2025: A.4 Rapid Response and Novel Research in Earth Science
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers at U.S. institutions proposing rapid response and novel Earth science research to NASA. Eligible applicants must be affiliated with institutions registered in NSPIRES. NASA typically funds U.S. institutions only, though international organizations may participate under specific conditions with no-exchange-of-funds policies.
Research must address timely Earth science questions requiring accelerated development or response. Funding supports innovative approaches to understanding Earth systems and processes.
Proposers should consult the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM) for detailed eligibility requirements and special provisions for international collaborations or non-U.S. personnel.
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: March 30, 2026. A new requirement has been added to Section 1 and the point of contact for the NASA flight request system in Section 5.1.1 has been updated. 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 6 has been updated to reflect that ROSES-25 rolling submissions will be open through August 2026. Also, the points of contact have been updated. 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
Required documents
- NSPIRES proposal submission form
- Project narrative and scientific justification
- Budget and budget narrative
- Institutional affiliation documentation
- Curriculum vitae for key personnel (as required by program element)
Program contact
- 👤 Caleb Schuler Grantor
- 📧 krishna.p.vadrevu@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 can apply for this grant?
Researchers at U.S. institutions registered in NSPIRES. Some international organizations may participate under no-exchange-of-funds policies; check GCAM for details.
When is the deadline?
This uses rolling submission. August 31, 2026 is the final deadline for ROSES-25; ROSES-26 will overlap, enabling continuous submission.
What types of research are funded?
Rapid response and novel research addressing timely Earth science questions. Funding supports innovative approaches requiring accelerated development.
Do I need cost-sharing or matching funds?
No cost-sharing is required for this program.
What budget items are allowed?
Standard NASA allowable costs apply. Computing facility fees ($0.09/SBU) are required if using NASA Center for Climate Simulation resources.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Submit early within the rolling window. Late submissions face review delays and may miss funding cycles.
- Address rapid response potential clearly. Explain why your research requires accelerated timeline or novel approach.
- Budget NASA climate computing fees if applicable. Include $0.09 per SBU if using NASA Center for Climate Simulation.
- Review the full program element PDF. This synopsis is generic; detailed rules are in the complete solicitation text.
- Check GCAM and resubmission policies. Understand timing constraints on resubmissions and duplicate proposals before applying.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Failing to articulate the rapid response or novelty dimension of the proposal. Underestimating NASA review timelines for rolling submissions. Not budgeting required computing facility fees ($0.09/SBU) if using specialized NASA resources.
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