2025: A.10 INNOVATE
Can you apply?
This grant is for U.S. institutions and organizations seeking NASA research funding through the INNOVATE program element. Proposers must be affiliated with an institution registered at NSPIRES. NASA generally funds U.S. institutions only, though some international organizations may participate under specific no-exchange-of-funds policies. Non-U.S. organizations proposing with U.S. personnel should consult the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual for special instructions.
Program description
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 8/31/2026 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: Amended, January 26, 2026. Sections 1 and 1.1 have been updated to encourage non-governmental organizations new to NASA to partner with NASA centers, and a requirement was added to Section 4 to plan for operation beyond the award period. New text is in bold and deleted text is struck through.
NOTICE: Amended, January 22, 2026. The last date for submission of proposals (in Section 7) has been updated to reflect that ROSES-25 will be open until August 2026. Proposals may be submitted at any time until August 31, 2026. New text is in bold and deleted text is struck through.
NOTICE: Amended September 22, 2025. This amendment announces that those proposing to Earth Science (ROSES Appendix A) to use the NASA Center for Climate Simulation high-end computing facility must include $0.09/SBU in their budget per the instructions provided in Section 7.3 of ROSES-25 A.1 Earth Science Research Overview. This applies to all open and future program elements in Appendix A (Earth Science) as of 09/22/2025.
This synopsis is a generic summary that is posted for each of the many individual “program elements” in NASA’s Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) – 2025 solicitation. For specific information on this particular program element download and read the PDF of the text of this program element by going to Tables 2 or 3 of ROSES at https://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2025table2
and https://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2025table3, respectively, click the title of the program element of interest, a hypertext link will take you to a page for that particular program element. On that page, on the right side under “Announcement Documents” the link on the bottom will be to the PDF of the text of the call for proposals. For example, if one were interested in the Solar System Science program (NNH25ZDA001N-SCUBED) one would follow the link to the NSPIRES page for that program element and then to read the text of the call one would click on “C.2 Solar System Science (.pdf)” to download the text of the call. If one wanted to set it into the context of the goals, objectives and know the default rules for all elements within Appendix C, the planetary science division, one might download and read “C.1 Planetary Science Research Program Overview (.pdf)” from that same page. While the letters and numbers are different for each element within ROSES (A.10, B.3, etc.) the basic configuration is always the same, e.g., the letter indicates the Science Division (A is Earth Science, B is Heliophysics etc.) and whatever the letter, #1 is always the division overview. In 2025, most program elements will be set up for application via Grants.gov only if requested at least 30 days in advance of the due date. For more on Grants.gov submissions see Section IV(b)v of the ROSES Summary of Solicitation, that may be found at https://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2025.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) released its annual omnibus Research Announcement (NRA), Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) – 2025 (OMB Approval Number 2700-0092, CFDA Number 43.001) on February 21, 2025. In this case “omnibus” means that this NRA has many individual program elements, each with its own due dates and topics. All together these cover the wide range of basic and applied supporting research and technology supported by SMD. Awards will be made as grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts depending on the nature of the work proposed. However, most extramural research awards deriving from ROSES will be grants, and many program elements of ROSES specifically exclude contracts, because contracts would not be appropriate for the nature of the work solicited. Funded Co-Is at government labs will receive inter- or intra-agency transfers. The typical period of performance for an award is three years, but some programs may allow up to five years and others specify shorter periods. In most cases, organizations of every type, Government and private, for profit and not-for-profit, domestic and foreign (with some caveats), may submit proposals without restriction on teaming arrangements. Tables listing the program elements and due dates (Tables 2 and 3), a table that provides a very top level summary of proposal contents (Table 1), and the full text of the ROSES-2025 “Summary of Solicitation”, may all be found NSPIRES at https://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2025.
Frequently asked questions for ROSES are posted at http://science.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/faqs. Questions concerning specific program elements should be directed to the point(s) of contact for that particular element, who may be found either at the end of the individual program element in the summary table of key information or on the web list of topics and points of contact at: http://science.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/program-officers-list. General questions concerning ROSES-2025 may be directed to the office of the SMD Deputy Associate Administrator for Research at sara@nasa.gov.
Not all program elements are known at the time of the release of ROSES. To be informed of new program elements or amendments to this NRA, proposers may subscribe to: (1) The SMD mailing lists (by logging in at http://nspires.nasaprs.com and checking the appropriate boxes under “Account Management” and “Email Subscriptions”), (2) The ROSES-2025 blog feed for amendments, clarifications, and corrections to at https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/solicitations/roses-2025/, and (3) The ROSES-2025 due date Google calendars (one for each science division). Instructions are at https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/library-and-useful-links (link from the words due date calendar).
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- NSPIRES institutional affiliation and registration
- Project proposal/narrative
- Budget and budget justification
- Institutional certifications and compliance documentation
- NASA Form or equivalent proposal submission forms per NSPIRES system
Program contact
- 👤 Caleb Schuler Grantor
- 📧 nima.pahlevan@nasa.gov
- 📞 2406169381
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 43.001 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$243,555,196
-
$139,591,380
-
$137,783,105
-
$105,511,960
-
$104,153,585
-
$93,418,756
-
$87,602,041
-
$60,957,520
-
$57,012,909
-
$55,593,686
Top States by Funding
- MD 16 awards $673.7M
- CA 14 awards $323.2M
- TX 6 awards $213.6M
- AL 4 awards $191.4M
- DC 5 awards $175.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 43.001). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $921,764,932 | |
| 2025 | $1,189,411,503 | |
| 2026 est. | $907,114,426 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this NASA ROSES grant?
U.S. institutions and organizations with valid NSPIRES affiliation. Some non-U.S. organizations may participate under specific NASA policies, but should consult the GCAM for guidance.
What is the submission deadline?
Proposals can be submitted at any time until August 31, 2026. Rolling submission is allowed, with overlap planned between ROSES-25 and ROSES-26.
Are there resubmission restrictions?
Yes, there are eligibility timing rules related to resubmissions and duplicate proposal avoidance. Consult the program element text for specific details.
Is cost-sharing required?
No, this program does not require matching funds or cost-sharing from applicants.
What funding instruments are available?
Awards may be issued as Cooperative Agreements or Grants, depending on the project scope and NASA involvement level.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Register your institution at NSPIRES before beginning your proposal. This is a mandatory prerequisite for eligibility.
- Use the rolling deadline strategically. Submit early to allow time for NASA feedback and revisions if needed.
- If you are a non-U.S. organization, consult the NASA GCAM before investing time in your proposal.
- For Earth Science proposals, budget $0.09 per SBU if using NASA Center for Climate Simulation facilities.
- Review the specific program element PDF text, not just this synopsis, for detailed requirements and restrictions.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Failing to register the institution at NSPIRES before submission, violating resubmission timing rules. Ignoring the no-cost-sharing requirement and creating an inflated budget. Not consulting GCAM for international partner eligibility specifics.
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