NOAA's Office of Education (OEd), Educational Partnership Program (EPP) with Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) solicits applications from accredited postsecondary MSIs to establish five NOAA Cooperative Science Centers (CSCs). These five CSCs are designed to create collaborative partnerships among MSIs and NOAA's Line Offices. NOAA's mission as stated in the FY2009-2014 NOAA Strategic Plan, is ``[t]o understand and predict changes in Earth's environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our nation's economic, social, and environmental needs.'' The Uniform Resource Locator for NOAA Strategic Planning is http:// www.ppi.noaa.gov/strategic_planning.html. Additional information about NOAA may be found on the Web site: http://www.noaa.gov. Each NOAA Cooperative Science Center must conduct education and research that directly supports NOAA's mission. The purpose of these CSCs at MSIs is to: (1) Educate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields related to the CSCs' research areas to increase the number and diversity of NOAA's and the nation's STEM workforce; (2) conduct research in collaboration with NOAA scientists and engineers to better understand the significance of changes in the Earth's oceans, coasts, Great Lakes, weather and climate; and, (3) build capacity and sustainability in NOAA-relevant STEM areas at all center institutions. The CSCs are to leverage existing education and research program capabilities to train and graduate students in NOAA- mission STEM fields including broader disciplines (e.g., economics and social sciences). The CSCs are to build sustainable capacity, maintaining newly established curricula, as well as upgraded research facilities that will enhance their ability to conduct NOAA education and research that contributes to a pipeline of students trained in STEM fields. The EPP is designed to enhance capacity at MSIs that educate, train, and graduate students in STEM fields and to increase environmental literacy by establishing partnerships with academia, the private sector, and other state, tribal and local agencies. Additional program details may be found on the Web site: http://www.epp.noaa.gov. Interested applicants should be responsive to both the notice in the Federal Register and the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement. A PDF version of both the Federal Register Notice and the FFO are available at http://www.epp.noaa.gov/. Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-SEC-OED-2011-2002684. Assistance Listing: 11.481. Funding Instrument: CA,G. Category: ED,ENV,NR,ST. Award Amount: Up to $3M per award.

Awards will be made as cooperative agreements to accredited Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in the United States that are eligible to apply for this NASA Research Announcement (NRA). The period of performance for an award is up to 6 months. Prospective proposers are requested to submit any questions in writing to NASAMSTAR@nasaprs.com no later than 10 business days before the proposal due date so that NASA will have sufficient time to respond. Proposers to this NRA are required to have the following, no later than the due date: 1) a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, 2) a valid registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) [formerly known as the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)], 3) a valid Commercial And Government Entity (CAGE) Code, 4) a valid registration with NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) (this also applies to any entities proposed for sub-awards or subcontracts.) Consult Appendix I Section I.3 for more eligibility information. The goal of M-STAR is to provide planning grants to promote STEM literacy and to enhance the capability of institutions to participate in NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) opportunities, such as Centennial Challenges, and to support the Agency’s advancement of technologies needed for exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond through the development of an implementation plan for responding to STMD opportunities. M-STAR seeks to address the agency goals and objectives through increasing the institutional awareness of NASA competitive resources that can build the capacity of MSIs to offer and conduct STEM undergraduate and graduate research with a focus on NASA opportunities and connecting MSI administrators and university STEM leaders to cutting-edge initiatives at NASA that can increase interest in securing research and contracting opportunities while supporting NASA’s policy to achieve an Agency-wide goal of providing one percent of total contract value of prime and subcontracting awards to MSIs. To achieve these goals, M-STAR seeks to: expand the nation's base for space technology by fostering new research and technology development concepts aligned with NASA priorities; promote MSI participation in NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate opportunities; strengthen participation of faculty, researchers, and students at MSIs in the research programs of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate; facilitate mechanisms to ensure the diversity of workers at NASA and in undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded to students from MSIs in NASA-related fields reflects the diversity of our nation. Every institution intending to submit a proposal to this NRA must be registered in NSPIRES. Electronic submission of proposals is required by the due date and must be submitted by an authorized official of the proposing organization. Such registration must identify the authorized organizational representative(s) who will submit the electronic proposal. All principal investigators and other participants (e.g. co-investigators) must be registered in NSPIRES regardless of submission system. Potential proposers and proposing organizations are urged to access the system(s) well in advance of the proposal due date(s) of interest to familiarize themselves with its structure and enter the requested information. Electronic proposals may be submitted via the NASA proposal data system NSPIRES. Additional programmatic information for this NRA may develop before the proposal due date. If so, such information will be added as a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) or formal amendment to this NRA and posted on http://nspires.nasaprs.com. It is the proposer’s responsibility to check NSPIRES regularly for updates to this NRA. Funding Opportunity Number: NNH20ZHA002N-MSTAR. Assistance Listing: 43.008. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: ED. Award Amount: Up to $40K per award.

Build and Broaden (B2) supports fundamental research and research capacity across disciplines at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and encourages research collaborations with scholars at MSIs. Growing the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce is a national priority. National forecasts of the impending shortage of workers with science and engineering skills and essential research workers underscore a need to expand opportunities to participate in STEM research (President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 2012). MSIs make considerable contributions to educating and training science leaders for U.S. economic growth and competitiveness. Yet NSF has received comparatively few grant submissions from, or involving, scholars at MSIs. Targeted outreach activities reveal that MSIs have varying degrees of familiarity with funding opportunities within NSF and particularly within the Social, Behavioral and Economic (SBE) Sciences Directorate. As a result, NSF is limited in its ability to support research and training opportunities in the SBE sciences at these institutions. With its emphasis on broadening participation , Build and Broaden is designed to address this problem. SBE offers Build and Broaden in order to increase proposal submissions, advance research collaborations and networks involving MSI scholars, and support research activities in the SBE sciences at MSIs. Proposals that outline research projects in the SBE sciences that increase students' pursuit of graduate training, enhance PI productivity build research capacity, or cultivate partnerships are especially encouraged to apply. Proposals are invited from single principal investigators based at MSIs and from multiple co-investigators from groups of MSIs. Principal investigators who are not affiliated with MSIs may submit proposals, but must collaborate with PIs, co-PIs, or senior personnel from MSIs and describe how their project will foster research partnerships or capacity-building with at least one MSI as a primary goal of the proposed work. Proposals may address any scientific and cross-disciplinary areas supported by SBE. These areas include anthropology, archaeology, cognitive neuroscience, decision science, ecological research, economics, geography, linguistics, law and science, organizational behavior, political science, public policy, security and preparedness, psychology, and sociology. To find research areas supported by SBE please visit the SBE programs page or visit the NSF funding and awards page. Funding Opportunity Number: 22-638. Assistance Listing: 47.075. Funding Instrument: G. Category: ST. Award Amount: $8M total program funding.

This solicitation invites applications (also referred to as “proposals”) to increase the capacity of eligible institutions to achieve very high research activity status on the Carnegie Classification scale. The proposals must align with the research areas of interest to the DoW (which includes the USW(R&E) and the ARL) and enhance the education of students in areas of STEM that align with the DoW research interests. Funding Opportunity Number: W911NF26S0075. Assistance Listing: 12.630. Funding Instrument: G. Category: ST. Award Amount: $1.5M – $10M per award.

The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research is designed to fulfill the mandate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote scientific progress nationwide. NSF EPSCoR facilitates the establishment of partnerships among academic institutions, government, industry, and non-profit sectors that are designed to promote sustainable improvements in a jurisdiction's research infrastructure, Research and Development (R&D) capacity, and R&D competitiveness of EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions (i.e., states, territories, and commonwealths). Eligibility to participate in the EPSCoR funding opportunities, including the EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows program, is described on theNSF EPSCoR website. EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows directly aligns with the NSF EPSCoR strategic goal of establishing sustainable Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professional development pathways that advance workforce development and effects engagement in STEM at national and global levels. EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows provides awards to build researchcapacityin institutions and transform the career trajectories of investigators and further develop their individual research potential through collaborations with investigators from the nation’s premier private, governmental, or academic research institutions and/or centers. The fellowship provides opportunities to establish strong collaborations through extended or periodic collaborative visits to a selected host site.Through collaborative research activities with the host site, Fellows will be able to learn new techniques, develop new collaborations, advance existing partnerships, benefit from access to unique equipment and facilities, and/or shift their research toward potentially transformative new directions. The experiences gained through the fellowships are intended to have lasting impacts that will enhance the Fellows’ research trajectories well beyond the award period. The benefits to the Fellows are also expected to improve the research capacity of their institutions and jurisdictions more broadly. EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII): EPSCoR Research Fellows offers the following two tracks: 1)EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF; and 2) EPSCoR Research Fellows: @NASA  While the two tracks have similar goals, EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF is open to a broad community and EPSCoR Research Fellows: @NASA supports faculty from eligible institutions (See Section"IV. Eligibility Information" for more details) to collaborate with researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) research centers. PIs who are eligible for both tracks may apply for only one track per competition cycle. Proposals from both tracks are submitted to and merit reviewed by NSF. Awards in the EPSCoR Research Fellows: @NASA track are referred to NASA EPSCoR for distribution of additional NASA funds and other needed NASA coordination required for the award. In both tracks, the EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows program provides opportunities for the participation of one trainee, who must be an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled full-time in an accredited degree program, or a postdoctoral researcher from an EPSCoR jurisdiction. Staff members, such as technicians or lab assistants could be considered as trainees when properly justified. Funding Opportunity Number: 24-528. Assistance Listing: 47.041,47.049,47.050,47.070,47.074,47.075,47.076,47.079,47.083,47.084. Funding Instrument: G. Category: ST. Award Amount: $15M total program funding.

Tactical Technology Office (TTO) Office-Wide BAA is a grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that funds revolutionary technology development to create disruptive military platforms, systems, and capabilities for national defense. The program emphasizes hardware demonstrations at scales that prove disruptive capability with designs that reduce risk, cost, and complexity. Awards typically range from $500,000 to $5,000,000. All responsible U.S. and non-U.S. organizations are eligible to apply, including commercial companies, universities, research institutions, small businesses, HBCUs, and minority institutions. The application deadline was April 17, 2026, with the original solicitation published June 23, 2025.

Hidden Star Galaxy Grant is a grant from Hidden Star, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, that funds women and minority business owners with $3,500 in unrestricted grant funding. Hidden Star has supported women and minority entrepreneurs for over nine years through the Galaxy of Stars platform, awarding more than $420,000 in total grants since 2016. The program welcomes applicants at all stages of entrepreneurship, including those thinking about starting a business, those just getting started, and experienced owners. Applications are free and take approximately 30 seconds to complete. The deadline for the current cycle is April 30, 2026, with winners announced the following week. Existing Galaxy Plus+ members are automatically entered for all grant opportunities.

The Montgomery County Supporting Minority and Women-owned Businesses Technical Assistance Grant is a grant from the Montgomery County LGBT Business Council that funds technical assistance for historically disadvantaged small businesses in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The program provides no-cost coaching, workshops, and support to minority-owned or women-owned businesses in eligible census tracts or those negatively impacted by COVID-19. Support includes 1-on-1 finance and operations coaching, digital tools workshops, certification cohorts, and capital access resources. Eligible businesses must be 51% minority-owned or 51% women-owned, located in a HUD Qualified Census Tract or COVID-19 impacted, with fewer than 500 employees in Montgomery County. The application deadline is April 30, 2026.

Galaxy Grants is a grant from Galaxy (powered by Hidden Star, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) that funds women and minority business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. The program has awarded more than $420,000 in grants over nine years and is free to apply. Winners receive $3,500 to invest in their business or startup. The grant is open to women and minority founders, including those who would like to start a business as well as existing business owners. The deadline for the current cycle is April 30, 2026, with winners announced the following week.

Galaxy Grant is a ,750 award from Hidden Star designed to support women and minority business owners. The grant is free to apply for, making it especially accessible to underrepresented entrepreneurs seeking startup or growth capital. Applicants must identify as women or members of a minority group operating a business. The application deadline is April 30th, 2026. This grant provides a meaningful financial boost without the barrier of application fees, encouraging diverse business owners to pursue funding for operations, marketing, inventory, or other business needs.

Galaxy Grants is a grant from Hidden Star, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, that funds women and minority-owned small businesses with $3,500 in unrestricted grant funding. Powered by the Galaxy of Stars platform, the program has awarded more than $420,000 in grants since 2016 to support entrepreneurs at every stage, from those thinking about starting a business to experienced owners. Eligible applicants include new, experienced, or aspiring women and minority entrepreneurs. Applications are free, the process takes approximately 30 seconds, and winners are announced the following week after the deadline. The April 30, 2026 deadline applies to the current cycle, with rolling grant opportunities available through Galaxy Plus+ membership.

Development Initiatives Grant Program is a grant from the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh that funds development projects in the Greater Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Awards range from $100,000 to $500,000 and support community development, economic revitalization, and affordable housing initiatives, with a preference for minority-owned entities based in the Greater Hill District. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) and for-profit entities with connections to the community. The application deadline is April 30, 2026.

Galaxy Grant is a grant from Hidden Star (Galaxy of Stars) that funds women and minority business owners in the United States through its 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which has supported underrepresented entrepreneurs for over nine years and has awarded more than $420,000 in grants to date. The program offers a free-to-apply competitive grant to help business owners grow and sustain their enterprises. Eligible applicants are women and minority business owners in the U.S. The application deadline is April 30, 2026, with winners announced the following week. The award is $3,500.

The Opportunities in Optometry Grant is a grant from the American Optometric Association (AOA) Foundation that funds under-represented minority students interested in pursuing careers in optometry. Awards of $1,500 are available twice per year, with application deadlines of May 1 and December 1. The grant is jointly supported by the AOA and the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) and is designed to promote inclusion and diversity in the optometric profession for future generations. Applicants should allow up to 60 days after each deadline for review and notification. Students with questions may contact Molly Brown, the Optometry Cares Program Manager, at mbrown@aoa.org. The 2026 application cycle is currently open.

The CFDA Scholarship Fund is a grant from the Council of Fashion Designers of America that funds emerging American fashion design students through a portfolio of scholarships recognizing talent across womenswear, menswear, accessories, textiles, knitwear, and jewelry. Now in its 30th anniversary year, the program has awarded approximately $5.9 million through 415 scholarships since 1996. For 2026, a record $1.52 million in total funding is available. Individual scholarships include the PVH Foundation x CFDA Scholarship ($25,000), the Carolina Herrera & CFDA Women in Design Award ($40,000), and the Geoffrey Beene Design Scholarship Award ($65,000). Third-year undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply. The application deadline is April 10, 2026.

Advanced Laboratories for Accelerating the Reach and Impact of Treatments for Youth and Adults with Mental Illness (ALACRITY) Research Centers is sponsored by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Funds research centers to develop and test approaches for optimizing mental health interventions, service delivery, and improving reach and impact, directly supporting linkage to care in mental health.

Comprehensive Housing Counseling and Housing Counseling Training NOFO (Minority Serving Institution Initiative) is a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that funds HUD-approved housing counseling agencies partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other Minority Serving Institutions. The program supports counseling and advice for tenants and homeowners on property maintenance, financial management, and related topics, with emphasis on serving underrepresented communities. Funded agencies also receive training funds to build capacity at minority-serving institutions. The application deadline is May 26, 2026.

Supporting Minority & Women-owned Businesses Technical Assistance Grant is a grant from the Montgomery County LGBT Business Council that funds free technical assistance services for historically disadvantaged small businesses in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Covered services include one-on-one coaching in finance, marketing, and operations; workshops on digital tools and capital readiness; help with certification and financing applications; and access to a statewide partner network. To be eligible, businesses must be minority-owned, women-owned, located in a HUD Qualified Census Tract, negatively impacted by COVID-19, or be a current Business Council member. Businesses with fewer than 500 employees across Montgomery County, PA qualify. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through May 30, 2026, or until funds are exhausted. There is no direct cash award; all grant value is delivered as no-cost services.

DECD Community Investment Fund (Bridgeport Business Alliance Grants) is sponsored by Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD). A five-year grant program supporting new and existing small businesses looking to scale. Funds can be used for operating expenses. Priority is given to minority, women, disabled, and veteran-owned businesses and those in distressed municipalities.

DARPA's Tactical Technology Office (TTO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (HR001125S0011) solicits revolutionary defense platforms, systems, and manufacturing approaches. TTO organizes its interests around four thrust areas: Design/Build/Buy, Surge and Sustain, Long Range Effects, and Disruptive Innovation. The Disruptive Innovation thrust specifically targets low-cost autonomous systems that can use mass to overwhelm defensive systems, approaches that disrupt sensor-stealth dynamics, and capabilities that undermine adversary readiness. AI and autonomous systems feature prominently across all thrust areas. TTO is distinct from DARPA's I2O (software/information) and DSO (science) offices by focusing on physical systems, platforms, and tactical capabilities. Executive summaries are encouraged before full proposal submission to receive early feedback on relevance.

The DARPA Tactical Technology Office (TTO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) HR001125S0011 solicits innovative executive summaries and proposals to demonstrate revolutionary defense platforms systems and manufacturing approaches that enhance the nation's ability to rapidly build adapt and sustain force structures. Focus areas include Design Build Buy using innovative approaches throughout the system lifecycle and Surge and Sustain for defense manufacturing. The Disruptive Innovation area includes low-cost autonomous systems that can use mass to overwhelm defensive systems. TTO develops technologies that give warfighters decisive advantages including autonomous ground air and maritime systems AI-enabled tactical decision-making and rapid prototyping of defense platforms. This is distinct from other DARPA office-wide BAAs covering DSO I2O and BTO as TTO focuses specifically on tactical autonomous systems and defense platform innovation.

FY25 Office Of Naval Research (ONR) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics(STEM) Education and Workforce Program is sponsored by Office of Naval Research (ONR). This funding opportunity supports STEM education programs and activities that aim to develop learners' knowledge, skill, or interest in STEM, attract students to pursue STEM careers, provide growth and research opportunities for students, improve mentor/educator quality, or expand the capacity of institutions to promote STEM fields. Foreign entities will be considered.

BRAIN Initiative: Production and distribution facilities for brain cell type-specific access reagents (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is sponsored by National Institutes of Health (NIH). This program supports scaled reagent production and distribution facilities involving technologies to access brain cell types. The goal is to encourage facilities for production and distribution of these reagents to a broad and diverse set of neuroscientists, as part of the BRAIN Initiative Armamentarium for Brain Cell Access transformative project.

The NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award supports individual investigators who propose novel research projects with potential to catalyze new industries or capabilities and address national needs. Priority research areas explicitly include artificial intelligence, bioengineering, quantum engineering, robotics, and nuclear engineering, though proposals addressing other emerging engineering frontiers are considered. The program specifically encourages researchers to pursue new research directions distinct from their previous work, emphasizing transformative innovation. Awards provide up to $3 million over three years with a three-phase submission process: letters of intent due January 20 2026, preliminary proposals due March 10 2026, and full proposals due July 24 2026. Each project supports a single PI with no collaborative proposals or co-PIs permitted. Full proposals must include a workforce development plan. This program is distinct from the NSF Future Manufacturing program which supports larger convergent team projects and from the NSF National Robotics Initiative 3.0 which is specifically scoped to human-robot interaction research.

The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program provides support to enhance the research capabilities of minority-serving institutions (MSIs) as defined in this solicitation’s Eligibility section, through effective integration of education and research. The CREST program, composed of the CREST Centers, the CREST Postdoctoral Research Program, and the projects supported by this CREST-RISE solicitation, promotes the development of new knowledge, enhancements of the research productivity of individual faculty and postdoctoral scholars, and an expanded presence of research doctoral students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, especially those from underrepresented groups. CREST-RISE is the component of the CREST program that supports the expansion of institutional research capacity by increasing the strength of institutional graduate programs and the successful production of research doctoral students, especially those from groups underrepresented in STEM. The CREST-RISE component supports STEM research doctoral programs in all NSF supported areas and encourages proposals in areas of national interest, such as artificial intelligence, data science and analytics; advanced materials, manufacturing, robotics; cybersecurity; plant genetics/agricultural technologies; quantum information sciences; nanotechnology, semiconductors/microelectronics technologies; climate change and clean energy. CREST-RISE projects must have a direct connection to the long-term plans of the host department(s) and the institution’s strategic plan and mission. Project plans should emphasize activities designed to increase the production of research doctoral students, especially those underrepresented in STEM as well as expand institutional research capacity. The goals of CREST-RISE are to increase: 1) the number of STEM research doctoral programs at MSIs (as defined in the Eligibility section), 2) the number of STEM research doctoral students graduating from MSIs, especially those from groups underrepresented in STEM, and 3) institutional research capacity to increase doctoral students’ graduation rates.To achieve these goals, the CREST-RISE program includes three tracks as follows: CREST-RISE STEM Doctoral Programs Support Initiative (CREST-RISE DPSI) CREST-RISE Research Advancement and Development (CREST-RISE RAD) CREST-RISE Equipment & Instrumentation (CREST-RISE E&I) Funding Opportunity Number: 24-562. Assistance Listing: 47.076. Funding Instrument: G. Category: ST. Award Amount: $100K – $2M per award.

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the corporate research laboratory for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, solicits white papers for basic and applied scientific research under BAA N00173-24-S-BA01. AI-related focus areas include data management and exploitation technologies that apply emerging mathematics and machine learning techniques, multi-agent systems and reinforcement learning, and AI/ML integrated with systems engineering across radar, antennas, and information systems. Additional priority areas include advanced materials and energy storage, spacecraft systems and propulsion, cybersecurity and cryptographic technologies, ocean acoustics and remote sensing, and virtual/mixed reality systems for training and situational awareness. NRL is distinct from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and funds research conducted at or in collaboration with NRL's own laboratories. White papers are evaluated on a rolling basis with selected proposers invited to submit full proposals.

ONR, ONRG, and MCWL are interested in receiving proposals for Long-Range S&T Projects that offer potential for advancement and improvement of Navy and Marine Corps operations. Readers should note that this is an announcement to declare ONR, ONRG and MCWL’s broad role in competitive funding of meritorious research across a spectrum of science and engineering disciplines.All responsible sources from academia, industry and the research community worldwide may submit proposals under this BAA. All businesses, both small and large, are encouraged to submit proposals and compete for funding consideration. Funding Opportunity Number: N0001425SB001. Assistance Listing: 12.300. Funding Instrument: CA,G,O,PC. Category: ST.

Innovations for Healthy Living - Improving Minority Health and Eliminating Health Disparities (R43/R44) is a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that funds small businesses developing products, processes, or services to improve minority health and reduce health disparities. Administered through NIBHD and participating institutes including NHLBI, NIBIB, NIDDK, and others, the program uses the SBIR R43/R44 mechanism for Phase I, Phase II, and Fast-Track awards. Eligible technologies must be effective, affordable, and culturally acceptable, targeting populations that experience health disparities. Applications are due by December 10, 2026 (with a letter of intent due 30 days prior). Eligible applicants are U.S.-based small business concerns.

The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is designed to fulfill the mandate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote scientific progress nationwide. EPSCoR eligibility status is yearly updated and reported in the EPSCoR website (see EPSCoR eligibility). Through this program, NSF establishes partnerships with government, higher education, and industry that are designed to affect sustainable improvements in a jurisdiction's research infrastructure, Research and Development (R&D) capacity, and hence, its R&D competitiveness. The FEC program (formerly known as “EPSCoR Track-2 program”) builds interjurisdictional collaborative teams of EPSCoR investigators in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) focus areas consistent with the currentNational Science Foundation Strategic Plan. Projects are investigator-driven and must include researchers from at least two EPSCoR eligible jurisdictions with complementary expertise and resources necessary to address challenges, which neither party could address as well or as rapidly independently. FEC projects have a comprehensive and integrated vision to drive discovery and build sustainable STEM capacity that exemplifies institutional, geographic, and disciplinary diversity. The projects’ STEM research and education activities seek to broaden participation through the strategic inclusion and integration of all individuals, institutions, and sectors. Additionally, EPSCoR recognizes that the development of early-career faculty is critical to sustaining and advancing research capacity. Funding Opportunity Number: 24-573. Assistance Listing: 47.041,47.049,47.050,47.070,47.074,47.075,47.076,47.079,47.083,47.084. Funding Instrument: G. Category: ST. Award Amount: $1M – $1.5M per award.

DARPA's Strategic Technology Office (STO) Innovation Solutions Opening (DARPA-PS-26-09) invites revolutionary research ideas across defense technology areas including applied artificial intelligence, autonomy and control algorithms, distributed autonomy and teaming (machine-machine and human-machine), robotics, advanced computing, communications and networking, electromagnetic warfare, radar and sensing technologies, directed energy systems, and space systems. STO seeks technologies capable of transforming system behavior such as resilient autonomy, advanced sensor architectures, or disruptive communications platforms. The solicitation uses a two-step process: applicants first submit a short abstract, and if DARPA determines the idea is promising, the team is invited to submit a full proposal. Short-duration exploratory projects such as studies or proof-of-concept experiments may receive priority during abstract evaluation.