Our editorial team is keeping abreast of the current status of federally funded opportunities. Such opportunities advertised here, to our knowledge at time of publication, are active. However, please continue to check solicitation websites for updates to U.S. Government opportunities of interest.

Funding Opportunities

USDA-NIFA: Sun Grant Initiative Competitive Grants

The Sun Grant Program (SGP) is a national network of land-grant universities working in collaboration with national laboratories and government agencies to build a biobased economy. The SGP-SER invites proposals that will further its mission of developing viable alternative biobased energy sources and products while enhancing economic opportunities in rural areas.

Applications must focus on efforts to support efficient, economically viable, and

sustainable supply chains for development of bioenergy and biobased products. Research

proposals in areas of feedstock development, processing operations and methods,

conversion, and separation technologies for the advancement of biobased industries and

markets may be submitted. Projects encompassing agronomy, engineering, chemistry,

microbiology, policy, and/or economic or commercialization evaluation and advancement

are welcomed.

*Not less than 20 percent of the total project costs or 25 percent of the Total Federal Funds requested must be matched with non-federal funds. Note: Matching requirements do not apply to fundamental research.

Applications Due: January 16, 2026, 5:00pm ET

Burroughs Wellcome Fund: Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants

This opportunity is interested in activities that build connections between basic and early biomedical scientific approaches and ecological, environmental, geological, geographic, and planetary-scale thinking, as well as with population-focused fields, including epidemiology and public health, demography, economics, and urban planning. Also of interest is work piloting new approaches or interactions aimed at reducing the impact of health-centered activities, such as developing more sustainable systems for healthcare, care delivery, and biomedical research.

Another area of interest is preparation for the impacts of extreme weather and other crises that can lead to large-scale disruptions, immediately affecting human health and the delivery of healthcare. Public outreach, climate communication, and education efforts focused on the intersection of climate and health are also appropriate for this call.

Applications Due January 22, 2026, 3:00pm ET

DOE Joint Genome Institute: CSP Functional Genomics

The CSP Functional Genomics call is to enable users to perform state-of-the-art functional genomics research and to help them translate genomic information into biological function. The emphasis is on projects leveraging JGI’s DNA synthesis and ‘omics capabilities to enhance understanding of gene and genome function, particularly those not readily achievable without the capabilities and expertise available at the JGI. For accepted proposals, sequencing, synthesis, metabolomics and analysis will be paid for by the Department of Energy’s funding of the JGI. There is no cost to the user and no granting of funds.

 Proposals Due: January 29, 2026

Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood

The Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood is an incubator of promising research and development projects that appear likely to improve the welfare of young children, from infancy through 7 years, in the United States. Welfare is broadly defined to support, acculturation, societal integration, and childcare.

LOIs Due: January 31, 2026

NSF: Artificial Intelligence, Formal Methods, and Mathematical Reasoning

This program supports research at the intersection of AI, formal methods, and mathematical reasoning to enhance automated knowledge discovery. It emphasizes machine-assisted reasoning, leveraging AI and computational technologies to advance conjecture, proof, and verification processes.

Successful projects should demonstrate the potential to advance both the mathematical sciences as well as the computational models and methods used to attain these advancements. The advancements may include, but are not limited to:

• advancing AI for mathematical conjecture, proof, verification
• advancing interactive theorem provers for mathematical proof and verification, software/hardware verification, and related applications,
• developing training data for AI algorithms for mathematical reasoning, both deterministic and under uncertainty, and novel.

Proposals Due: February 5, 2026, 5:00pm CT

NSF: Growing Convergence Research (GCR)

Convergence research is a means for solving vexing research problems, in particular, complex problems focusing on societal needs or deep scientific challenges. It entails integrating knowledge, methods, and expertise from different disciplines and developing novel paradigms that catalyze scientific discovery and innovation.This GCR solicitation targets multidisciplinary teams who are embracing convergence research as a means of developing highly innovative solutions to complex research problems. GCR proposals are expected to be bold and address scientific or technical challenges and bottlenecks which if resolved have the potential to transform scientific understanding and solve vexing problems. Successful GCR projects are anticipated to lead to paradigm shifting approaches within disciplines, establishment of new scientific communities, or development of transformative technologies that have the potential for broad scientific or societal impact.

Applications Due: February 9, 2026, 5:00pm CT

The federal funding landscape is changing daily, necessitating extra due diligence on the part of funding seekers. When perusing a solicitation, 1) make sure you are viewing the latest version, 2) read all notes in the headers and margins, and 3) follow provided links to ensure a solicitation is still active and accepting applications. 

Important Updates

NIH Updates: Implementation of Common Forms; Research Security Training and LOIs 


**After several delays, NIH plans to implement use of Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support for due dates on or after January 25, 2026 per NOT-OD-26-018.

**Per NOT-OD-26-017, Research Security Training Requirements for NIH stipulate that each covered individual (for NIH this is defined as senior/key personnel) listed on an NIH grant application must certify RST training within 12 months of the date of application submission.

The Act also requires applicant institutions to certify that each covered individual who is employed by the institution and listed on the application has completed RST. The Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), via signature on the face page of the application, will certify the applicant institution’s compliance with this requirement.

**Effective immediately, NIH will no longer request or accept Letters of Intent (LOIs) as part of the application process per NOT-OD-26-019. LOIs that have been submitted will not be acknowledged nor reviewed by the respective ICO or CSR. Potential applicants are encouraged to review NOFO instructions carefully as they are subject to change.

NSF Updated Research Security Policies

As of December 2, 2025, new requirements outlined in NSF Important Notice No. 149 took effect. Such new certifications are required at the time of proposal submission within the Cover Sheet, Biographical Sketch, and Current and Pending (Other) Support forms. These include new certifications related to:

• Completion of research security training by all senior/key personnel; and
• An institution of higher education's status regarding contracts or agreements with any Confucius Institute
• A requirement that organizations should provide supporting documentation, including copies of grants, contracts, and agreements, upon NSF's request.

Grad 8200: Principles of Responsible Conduct of Research and Scientific Integrity Open for Spring 2026
Mondays, 12:00noon - 2:50pm
Research & Innovation Center

Professors and advisors are encouraged to steer their graduate students to GRAD 8200 this spring. The class is a foundational course that strengthens graduate students’ understanding of scientific integrity, regulatory requirements, and best practices for conducting research responsibly. The course also examines fundamentals of the broader research environment, including collaboration, mentorship, regulations, intellectual property, and responding to suspected wrongdoing.

Hanover Research Webinars

Deciphering Feedback from Grant Reviewers

Thursday, December 15, 2025

11:00am CT

Interpreting and strategizing feedback from grant reviewers is a critical component to resubmission success. This session covers common elements of the feedback process with federal reviewers, including how to weigh the feedback, how to respond, and when to decide if a resubmission is the right choice.

Register Here.

• Upcoming 2026 Webinars
• Recently posted to the archives: Facilitating Stakeholder Engagement in Grant Development

Presidential AI Challenge Seeks Judges

The Presidential AI Challenge - an initiative which seeks to inspire K-12 students to create AI-based innovative solutions to community challenges - is seeking volunteer judges: AI programming or user experts; STEM professionals; or professionals with experience working with students or teachers.

Judges will independently score each submission against a detailed rubric in late January.

The expected time commitment to score the submissions is approximately four hours, plus a one-hour training session in mid-January. Those interested can register here.

Hanover Research Queue Proposal Review Availability

Slots available after January 9, 2026


Auburn University has partnered with Hanover Research for a number of grant development solutions including Pre-proposal Support; Proposal Development; and Capacity Building. Hanover's full-service grant development solutions are available to set goals, build strategies to achieve key grant-seeking objectives, and develop grant proposals that are well-planned, researched, and written. 

For information regarding Hanover’s core capabilities and project timelines, click here. If you are interested in a slot in the queue, please e-mail Tony Ventimiglia.

Council on Government Relations (COGR) Resource Page


This resource page offers continually updated information concerning the 2025 Administration Transition in regards to federal funding.

Hanover GLC Modules for NIH, NSF-CAREER & Grant Development


The Hanover Research Grants Learning Center (GLC) on-demand grant development training portal offers faculty enrollees the unique opportunity to receive targeted training through self-paced, interactive modules with step-by-step guidance and templates for prospective applicants to develop compelling proposals. In addition to NIH and NSF-CAREER modules, AU faculty now have access to a variety of new modules on grant seeking, development and revisions.

Auburn faculty interested in signing up for this training should contact Christine Cline for registration information.

Free CITI Training Modules

Auburn subscribes to several training modules via the CITI Program website that may be of interest to researchers and research administrators. Each module is self-paced and can be finished in one or multiple sessions. Click on the link above to read descriptions.



• Essentials of Grant Proposal Development
• Essentials of Research Administration