Resources re: federal agencies and other topics common to grant seeking
If you have difficulty accessing these resources or you don't find what you need,
please contact lynnette.hentges@unh.edu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Federal Landscape and Research Opportunities" -- Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC
August, 20, 2025 Presentation Notes from Q&A
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Department of Defense (DOD) - Specific Requirements & Advice >>>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Basic Research at the DoD
2022 National Defense Strategy
2023 National Defense Science & Technology Strategy (Released 5/9/2023)
DoD Critical Technology Areas -- Seed Areas of Emerging Opportunity
FY25 DoD S&T Budget Priorities
Long-term Funding Opportunities
DARPA
Biological Technologies Open until 9/30/2026
Defense Sciences Office (DSO) Office-wide BAA Open until 6/2/2026
Information Innovation Office (I2O) Office-wide BAA Open until 11/30/2026
Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) Office-wide BAA Open until 3/2/2026
Tactical Technology Office (TTO) Office-wide BAA Open until 12/22/2026
Air Force
Research Interests of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research Open until superseded
Army
DEVCOM ARL Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Open until 11/20/2027
Navy
FY25 LONG RANGE BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) FOR NAVY AND MARINE CORPS SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY Open until 9/30/2025
Tools for Creating Summaries to Share with Program Officers
Basic Research: DOD Pasteur's Quandrant
Research Menu (Use for White Paper/contact with Program Manager)
Applied Research: DARPA Heilmeier Catechism
Quad Chart (Use for White Paper/contact with Program Manager)
DoD White Paper template (Use to follow-up after initial contact)
Targeted Funding Opportunities
Air Force Young Investigator Program (AFOSR YIP) -- FY26
> YIP NOFO (Forecast): NOFOAFRLAFOSR20250006 [6.18.25]
White paper (required) due Jul 25, 2025
Proposal due Sep 19, 2025
> AFOSR Research Interests: FA955025S0001 [5.29.25]
> Overview & Hints for Success - FY2025 Air Force YIP [3.14.24]
> YIP FOA: FAQs [5.9.24]
Army Early Career Research Program (ECR)
> Broad Agency Announcement for Foundational Research W911NF-23-S-000 --- See pages 8-9
> More information about the Army Research Lab and the ECR
DARPA Young Faculty Award (YFA) -- 2026
> Full solicitation, required attachment templates & application package
∗ Amendment 1 issued 10/9/2025 to correct discrepancy in US-Person option NTE amount
∗ Amendment 2 issued 11/12/2025 to add info about awardee surveys and DARPA Connect resources
∗ Amendment 3 issued 12/8/2025 to change eligibility requirements: Citizens of China, Cuba, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea are not eligible to propose
∗ Amendment 4 issued 12/15/2025 to further modify eligibility requirements:
“Proposed Senior or Key Personnel who are citizens of China, Cuba, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea are not eligible to propose unless one of the following conditions is met:
o Individual is a dual citizen of the U.S. and one of the countries above.
o Individual is a U.S. Permanent Resident/Green Card holder.
o Individual is in the application process to become a U.S. Permanent Resident/Green Card holder.
∗ Amendment 5 issued 12/31/2025 to provide eligibility clarifications (Overview Information, Section IV):
o The DARPA/DoD funding limits and tenure requirements apply only to the PI (not Senior Personnel and team members).
o Previous YFA awardees may serve as Senior Personnel.
o Provide definitions for Key Personnel, Senior Personnel, and team member (Section IV)
Proposal due Jan 20, 2026
> FY26 Topic Areas
> Additional information about the YFA program, including FAQs and previous awards
> More information about DARPA
> Heilmeier Catechism
Join DARPAConnect to leverage on-demand learning and networking resources including
> Fueling Innovation: Applying for the DARPA Young Faculty Award
> Tips for DARPA Proposal Success
Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) -- FY26
> Resources
♦ Overview & Hints for Success
♦ UNH DURIP Interest Form
♦ FY26 DURIP NOFOs
♦ 2022 National Defense Strategy
♦ 2023 National Defense Science & Technology Strategy
♦ DURIP Awards, FY11 - Present
Department of Defense (DOD) Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) -- FY26
> Overview with FY26 topics and links to NOFOs
DEPSCoR Research Collaborations -- FY24
> Overview with links to NOFO and Connect and Collaborate portal
> Webinar slides and Q&A
Navy Young Investigator Program (ONR YIP) -- FY26
> YIP NOFO: N0001425SF004
Proposal due Aug 1, 2025
> Overview, including previous awards
Department of Energy (DOE) - Specific Requirements & Advice >>>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Programs & Funding Priorities
DOE Programs https://science.osti.gov/Programs
Energy Earthshots Initiative https://www.energy.gov/energy-earthshots-initiative
An overview of the research supported and a description of DOE SC efforts in the following initiatives and programs:
- Climate Resilience Centers
- Early Career Research Program - https://science.osti.gov/early-career
- Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) - https://science.osti.gov/bes/epscor
- Funding for Accelerated, Inclusive Research (FAIR) - https://science.osti.gov/Initiatives/FAIR
- Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) - https://science.osti.gov/Initiatives/RENEW
Funding Opportunities
https://science.osti.gov/early-career
FY25 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Number: DE-FOA-0003450.00003
FY25 DOE Early Career Research Program Research Topics
Informational Webinar Slides Video
FY 2026 CONTINUATION OF SOLICITATION FOR THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Announcement Number: DE-FOA-0003600
Post Date: Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Close Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2026
A Pre-Application is optional/encouraged. A Pre-Application may be required for consideration by certain review panels.
Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plans
NASA has released Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES)-2025
This notice provides important information about which programs will be accepting applications, deadlines, changes to policies, and how to find the information and support needed to apply.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Requirements for the Biosketch, Current and Pending Support, and Certs and Reps were changed as of October 1, 2024.
See Chapter 1 of the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM) and the items below for guidance:
- Biosketch Form (download)
- Current and Pending Support (CPS) Form (download)
- NASA Pre-Award and Post-Award Disclosure Requirements
Click on the link below for additional resources:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - Specific Requirements & Advice >>>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Specific Requirements & Advice >>>
(Check often for changes in policies and processes)
Updated Guidance on Reopening of NIH Extramural Activities Following the October 1, 2025 - Lapse in Appropriations (NOT-OD-26-012; 11/24/2025)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Funding Opportunities
Search Tips for NIH Opportunities
How to Find Your "Fit" at NIH
Comparison of Selected NIH Research Funding Mechanisms
Identifying the NIH Component Relevant to Your Research Project
Application Components
Overview
Components of an NIH Research Project Application
NIH Research Application Attachments Checklist
Formatting for NIH Attachments
Specific Aims
Specific Aims Page rubric
Biosketch
SciENcv is the only option for preparing the NIH biosketch and Current & Pending (Other) Support documents for applications on or after January 25, 2026.
> Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support
> Biographical Sketch Common Form
> NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement
NIH Biosketch Requirements plus Tips & Hints 1.25.2026+
NIH Biosketch Common Form Guidelines (with info re: linking to ORCID)
Other Components
Hints for Developing NIH "Other" Components
UNH Hints and Text for NIH Facilities and Other Resources Section
(Updated UNH resources, student data, and Carnegie classification -- 11/5/2025)
Data Management and Sharing Plan
DMSP Overview
DMSP Tips
Data Management and Sharing Plan Format Page (optional)
UNH Library Data Management Toolkit: Data Management Plans
Cover Letter
When to Include in Application
UNH Template
Other Info
MyBibliography
Overview
Sign-in Page
Guide
Working with NIH
NIH Contacts and Roles
Whom to Talk to During the NIH Application Process
Application Review
For applications submitted before 1/25/2025
NIH Review Criteria vs. Applicable Application Section
NIH Application Scoring System
For applications submitted on or after 1/25/2025:
Simplified Review Framework for Research Project Grants (RPGs)
Overview
Webinar, 4/16/2024
National Science Foundation (NSF) - Specific Requirements & Advice >>>
*****************************************************************************************
PAPPG NSF-24-1 is effective for proposals submitted or due on or after May 20, 2024
****************************************************************************************************
Proposal Components
NSF Proposal Components - Tips & Hints -- NSF PAPPG 24-1
Effective for proposals submitted or due on or after May 20, 2024
NSF Collaboration Letter - UNH Template
NSF Abstracts and Titles Policy
Safe and Inclusive Working Environments for Off-Campus or Off-Site Research
NSF Safe and Inclusive Work Environment Plan Resources
SciENcv
SciENcv Overview (flyer)
Login
Guide
• NSF Biographical Sketch
• NSF Current & Pending (Other) Support
NSF Webinar and SciENcv Demo
Using SciENcv Frequently Asked Questions (NSF)
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Specific Requirements & Advice >>>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
USDA Research and Development Priorities, 2026
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: This timetable may be changed due to the government shutdown. Watch for updates.
NIFA announced that 9 programs will be transitioning new Funding Opportunity Announcements to the eRA grants management system in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2026:
• Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI)
• Equipment Grants Program (EGP)
• Farm Business and Benchmarking Program (FBMB)
• Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP)
• Organic Agriculture Research & Extension Initiative (OREI)
• Renewable Resource Extension Act National Focus Fund Program (REEA-NFF)
• Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program (SPECA)
• Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grants Program (SLSNCGP)
Other programs will follow as the Grants Modernization Initiative continues.
Proposers will need to have an eRA Commons profile that links to their current institution. See the GMI page for details.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Proposal Components
UNH Hints for Preparing the Facilities & Other Resources and Equipment Sections of USDA Proposals
USDA-NIFA-AFRI Project Narrative Outline
» Conflict of Interest
» Current and Pending Support
Other Info
USDA-NIFA-AFRI Letter of Intent Outline
**UPDATED** FY 2026 USDA-NIFA-AFRI Foundational and Applied Science (FAS)
Program Overview as of 11/14/2025 (extended deadlines for most priority areas)
NOFO: FY26-AFRI-FAS-RFA-MOD1
Optimizing Your Project's Chances for Funding by the USDA 2.24.23
US Department of Education (US ED) - Specific Requirements & Advice >>>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IES at 20: Reports from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (2022)
Misc. Federal Agencies - Specific Requirements & Advice >>>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Click on the link above for sponsor' information for:
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- U.S. Agency for International Development (US AID)
- U.S. Dept. Health and Human Services (DHHS)
- U.S. Dept. of Justice (DOJ)
Resources from UNH Research Strategy and Development
Worksheet: Thinking About Your Broader Impacts Plan
Also, explore our webpage: Developing Broader Impacts and Outreach Activities
Other Resources
ARIS - BI Review Document for NSF Proposals
Kurt - Worksheet: Community Engagement Planning
NABI – Where Do You Want to Make a Difference?
NSF – Perspectives on Broader Impacts (FY 2015)
NSF – Transforming the World Through Science (FY 2017)
NSF – Transforming the World Through Science, 2nd ed. (FY 2018)
COMMON FUNDING SCENARIOS for Early Career Researchers and Scholars
Research Office Resources for New Faculty and Postdoctoral Research Associates
Funding Opportunities Specifically for UNH Early Career Investigators and Scholars
Topic | Federal | Foundations |
|---|---|---|
| Humanities and the Arts | ||
| National Institutes of Health | *** | |
| Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) | ||
| Social Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, and Economics (SBE) |
Other Info
Funding Scenarios and Search Strategies for Early Career Researchers and Scholars 11/7/2024
Ways to Search for Funding Opportunities - Graduate Students – strategies and resources for searching for funding opportunities especially for graduate students
Federal Sponsors and Other Search Resources for Graduate Students – links to federal agency programs and other lists of funding opportunities for graduate students
How to Fund It, Find It, & Get It: Strategies and Tools for Finding Funding for Graduate Students - slides from a presentation that discusses funding scenarios, search strategies, and other hints
Steps to a Well-Written (Funded) Proposal - slides from a presentation that discusses elements to address when crafting a grant proposal
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program Infographic Brochure
The NSF GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support including an annual stipend of $37,000 and a cost of education allowance of $16,000 to the institution.
Students apply as seniors or at the beginning of their graduate program. Deadline is in October each year.
UNH hosts a half-term course every fall to help applicants prepare their GRFP proposals: Details
Digital Humanities Resources for UNH Scholars
Grants for Publication and Subvention
Misc. Federal Agencies- Specific Requirements & Advice - includes NEA and NEH
Tech as Art: Supporting Artists Who Use Technology as a Creative Medium
National Endowment for the Arts
Funding Opportunities and Related Resources
International Research & Scholarship
Fulbright Programs
U.S. Scholar Program
- Focus on Fulbright - Program Overview 2025
- How to Read a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award Listing
- Fulbright Scholar Application Process & Hints 2025
- Fulbright Review Criteria and Common Mistakes
- IRS Info for Fulbright Recipients
- Fulbright Alumni Engagement Flyer
- UNH Fulbright U.S Scholars, 1981 - present
Fulbright Specialist Program
- Fulbright Specialist Program Overview 2025
- Fulbright Specialist Program Flyer
- UNH Fulbright Specialist Visits
Other Info
NIH Webinar: International Collaborations: Policies, Processes, & Partnerships 11/9/22
Slides and related resources for RLCD programs and presentations can be found in Workshop Resources
This monthly newsletter provides advice on how to compete successfully for research and education funding from federal agencies and from foundations. It also includes news items related to grant seeking and grants policy and planning.
Since much of the advice is timeless, monthly issues dating from July 15, 2012 to June 15, 2024 are available in here.
