Dear Colleagues,
We want to encourage you to continue submitting grant proposals and pursuing funding opportunities, even as you may be seeing fewer formal program announcements from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
A reduction in published solicitations does not mean a reduction in funding opportunities. In many cases, agencies are continuing to support meritorious research through existing mechanisms and more flexible pathways.
In particular:
- Do not wait for a specific program announcement to move forward with a strong idea.
- Reach out to your program officer to discuss your concept, fit, and timing—these conversations are often critical in the current funding environment.
- Continue submitting proposals through standard mechanisms, including unsolicited or investigator-initiated opportunities.
Additionally, NIH administrative supplements remain a viable and often underutilized option. The active funding opportunity announcement (PA-26-001 NIH Administrative Supplements FOA) allows investigators with existing NIH awards to request support for expanding or adapting ongoing projects. These requests can typically be submitted on a rolling basis, making them a flexible way to advance new ideas without waiting for a targeted call.
We also recommend investigators regularly review agency priority areas, as these are increasingly shaping funding decisions (see: NIH, DOE, and NSF). Aligning proposals with these priorities can strengthen competitiveness in the current environment.
We encourage you to stay proactive—advance strong ideas, engage program staff early, and take advantage of available mechanisms to sustain research momentum during this period. Finally, please never lose sight of the fact that our collective work in research and scholarship is of fundamental importance and value, and a powerful force for good in the world. In Madam Curie’s words – “We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.”
Warm regards,
Steve
Steve Dewhurst, PhD
Vice President for Research