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Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Get-ready checklist
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/efd8e340-8496-4ebf-9708-95feedf8d14f · Printed from grantme.click/grants/24a98501-a718-4090-9b94-bb139ab88a8d
This program element does not have a proposal due date. Proposals may be submitted at any time, pending certain eligibility timing issues related to resubmissions and duplicate proposal avoidance, see the program element text and appropriate overview appendix (e.g., B.1 or C.1). The date shown of 8/1/2026 is the last day that proposals may be submitted subject to the ROSES-25 rules and the current GCAM. The ROSES-26 version of this program element is planned to overlap with this ROSES-25 version by a few weeks, allowing continuous submission of proposals across ROSES years.
NOTICE: Updated July 21, 2026. The Anticipated Award Start Date for last submissions in Table C.2-1 in Section 3.1 has been updated. The requirements for Biographical Sketches and Current and Pending Support in Section 3.5 have been updated, as have the Expected program budget for first year of new awards and Number of new awards pending adequate proposals of merit in Section 6. New text is in bold and deleted text is struck through.
NOTICE: Research security training required starting August 5, 2026. All PIs and any Co-Is that would spend ≥ 10% time on a proposed grants or cooperative agreements must certify they have taken research security training. NASA will be satisfied with the four online research security training modules on the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Research Security Training website at https://www.nsf.gov/research-security/training or the SECURE Center condensed version of the four modules at https://www.secure-center.org/ctm
NOTICE: Amended July 2, 2026. Table C.2-1: Submission and Review Dates in Section 3.1 has been updated and a new row with a new final cut-off date of November 12, 2026, has been added. In addition, this amendment reminds proposers of two important upcoming process changes:
Potential proposers are reminded in Section 3.1 that for any proposal for federal assistance submitted > August 5, 2026, PIs and any Co-Is that would spend > 10% time on a proposed grants or cooperative agreements must certify they have taken research security training. NASA will be satisfied with the four online research security training modules on the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Research Security Training website at https://www.nsf.gov/research-security/training or the SECURE Center condensed version of the four modules at...
Who can apply, from the official notice
Proposers must be affiliated with an institution at nspires.nasaprs.com/ and, in general, NASA provides funding only to U.S. institutions. Organizations outside the U.S. that propose on the basis of a policy of no-exchange-of-funds; consult the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM) (https://www.nasa.gov/grants-policy-and-compliance-team/#Regulations) for specific details. Some NRAs may be issued jointly with a non-U.S. organization, e.g., those concerning guest observing programs for jointly sponsored space science programs, that will contain additional special guidelines for non-U.S. participants. Also reference the GCAM for special instructions for proposals from non-U.S. organizations that involve U.S. personnel for whom NASA support is requested.
Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now) Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov
Oct22
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters.
Nov5
Finish a complete draft for a final review Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft.
Nov10
Submit Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog
Nov12
Deadline From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
Source: USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds. They don't guarantee future awards.
Tennessee groups that got this money through Tennessee Higher Education Commission
This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. In Tennessee, Tennessee Higher Education Commission passes it on: watch that agency for applications, not the federal agency. 14 pass-through grants on file · 0 in Rhea County. Largest shown:
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).
About the federal program
Science, also called “SMD” Program number 43.001 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · National Aeronautics and Space Administration · Cooperative agreement (a grant with close agency involvement), project grant, direct payment for a set purpose, use of federal property, facilities or equipment, training
How applications are judged
Unless otherwise specified in the NOFO, the evaluation criteria considered in evaluating a proposal are intrinsic merit, relevance, and cost. Intrinsic Merit includes the consideration of the following factors, as applicable to the particular proposal 1) The scientific quality of the
proposed project, including, but not limited to, the scientific rationale and the expected significance and/or impact of the proposed work. 2) Overall, technical quality of the proposed work, includes, but is not limited to, the quality of the management plan and project timeline
for carrying out the work and the effectiveness and resilience of the proposed experimental designs, methods, techniques, and approaches for achieving the proposed goals and/or objectives. 3) The qualifications, capabilities, and expertise of personnel demonstrated by the proposal (e.g., publications, delivered products, and other measures of productivity and/or experience) that would affect the likelihood of achieving the objectives. 4) Facilities, instruments, equipment and other resources or support systems presented in the proposal
that would affect the likelihood of achieving the proposed objectives. A proposal's relevance includes the consideration of the potential contribution to NASA's mission as expressed in its most recent NASA strategic plans and the permitted scope and specific objectives and goals given in the funding announcement. Cost of a proposed effort includes the reasonableness of the proposed...
Match
Most awards have no matching requirement. Specifics about cost sharing and matching resources are described in the NOFO.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal year 2025: The focus of the BioS-ENDURES Consortium is innovation, acceleration, and implementation of space
biology specific knowledge and technology centered on human-plant-microbiome relationships to enable
a durable human presence in low Earth orbit and beyond. Studying fundamental relationships between
humans, plants, and their microbiomes under space flight conditions will reveal new biological
mechanisms that will address needs for sustainability and risk mitigation in space exploration. A more
thorough understanding is needed of mechanisms underlying responses to space-relevant stressors
(ionizing radiation, microgravity, circadian disruption, abiotics, and biotics) to both humans and plant
food sources and what role microbiomes may play in shaping those responses. Relationships between
microorganisms and humans in isolated and constrained environments such as space habitats must be better understood to enable successful long-term habitation in space. Human/animal, plant, and microbial
biologists will work together to ensure an integrated view of the space flight biosphere by enhancing data
acquisition, modeling, and testing.
Fiscal year 2026: SMD publishes...