives. The vision, mission, and goals are found in Healthy People 2030, a USPHS-led national activity to achieve better health in the United States by the year 2030. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is linked to the goals of Healthy People 2030, that are intended to prevent work-related diseases, injuries, and deaths while improving worker health, safety, and well-being.

As noted by Healthy People 2030, the health and well-being of the U.S. workforce is central to the strength of the economy. Because people spend so much time working, their work environment has a major impact on their health. Many people get injured or die on the job, and develop health conditions from exposure at work, such as hearing loss, skin diseases and lung problems. Tailored interventions can help reduce work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths, and promote worker well-being.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 mandates that NIOSH provide an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. NIOSH ERCs have a key role in meeting this mandate and contribute to the Institute’s core mission of preventing workplace injuries and illnesses.

In 1977, NIOSH supported 9 ERCs in 9 states and 5 Health and Human Services (HHS) Federal Regions. Presently, NIOSH supports 18 ERCs across all 10 HHS Regions. Over 20,700 individuals graduated from ERCs in the core and allied disciplines in occupational safety and health (OSH) from 1977 - 2023. As capacity in OSH practice and research has increased, the number and rates of work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities have decreased (BLS, 2021).

The far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the vital role OSH has in the United States and beyond. From occupational exposures that led to illness and death to the mental and economic stressors the pandemic placed across individuals, workplaces and communities, ERCs responded rapidly to the needs of their students, staff and faculty and regional stakeholders by providing broad-based approaches to protection from the virus. This included guidance on proper use and decontamination of personal protective equipment, respirator fit testing, social distancing for worksites, and the use of physical protective barriers. Many ERCs developed communication products, resource guides, online courses, and webinars on safe work practices during the pandemic.

ERCs will continue to train OSH practitioners and researchers with the knowledge and skills to respond to natural, man-made, environmental, and public health disasters. Historically, ERCs have provided expertise in worker health and safety following events such as hurricanes (Katrina, Maria, and Harvey), the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, illicit drug exposures to law enforcement and emergency medical services, and Ebola and influenza outbreaks. ERC's responses have included outreach activities and research training opportunities that highlighted the expertise of ERC's faculty, staff, and trainees.

Opportunity Overview: 

Centers will have different strengths, focus areas, experiences and capacities.  NIOSH ERCs are essential to moving the OSH field forward.  Developing highly skilled and knowledgeable OSH practitioners and researchers to advance worker health, safety and well-being is crucial to address issues that are multi-regional, national, and global in scope.

ERCs focus on the core OSH disciplines of IH, OHN, OM, and OS and must support at least 2 of the core disciplines through their academic training program. Allied disciplines are also offered through many of the ERCs. Allied disciplines include, but not limited to, occupational health psychology, Total Worker Health, mining safety, agricultural safety and health, and ergonomics.

ERCs serve as resources for our nation's workforce through continuing education and outreach in their region. ERCs have strong collaborations with professional associations, worker advocacy groups, businesses, industries and public health agencies.

ERCs may also support research training programs through Pilot Project Research Training Programs and Targeted Research Training. ERCs conduct research on priorities in NORA and emerging issues.

The applicant must provide an overall description of the ERC addressing the burden of occupational injuries and illnesses within the region, the regional and national need to an ERC in their region and the ERC's impact or potential for impact to improve worker health, safety, and well-being. The narrative should address significance, investigators, innovation, approach, and environment. Applicants may indicate this in the Research Strategy of their application.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization:   Only one is allowed.

A current recipient or applicant of the NIOSH T03, Occupational Safety and Health Training Project Grants award is not eligible to apply for an award or a sub-award under this Funding Opportunity Announcement.

FOA is available online at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OH-25-002.html

Internal Competition Submission Deadline: July 23, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m

Internal Competition Results Announced: August 13, 2026                                                                                                                         

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: October 22, 2026, at 5:00 PM      

Documents Needed for the Preproposals: 

Submitters will complete and submit a form providing the following:

• Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.    
• Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format);       
•  List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

Change in application form: Since the limited submission process does not involve OSP assistance with budget development, we are now using a budget template in the Submittable form. This template is designed to capture a general overview of the budget. Additionally, we have included a budget justification section directly in the form, eliminating the need for applicants to upload separate budget documents with their pre-proposal materials.   

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu. 

 Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition     All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the criteria referenced in this announcement.   

Funding Opportunity Purpose: This funding opportunity provides support for a National Center for Construction Safety and Health Research and Translation (National Construction Center) to address the significant and varied burden of work-related injuries and illnesses in the U.S. construction industry. The NIOSH National Construction Center serves as a national leader in construction research, implementation, and dissemination of scientific discoveries to benefit construction workers by working to prevent or reduce work-related injuries and illnesses. The NIOSH National Construction Center recipient will address both regional and national construction worker safety and health issues and prioritize the creation, dissemination, and widespread use of evidence-based solutions to address the most critical safety and health problems in the construction industry. Furthermore, the NIOSH National Construction Center will establish a publicly accessible online repository for research data, indicators, and research-to-practice materials and products. The overarching goal of the National Construction Center is to reduce adverse construction worker health and safety outcomes by studying, developing, and implementing evidence-based practices and solutions.

Applications for this funding opportunity should have a national scope for research, implementation, dissemination, and related activities described in this announcement. The proposed projects should aim to achieve the following objectives: 1) reducing and preventing construction worker exposures to safety and health hazards, 2) improving the safety culture and safety climate within the construction industry, 3) applying prevention through design, the hierarchy of controls, and emerging technologies where appropriate to address industry hazards, and 4) widely disseminating best practices and other information for use by workers, employers, contractors, and site owners. The National Construction Center is expected to work closely with NIOSH construction program leadership, academic and research partners, and other organizations to advance research integration and inform best practices and effective worksite solutions in the U.S. construction industry. Applicants should clearly describe how the intended outcomes of the proposed work will contribute to the specified goals in NIOSH's Strategic Plan and, in the NIOSH Priority Goals for Extramural Research.

Opportunity Overview: 

consider the required and optional components essential to the National Construction Center function, detailed below, in providing an overall description of the proposed Center, addressing 1) the burden of occupational injuries and illnesses for the construction sector, 2) the national need for the Center’s proposed programs and projects, and 3) the Center’s impact, or potential for impact, on construction worker health and safety.

To effectively address the purpose and scope of this NOFO, the following required components will enable the Center to cohesively address established goals and objectives for providing impact:

• Planning, Administration, and Evaluation Core
• Construction Industry Data and Statistical Core
• Communication, Outreach, and Education Core
• Research-to-Practice Core
• Applied Research Projects (collectively, the Applied Research Core)

Planning, Administration, and Evaluation Core (up to 20% of total costs/year). The purpose of this core is to 1) provide oversight, leadership, and management for the Center, including establishment and maintenance of advisory committees; 2) engage in long-range planning, coordination, and implementation of work that crosses multiple cores, programs or projects; and 3) develop and assist in implementing evaluation efforts at the Center, core, program and project levels.

Construction Industry Data and Statistical Core (up to 10% of total costs/year). This core acquires, analyzes, interprets and disseminates data, indicators, and important changes/trends within and impacting the construction sector. The types of data can include construction related injury, illness, disability, deaths, industry characteristics, advances in methods, equipment, or technologies, as well as indicators such as employment and demographic economic variables.

Communication, Outreach, and Education Core (up to 10% of total costs). The purpose of this core is to ensure that evidence-based approaches, technologies, guidelines, policies, best practices, or similar activities that are known to be effective are promoted and disseminated to benefit workers and their associated work environments. This core develops partnerships with a diverse group of stakeholders to help ensure that research outputs, outcomes, and impacts can be disseminated widely. A variety of pathways should be used, such as live meetings, webinars, websites, and social media.

Research-to-Practice Core (up to 30% of total costs/year). This core ensures a systematic approach focused on the use, adoption, and adaptation of interventions and technologies that translate research findings into practice to reduce and eliminate occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the construction sector. The purpose of this core is to bridge the gap between research and practice by effectively integrating knowledge, interventions, and technologies into workplace policies, procedures, and practices.

Applied Research Core (up to 30% of total costs/year). This core consists of a variety of individual research projects that address burden, need, and impact to improve occupational safety and health in the construction sector. Applied research builds the evidence base for effective prevention and intervention practices.

Guidance has been provided for the approximate budget allocation expected for each core. Applicants may request, with justification, more or less funding for any of the cores, provided they do not exceed the total costs allowed under this NOFO.

Applicants are encouraged to propose a pilot studies subprogram as part of the Planning, Administration, and Evaluation Core or the Research-to-Practice Core. Provide a clear description of the program within the appropriate core and fully justify the requested budget. All laws and regulations related to federal funding will apply. NIOSH will neither peer-review individual pilot project proposals nor make available an institutional review board for that purpose.

Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization:   Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique UEI number) is allowed.

FOA is available online at: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OH-24-001.html

Internal Competition Submission Deadline: July 24, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m

Internal Competition Results Announced: August 14, 2026                                                                                                                         

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline: October 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM      

Documents Needed for the Preproposals: 

Submitters will complete and submit a form providing the following:

• Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.    
• Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format);       
•  List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

Change in application form: Since the limited submission process does not involve OSP assistance with budget development, we are now using a budget template in the Submittable form. This template is designed to capture a general overview of the budget. Additionally, we have included a budget justification section directly in the form, eliminating the need for applicants to upload separate budget documents with their pre-proposal materials.   

*If assistance is needed, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu. 

 Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.

Announcement of UTRGV Limited Submission Internal Competition All PI-eligible UTRGV faculty/staff interested in submitting a proposal to the Limited Submission opportunity must submit the internal pre-proposal via Submittable platform (using single PDF document) by the deadline. Please see OSP Handbook, page 8, for PI eligibility details. Internal pre-proposals must comply with all instructions and address the NSF review criteria referenced in this announcement.  

 Funding Opportunity Purpose: Vulnerabilities in an open-source product and/or its continuous development, integration and deployment infrastructure can potentially be exploited to attack any user (human, organization, and/or another product/entity) of the product. To respond to the growing threats to the safety, security, and privacy of open-source ecosystems (OSEs), NSF is launching the Safety, Security, and Privacy for Open-Source Ecosystems (Safe-OSE) program. This program solicits proposals from OSEs, including those not originally funded by NSF's Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE) program, to address significant safety, security, and/or privacy vulnerabilities, both technical (e.g., vulnerabilities in code and side-channels) and socio-technical (e.g., supply chain, insider threats, etc.).

Although most open-source products are software-based, it is important to note that Safe-OSE applies to any type of OSE, including those based on scientific methodologies, models, and processes; manufacturing processes and process specifications; materials formulations; programming languages and formats; hardware instruction sets; system designs or specifications; and data platforms. The goal of the Safe-OSE program is to catalyze meaningful improvements in the safety, security, and privacy of the targeted OSE that the OSE does not currently have the resources to undertake. Funds from this program should be directed toward efforts to enhance the safety, security, and privacy characteristics of the open-source product and its supply chain as well as to bolster the ecosystem's capabilities for managing current and future risks, attacks, breaches, and responses.   

Opportunity Overview:The term "open source" usually refers to software for which the original source code is publicly distributed to anyone and for any purpose, including for further development and refinement in a collaborative manner. Open-source software (OSS) is ubiquitous: a 2022 report from GitHub estimated that 97% of software relies on OSS, and 90% of companies apply or use OSS in some way. OSS is also increasingly important to commercial enterprises, with 30% of Fortune 100 companies running open-source program offices (OSPOs) to coordinate their OSS strategies.

Increasingly, however, the term open source also refers to a range of publicly distributed products that transcend OSS, including scientific methodologies, models, and processes; manufacturing processes and process specifications; materials formulations; programming languages and formats; hardware instruction sets; system designs or specifications; and data platforms. Academic and industrial scientists, engineers, researchers, and other professionals worldwide use distributed, collaborative open-source development methods to make a wide variety of products openly available with a goal of enabling nimble development and catalyzing further innovation.

Although open-source development methods accelerate and catalyze innovation, they can also create safety, security, and privacy risks and unintended harms. Adversaries can leverage the pillars of the open-source development philosophy - the democratization of development and broad opportunities for reuse - to insert and exploit vulnerabilities in open-source products. For OSS, even code written in memory-safe languages can be compromised because code re-usability and modularity can introduce dependencies, complexity, and liabilities to the software development life cycle. A recent study found that 82% of OSS components present risks due to vulnerabilities, security issues, and code quality or maintainability concerns. Furthermore, as noted in the report of a recent workshop sponsored by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NSF, and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) on the Open-source Software Security Initiative, the dynamics of complex, distributed organizations pose unique challenges in the creation and maintenance of a secure open-source ecosystem.

Thus, the characteristics of openness that make open-source such a powerful driver of innovation also enable many avenues of attack by adversaries using combinations of technical, social, and socio-technical approaches.

 Maximum Number of Applications Allowed Per Organization:Up to two (2) preliminary proposals per lead organization are allowed. NSF will review the preliminary proposals and provide a binding "Invite" or "Do Not Invite" response for each preliminary proposal. Invited organizations will be allowed to submit a full proposal on the project described in the preliminary proposal by the full proposal submission deadline.

FOA is available online at: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/safe-ose-safety-security-privacy-open-source-ecosystems/nsf24-608/solicitation  

 Internal Competition Submission Deadline: August 25, 2026  @ 11:59 p.m

Internal Competition Results Announced: September 15, 2026     

Sponsor Preliminary Proposal Deadline (Required): January 12, 2027 at 5:00 PM 

 Documents Needed for the Preproposals: 

  · Draft project summary/abstract of up to 2 pages; References do not count toward the 2-page limit.               

  · Biographical sketches for the PIs and Co-PIs (any format)              

  · List of collaborators and any other senior/key personnel, if any.

If assistance is needed to create the PDF, please contact Salvador Arellano III at salvador.arellano01@utrgv.edu

Review Criteria: Internal review criteria shall mirror the NSF criteria in the FOA.   

Internal Review Process: The Research Division in consultation with a review committee, will decide which pre-proposals will continue to the full proposal submission stage. Anonymized reviewer feedback will be provided in a timely fashion to all PIs whose pre-proposals were considered by the review committee, following the announcement of the finalist selection.