External Funding

OPPORTUNITY: Public Programming and Educational Outreach: Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

FUNDING AGENCY: Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

AWARD AMOUNT: $25,000–$250,000

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: February 9, 2026

DESCRIPTION: Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park seeks a program partner to assist the park in achieving its legislative purpose, i.e., “(1) to preserve, protect, and interpret for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations, the places that contributed materially to the landmark United States Supreme Court decision that brought an end to segregation in public education; and (2) to interpret the integral role of the Brown v. Board of Education case in the civil rights movement; and (3) to assist in the preservation, protection, and interpretation of related resources within Topeka, Kansas, Summerton, South Carolina, Farmville, Virginia, Wilmington, Claymont, and Hockessin, Delaware and the District of Columbia that further the understanding of the civil rights movement and the context of Brown v. Board of Education.” (PL 102-525 and PL 117-123) The partner will assist the park in planning events in the five communities listed in PL 117-123. The events will include, but are not necessarily limited to, annual anniversary events in May, leading up to the seventy-fifth anniversary commemoration in 2029. The partner will provide logistical support, such as payment of honoraria, travel costs, and other program expenses, related to events and programs arranged as part of this agreement. The partner will use its outreach tools and community networks to publicize events and programs and will assist in the recruitment of interns, youth, or other project staff. The partner will collaborate with NPS staff and community organizations in Kansas to enhance interpretation and educational outreach and to promote the park’s efforts to strengthen its ties to heritage tourism and educational organizations in the five Brown communities.

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OPPORTUNITY: Enabling Discovery through GEnomics (EDGE)

FUNDING AGENCY: NSF

AWARD AMOUNT: up to $2,000,000

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: February 19, 2026

DESCRIPTION: Through the Enabling Discovery through GEnomics (EDGE) program, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) support research to advance understanding of comparative and functional genomics. The EDGE program supports the development of innovative tools, technologies, resources, and infrastructure that advance biological research focused on the identification of the causal mechanisms connecting genes and phenotypes. The EDGE program also supports functional genomic research that addresses the mechanistic basis of complex traits in diverse organisms within the context (environmental, developmental, social, and/or genomic) in which they function. These goals are essential to uncovering the rules that underlie genomes-to-phenomes relationships and predict phenotype, an area relevant to Understanding the Rules of Life: Predicting Phenotype, one of the 10 Big Ideas for NSF investment. The goals also support the NHGRI priority to establish the roles and relationships of all genes and regulatory elements in pathways, networks, and phenotypes.

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OPPORTUNITY: The Science of Learning and Augmented Intelligence Program

FUNDING AGENCY: NSF

AWARD AMOUNT: TBD

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: February 11, 2026

DESCRIPTION: The Science of Learning and Augmented Intelligence Program (SL) supports potentially transformative research that develops basic theoretical insights and fundamental knowledge about principles, processes and mechanisms of learning, and about augmented intelligence – how human cognitive function can be augmented through interactions with others, contextual variations, and technological advances.The program supports research addressing learning in individuals and in groups, across a wide range of domains at one or more levels of analysis including: molecular/cellular mechanisms; brain systems; cognitive, affective, and behavioral processes; and social/cultural influences.The program also supports research on augmented intelligence that clearly articulates principled ways in which human approaches to learning and related processes, such as in design, complex decision-making and problem-solving, can be improved through interactions with others, and/or the use of artificial intelligence in technology. These could include ways of using knowledge about human functioning to improve the design of collaborative technologies that have capabilities to learn to adapt to humans.For both aspects of the program, there is special interest in collaborative and collective models of learning and/or intelligence that are supported by the unprecedented speed and scale of technological connectivity. This includes emphasis on how people and technology working together in new ways and at scale can achieve more than either can attain alone. The program also seeks explanations for how the emergent intelligence of groups, organizations, and networks intersects with processes of learning, behavior and cognition in individuals. Projects that are convergent and/or interdisciplinary may be especially valuable in advancing basic understanding of these areas, but research within a single discipline or methodology is also appropriate. Connections between proposed research and specific technological, educational, and workforce applications will be considered as valuable broader impacts but are not necessarily central to the intellectual merit of proposed research. The program supports a variety of approaches including: experiments, field studies, surveys, computational modeling, and artificial intelligence/machine learning methods.

NOTE: Additional deadline in Aug

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OPPORTUNITY: EHR Core Research (ECR): Building Capacity in STEM Education Research (ECR: BCSER)

FUNDING AGENCY: NSF

AWARD AMOUNT: $25,000 – $1,000,000 depending on category

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: February 27, 2026

DESCRIPTION: ECR’s Building Capacity in STEM Education Research (ECR: BCSER) supports projects that build investigators’ capacity to carry out high-quality STEM education research that will enhance the nation’s STEM education enterprise. In addition, ECR: BCSER seeks to broaden the pool of researchers who can advance knowledge regarding STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM fields, and STEM workforce development. Researchers of races and ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities who are currently underrepresented in their participation in STEM education research and the STEM workforce, as well as faculty at minority-serving and two-year institutions, are particularly encouraged to submit proposals.

Specifically, ECR: BCSER supports activities that enable researchers to expand their areas of expertise and acquire the requisite knowledge and skills to conduct rigorous research in STEM education. Career development may be accomplished through investigator-initiated professional development and research projects or through institutes that enable researchers to integrate methodological strategies with theoretical and practical issues in STEM education.

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OPPORTUNITY: Two opportunities: Biological Oceanography (BioOce) and Chemical Oceanography Program

FUNDING AGENCY: NSF

AWARD AMOUNT: TBD

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: February 17, 2026

DESCRIPTION: Chemical: Abstract The program supports research into the chemistry of the oceans and the role of the oceans in global geochemical cycles. Areas of interest include chemical composition, speciation, and transformation; chemical exchanges between the oceans and other components of the Earth system; internal cycling in oceans, seas, and estuaries; and the use of measured chemical distributions as indicators of physical, biological, and geological processes.

Biological: The Biological Oceanography Program supports fundamental research in biological oceanography and marine ecology in environments ranging from estuarine, coastal, and open ocean systems to the deep sea, as well as in the Great Lakes. Proposals submitted to the Program must have a compelling context in population, community, or ecosystem ecology or oceanography, as well as address topics that will contribute significantly to the understanding of marine or Great Lakes ecosystems. The Program supports interdisciplinary research and often co-reviews and co-funds projects with various programs in the Division of Ocean Sciences and the Directorate of Biological Sciences (BIO), among others.

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OPPORTUNITY: Emerging Mathematics in Biology (eMB)

FUNDING AGENCY: NSF

AWARD AMOUNT: TBD

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: March 1, 2026

DESCRIPTION: The Emerging Mathematics in Biology (eMB) program seeks to stimulate the development of innovative mathematical theories, techniques, and approaches to investigate challenging questions of great interest to biologists and public health policymakers. It supports truly integrative research projects in mathematical biology that address challenging and significant biological questions through novel applications of traditional, but nontrivial, mathematical tools and methods or the development of new mathematical theories particularly from foundational mathematics, including the mathematical foundation of Artificial Intelligence/Deep Learning/Machine Learning (AI/DL/ML) enabling explainable AI or mechanistic insight. The program emphasizes the uses of mathematical methodologies to advance our understanding of complex, dynamic, and heterogenous biological systems at all scales (molecular, cellular, organismal, population, ecosystems, evolutionary, etc.).

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OPPORTUNITY: Delaware Science & Technology Innovation Seed Grant Program

FUNDING AGENCY: EPSCoR

AWARD AMOUNT: $35,000

PRELIMINARY APP DEADLINE: February 27, 2026

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: March 27, 2026

DESCRIPTION: Delaware EPSCoR is pleased to announce a call for proposals for the 2026 Delaware Science & Technology Innovation Seed Grant Program. The program is open to all faculty members or primary investigators (PIs) in the state of Delaware.

2026 Seed Grants are intended to provide short-term funding to generate preliminary data within one of the following strategic growth areas identified in the Delaware Science & Technology Ecosystem Assessment (Assessment): FinTech and Emerging Business Services Platforms Next Generation Specialty Chemical Products Sustainable and High-Performance Materials Clean Energy Systems Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing and Discovery

In addition, since the Delaware EPSCoR E-CORE program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Center, the proposed research must also align with research supported by the NSF.

Successful execution of the proposed research is expected to lead to additional state grants funding the strategic investment areas identified in the Assessment. Each Seed Grant will provide up to $35,000 including overhead costs for a one-year project. Each Seed Grant must include one or more collaborators within the state of Delaware. The target start date for Seed Grants is 05/01/2026.

The proposal consists of a 1-page quad chart (see the attached template); instructions for completing the template are also attached.

Interested applicants must submit their proposal in PDF format via email by 11:59PM ET on 2/27/2026 to dswhite@udel.edu. Late applications will not be considered. Top-ranked applicants will be notified by 03/13/2026 and asked for a more detailed 2–3-page project proposal due by 03/27/2026 before final decisions are made. For further questions or to request additional information, please contact Donna Snyder White (dswhite@udel.edu).

NOTE: https://www.choosedelaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/0.-Delaware-ST-Ecosystem-Assessment-Final-Report.pdf

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OPPORTUNITY: Environmental Education Grant Program

FUNDING AGENCY: EPA

AWARD AMOUNT: $200,000–250,000

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: March 3, 2026

DESCRIPTION: The Environmental Education Grant Program supports locally and regionally focused environmental education projects that promote environmental stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers, and community members. This grant program provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques that increase public awareness and knowledge about local environmental issues and provides participants in its programs the skills necessary to make informed decisions and to take responsible actions toward the environment.

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OPPORTUNITY: Environmental Education Grant Program

FUNDING AGENCY: EPA

AWARD AMOUNT: $200,000–250,000

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: March 3, 2026

DESCRIPTION: The Environmental Education Grant Program supports locally and regionally focused environmental education projects that promote environmental stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers, and community members. This grant program provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate, and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques that increase public awareness and knowledge about local environmental issues and provides participants in its programs the skills necessary to make informed decisions and to take responsible actions toward the environment.

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OPPORTUNITY: Economics Education Grant Program

FUNDING AGENCY: Calvin K. Kazanijan Foundation

AWARD AMOUNT: Varies

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: March 10, 2026

DESCRIPTION: For over 70 years, the Calvin K. Kazanjian Economics Foundation, Inc. has supported efforts to raise the nation’s level of economic literacy. Working with and funding a variety of institutions the Foundation has projects ranging from the development of National curriculum guides and standards for the schools in economics, to more focused materials for teaching economics and personal finance at all grade levels and through a variety of disciplines. The Foundation has taken a leadership role in applying new technologies to economics education including the development of a nationally broadcast educational film series for schools and colleges in the 1950s-1980s, and computer assisted instruction in the 1990s.

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OPPORTUNITY: Inspire! Grants for Small Museums

FUNDING AGENCY: IMLS

AWARD AMOUNT: $5,000–75,000

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: March 13, 2026

DESCRIPTION: Inspire Grants for Small Museums (Inspire) is a special initiative of the Museums for America grant program designed to support small museums of all disciplines in project-based efforts to serve the public through educational programs and exhibits, community partnerships, and collections stewardship activities. The goal of the Inspire program is to build the capacity of small museums to provide museum services to their communities through supporting: The development of experiential learning and discovery in small museums; and The management and care of collections in small museums. The primary audiences for this program are small museums, museum professionals, and the publics they serve.

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OPPORTUNITY: National Leadership Grants for Museums

FUNDING AGENCY: IMLS

AWARD AMOUNT: $50,000–750,000

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: March 13, 2026

DESCRIPTION: The National Leadership Grants for Museums program (NLG-M) invests in projects that address critical needs of the museum field. NLG-M projects have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the public through the development and replication of model practices, tools, research findings, and collaborations. The goals of the program are to advance the museum field’s ability to Advance museum-based learning and engagement practices in the museum field; Advance the museum field’s ability to respond to community needs; and Identify new solutions that address high priority and widespread collections care or conservation issues. The primary audiences for this program are museums, museum service organizations and affiliated nonprofits, and museum professionals. Secondary audiences include museum visitors and future museum professionals.

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OPPORTUNITY: NSF-CBMS Regional Research Conferences in the Mathematical Sciences

FUNDING AGENCY: NSF

AWARD AMOUNT: up to $35,000

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: April 26, 2026

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: Rolling Deadline

DESCRIPTION: Abstract The NSF-CBMS Regional Research Conferences in the Mathematical Sciences are a series of five-day conferences that usually feature a distinguished lecturer delivering ten lectures on a topic of important current research in one sharply focused area of the mathematical sciences. CBMS refers to the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences, which publicizes the conferences and disseminates the resulting conference materials. Support is provided for about 30 participants at each conference. Proposals should address the unique characteristics of the NSF-CBMS conferences.To stimulate interest and activity in mathematical sciences research, the National Science Foundation anticipates supporting up to 10 NSF-CBMS Regional Research Conferences annually. The Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences (CBMS) publicizes conferences and administers the resulting publications, fostering greater dissemination of material related to cutting edge-topics and increasing the impact of the conferences in the community.Normally each five-day conference features a distinguished lecturer who delivers ten lectures on a topic of important current research in one sharply focused area of the mathematical sciences. The lecturer subsequently prepares an expository monograph based upon these lectures, which is normally published as a part of a regional conference series.DMS priorities for the support of conferences include:- Breadth and diversity of participation, in order to help more mathematical scientists stay abreast of developments in the discipline;- Involvement of students and junior investigators and of individuals from groups under-represented in the mathematical sciences, in order to contribute to the development of the nation’s science personnel base;- Connection to frontiers in the mathematical sciences, in order to advance the mathematical sciences and to strengthen the interchanges between the mathematical sciences and other science and engineering disciplines.

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OPPORTUNITY: Antarctic Research Not Requiring U.S. Antarctic Program Field Support

FUNDING AGENCY: NSF

AWARD AMOUNT: Amounts vary

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: June 1, 2026

DESCRIPTION: Through this solicitation, the Antarctic Sciences Section (ANT) of the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) funds cutting-edge research that: Improves understanding of interactions among the Antarctic region and global systems. Improves understanding of the dynamic linkages among processes operating in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean and linkages to global Earth systems, which helps inform decision making regarding environmental change. Advances fundamental understanding of Earth systems and the biological, geochemical, and physical processes in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean as drivers and responders to changes on a global scale. Expands fundamental knowledge of Antarctic systems, biota, and processes. Utilizes the unique characteristics of the Antarctic region as a science observing platform. Builds capacity and enhances diversity in the US workforce for polar-related science. ANT encourages and supports research that combines disciplinary perspectives and approaches from other fields, research that uses existing data and samples, and other research not requiring a physical presence in Antarctica. This may include projects conducted at locations outside Antarctica that serve as analogues of Antarctic sites or systems.

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OPPORTUNITY: Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

FUNDING AGENCY: DOD

AWARD AMOUNT: TBD

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: June 22, 2026

FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE: Rolling Deadline

DESCRIPTION: The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) is interested in receiving white papers for research and development projects, which offer potential for advancement and improvement of NAWCAD operations. NAWCAD has identified the research needed to address the challenges, problems, and future technology needs of the Warfighter. Research Opportunity Areas of Interest: Advanced Manufacturing (Priority) Aeromechanics Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning (ML) (Priority) Autonomy (Priority) Avionics, Sensors & Electronic Warfare Cyber (Priority) Data Science & Visualization Digital Engineering (Priority) Human Systems Hypersonic Systems Materials and Aircraft Structures Mechanical Systems Power and Propulsion Systems Quantum (Priority) Secure Communications & Networks (Priority) Support Equipment Test and Evaluation Engineering Warfare Analysis

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