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.

What is a Limited Submission?

A limited submission solicitation places a cap on the number of proposals Auburn may submit to a sponsor. Auburn coordinates limited submissions with notifications via this newsletter and competitions created in the Auburn University Competition Space (InfoReady).

To apply to any limited submission posted in this newsletter, click on the link within the announcement. Please refer to the Limited Submission Procedures page for a general list of requirements.

Found a Limited Submission opportunity that interests you?

If so, please contact the PSFS office sooner than later so that an internal competition can be created for a timely, university-wide, fair and equitable selection process that allows for ample time for review, feedback and revisions.

NSF: Materials Innovation Platforms

Materials Innovation Platforms (MIP) is a mid-scale infrastructure program in DMR that supports transdisciplinary research and training, cutting-edge tools, and knowledge sharing in key enabling areas of national priority. Each MIP is a scientific ecosystem, which includes in-house research scientists, external users and other scientists who, collectively, form a community of practitioners and share tools, codes, samples, data and know-how. The knowledge sharing is designed to strengthen collaborations among scientists and enable them to work in new ways, fostering new modalities of research and training, for the purpose of accelerating discovery and development of new materials and novel materials phenomena/properties, as well as fostering their eventual deployment.

This competition focuses on the following complex materials: alloys, amorphous, and composite materials.

Institutional Limit: 1 Application

Internal Deadline: March 21, 2025, 4:45pm

Funder Deadline: May 15, 2025, 5:00pm CT

NIH: Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) Program encourages applications from groups of NIH-supported investigators to purchase a single piece of new, costly, specialized, commercially available instrument or an integrated instrumentation system. It is expected that the instrument, by augmenting institutional research capabilities, will invigorate current research, contribute to opportunities for novel research projects, stimulate new collaborations, and increase overall research competitiveness. Moreover, a broader research community at the applicant or regional institution(s) should benefit from access to the instrument.

The program requires that three Major Users with NIH-funded research projects demonstrate significant need for the requested instrument.

Institutional Limit: 1 Application

Internal Deadline: March 27, 2025, 4:45pm

Funder Deadline: June 2, 2025, 5:00pm CT

Team Science Spring Event on Stress Science

April 8, 2025

11:00am - 3:00pm

Auburn Alumni Center



This Team Science event will be a forum for faculty to develop interdisciplinary collaborations that advance stress research, enhance stress education, and strengthen stress management efforts on campus and in the community.

• Networking & Collaboration Opportunities
• Lunch Provided

Register to help shape the discussion and facilitate research collaborations!

Registration closes March 21!

Creative Collisions Lunch Workshop

Where Creative Scholarship and Scientific Research Converge

April 22, 2025

11:30am - 1:00pm

The Auburn Alumni Center

Faculty are invited to the inaugural Creative Collisions lunch workshop - a collaboration between Creative Showcase and the Team Science Series, sponsored by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and Economic Development. This lunch event will foster cross-disciplinary connections and spark unexpected research collaborations.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore new partnerships and innovative ideas!

Registration Details And More Even Information to Come!

Biggio Center: Daniel F. Breeden Endowed Grant Program

The purpose of the Daniel F. Breeden Endowed Grant Program is to encourage enhancement of teaching and learning through financial support of selected projects. Projects or travel should directly benefit the instructor, students, and the University’s overall teaching program.

Tenured/tenure-track faculty from any discipline, or faculty from the Lecturer or Clinician title series with appointments continuing through academic year 2025-2026, may apply for a Breeden Endowed Grant. Preference will be given to early career, pre-tenured faculty. Proposals for collaborative projects involving multiple faculty and departments are encouraged.

Application Deadline: March 24, 2025, 4:45pm

Funding Opportunities

UAB: Nathan Shock Center of Excellence Pilot Grants: Basic Biology of Aging

UAB’s Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging announces the availability of pilot/feasibility (P/F) project awards for early-stage investigators (including advanced postdocs) having the goal of future funding from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging (NIH/NIA).

The P/F studies must focus on any area of aging research that can be supported by one or more of the UAB Nathan Shock Center Research Cores, with priority given to those examining hallmarks and/or bioenergetics of aging. Basic Alzheimer's disease studies are eligible if they contain clear focus on the basic aging rather than Alzheimer's Disease specifically.

Proposals Due: March 31, 2025, 5:00pm CT

Medical CBRN Defense Consortium (MCDC): Health Security Innovation Challenge 

The Health Security Innovation Challenge seeks innovative solutions to strengthen prevention, detection, treatment, and protection against biological, chemical, and environmental threats. MCDC calls on biotech pioneers, materials scientists, engineers, AI experts, and innovators to develop next-generation health security solutions that enhance resilience, preparedness, and response capabilities across civilian and government applications.

Topic Areas:

• Next-Gen Prevention – Vaccine platforms, mRNA-based countermeasures, antibody development 
• Advanced Treatments – Small molecule therapeutics, rapid-response medical countermeasures 
• Smart Diagnostics – AI-driven detection tools, microphysiological systems, synthetic binder development 
• Threat Detection – Wearable bio-sensors, agent identification, sensor integration 
• Integrated Protection & Response – CBRN-resistant materials, decontamination, smart isolation 
• Adaptive & Autonomous Systems – Robotics, AI-powered situational awareness, real-time monitoring 

Applications Due: April 16, 2025

Webinar April 1, 3:30ET

NCAA Innovations in Research and Practice Grant Program

The NCAA Innovations in Research and Practice Grant Program supports research and data-driven pilot projects designed to enhance student-athlete psychosocial well-being and mental health. Research topics may include, but are not limited to, managing transitions (e.g., from recruit to first-year student; transferring between universities; adapting from youth sports to college sports environment; developing independence from parents), identity development, stress management, substance use, bystander intervention, cultivating healthy relationships, career exploration and sport exit strategies. Funded projects must demonstrate potential to result in campus-level programming that can positively impact the well-being of NCAA student-athletes at a range of member institutions.

Preliminary Proposals Due: May 5, 2025, 12:00pm ET

Gerber Foundation: Pediatric Research Grants

The Foundation’s mission focuses on infants and young children. Priority is given to projects that improve the nutrition, care and development of infants and young children from 0-3 years of age. The Foundation is particularly interested in fresh approaches to solving common, everyday problems or emerging issues within our defined focus area.



• Pediatric Health - Promoting health and preventing or treating disease is the primary focus of this target area. Of particular interest are applied research projects focused on reducing the incidence of serious neonatal and early childhood illnesses, or improving cognitive, social and emotional aspects of development.
• Pediatric Nutrition - These programs respond to a long-time interest of the Foundation in assuring adequate nutrition for infants and young children. Projects include applied research that evaluates the provision of specific nutrients and their related outcomes in infants and young children.
• Environmental Hazards - The Foundation is interested in projects that evaluate the effects of environmental hazards on infants and young children. Applied research projects that document the impact of, or ameliorate effects of, environmental hazards on the growth and development of infants and young children are the focus of this area of interest.

Concept Papers Due: May 15, 4:00pm ET

DOD: Legacy Resource Management Program

The DOD seeks applications for cooperative agreements for relevant conservation projects. This NFO requests that respondents provide project narratives identifying projects that align with the purposes and public benefits identified.

Legacy awards must directly benefit DoD's stewardship objectives and mission. Projects

should support one or more of the following Topic Areas:

• Improving management and conservation of biodiversity, particularly DoD “mission
• priority species”
• Improving techniques and approaches for resilient lands and ecosystem management
• Improving wildland fire management and risk reduction
• Improving consultation and coordination with Indian Tribal Governments and inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge in management programs
• Improving management of cultural resources

Cost sharing is not required but is encouraged.

Applications Due on a Rolling Basis until June 20, 2025

Important Updates

CCTS Data2Discovery Gateway: Rare Disease Cures Accelerator-Data and Analytics Platform (RDCA-DAP)

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

10:00am - 11:00am via Zoom



For investigators with clinical research questions and methodologists interested in analyzing large data, this forum explores how investigators are successfully using Rare Disease Cures Accelerator-Data and Analytics Platform (RDCA-DAP) - an FDA-funded initiative that provides a centralized and standardized infrastructure to support and accelerate rare disease characterization with the goal of accelerating therapy development.

Register Here.

Hanover Research Webinars

Artificial Intelligence Policies Among Federal Grantmakers

Thursday, March 27, 2025

11:00am CT

Many federal funders have issued policies to encourage the appropriate use of AI, or limit its usage in federal proposals. This session will cover those major federal policies, enabling faculty to ensure compliance with new guidance on the use of AI.

Register Here.

• Upcoming Webinars in 2025
• Recently posted to the archives: Keys to a Competitive NSF Career Proposal 

CCTS: Leadership & Well-Being in Research

Scientist leaders across the CCTS Partner Network are invited to participate in Leading Science Well, a research study exploring how leadership behaviors and job crafting practices can enhance workplace engagement and reduce burnout in research settings. Participants will complete an 8-week asynchronous curriculum (one hour per week) and receive a certificate upon completion, with optional discussion groups providing further engagement opportunities.

Enroll by March 24th.

AU 2025 Research Symposium

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Melton Student Center

Undergraduate students, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers in a multitude of disciplines will present their research and scholarly discoveries through oral and poster presentations.

16th Annual Boshell Research Day

April 4, 2025

Auburn-Opelika Marriott Resort at Grand National

This event will bring together experts from around the United States to present current topics related to diabetes and the role of obesity in its development.

Deadline for abstract submission is March 21, 2025.

Register Here.

Hanover Research Queue Proposal Review Availability

Slots available March 21 - May 9 and after June 24

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.

Research Development and Grantwriting Newsletter

This online publication is a great source for current STEM and Humanities funding opportunities, tips and resources. Published by Academic Research Funding Strategies, LLC, access is available only for Auburn University faculty, staff and students with a valid user ID.