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U.S. National Science Foundation

Biological Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards (BA-SR)

Open · Opportunity 23-503 · Assistance Listing 47.075

Key facts

Deadline
Due Feb 1, 2027 · 117 days left
Award size
Not specified — see notice
Total available
$5M · about 40 awards
Cost share / match ?
Not required · Work out your budget and match
Who can apply
Other (see eligibility)
Where
Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee

Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Grant-ready checklist

How this fits you

  • Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
  • No cost share required
  • Tennessee recipients since 2023: 24

Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.

More from U.S. National Science Foundation

Read the official notice View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar Sign in to save

About this grant

The Biological Anthropology Program seeks to advance scientific knowledge about the processes that have shaped biological diversity in living and fossil humans and their primate relatives through support of basic research on human and primate evolution, biological variation, and interactions between biology, behavior, and culture. The program supports a portfolio of research that demonstrates engagement with biological anthropological and evolutionary theory; includes diverse and interdisciplinary methods in field, laboratory and computational settings; encompasses multiple levels of analysis (e.g., molecular, organismal, population, ecosystem) and time scales from the short-term to evolutionary; and considers the ethical implications and societal impacts of the research. The program also supports a wide range of broader impact activities as part of research grants, including research outcomes with inherent benefit to society, efforts to broaden participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research, training and outreach activities and other evidence-based activities developed within the context of the mission, goals, and resources of the organizations and people involved.

Eligibility (from the notice)

*Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: -Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities. -Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs): Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of sub-awards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus. -Tribal Nations: An American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges as a federally recognized tribe pursuant to the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131. *Who May Serve as PI: PIs and co-PIs must be researchers who have a Ph.D. or equivalent education and experience, sufficient to allow them to carry out independent basic research. PIs of senior proposals are encouraged to include undergraduate and graduate students in their research projects, but not as PI/co-PI or senior key personnel.

Should we apply? (2-minute check) Ask a partner for a letter

Your schedule, working back from the deadline

  1. Oct7
    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
  2. Jan11
    Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
    Suggested: partners need time to write and sign letters.
  3. Jan25
    Finish a complete draft for a final review
    University grant offices require final versions about 5 business days before the sponsor deadline. Emory Office of Sponsored Programs
  4. Jan30
    Submit
    Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog
  5. Feb1
    Deadline
    From the funder.

Save this grant to put these dates in your tracker and private calendar.

Who in Tennessee has won this program

24 awards to Tennessee recipients in 3 counties since federal FY2023. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee recipients
RecipientWhereAmountFY
University Of TennesseeKnoxville, Knox County$2.8M2022
University Of TennesseeKnoxville, Knox County$2M2024
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$925K2024
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$673K2021
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$627K2024
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$557K2019
University Of TennesseeKnoxville, Knox County$508K2021
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$475K2024
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$450K2022
University Of MemphisMemphis, Shelby County$450K2021
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$446K2025
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$415K2023

Source: USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds; they don't guarantee future awards.

About the program (47.075)

Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences — (SBE)

How applications are judged

Not Applicable.

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Examples of funded projects

Not Applicable.

Program listing on SAM.gov

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