OpenDeadline extended (was Aug 17, 2076)Research announcementOpportunity 26-517

Core Research in Biological Sciences (BIO Core)

At a glance

Core Research in Biological Sciences (BIO Core) is an open federal grant opportunity from U.S. National Science Foundation. Applications are due October 5, 2076. Individual awards are listed as from $500K, with about 300 awards expected and $280M in total estimated funding. Applicant types listed as eligible include others (see notice). Cost sharing is not required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 47.074 (Biological Sciences).

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Aug 17, 2026Posted
Oct 5, 2076Application deadlinenext date

Posted: Aug 17, 2026
Close date: Oct 5, 2076
Award floor: $500,000
Award ceiling: Not specified
Est. total funding: $280,000,000
Original deadline (extended): Aug 17, 2076
Expected awards: 300
Cost sharing: Not required
Funding instrument: Grant
Opportunity category: Discretionary

Who can apply

Others (see notice)

Additional information on 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.

Also named in the notice's eligibility text

Public colleges & universities
501(c)(3) nonprofits
Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status
Private colleges & universities

Matched from the wording above by GrantsJunction — confirm in the full announcement.

Can your organization apply?

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

The U.S. National Science Foundation's Directorate for Biological Sciences (NSF BIO) Core Research in Biological Sciences (BIO Core) funding opportunity supports foundational and interdisciplinary research projects that expand knowledge of biology at any level of organization, from the molecular to the biome scale. We accept proposals that cover scientific topics associated with legacy programs historically supported by NSF BIO and proposals that explore new areas of biological sciences.

BIO Core funds single- and multi-investigator awards. The portfolio of awards is anticipated to include a range of budgets and durations, including exploratory projects of smaller scope and long-horizon projects that benefit from longer-term commitment. BIO Core awards are subject to the availability of funds.

Additional information from the agency ↗

How to apply

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Read the full announcement (NOFO)Eligibility, evaluation criteria, page limits and required attachments are in the full notice on Grants.gov. Open ↗
Confirm eligibility and fitCheck your organization type above; no cost sharing is required.
Register (or renew) in SAM.gov and get a UEIFree. New registrations can take several weeks; registrations must be renewed every year. Open ↗
Set up Grants.gov accessCreate a Grants.gov account and make sure someone has the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role. Open ↗
Open the application packageUse opportunity number 26-517 on Grants.gov (Grants.gov Workspace). Open ↗
Prepare narrative, budget and attachmentsFollow the notice's format exactly — page limits and required forms are common reasons applications are rejected.
Ask the agency contact any questions earlyU.S. National Science Foundation · grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov Open ↗
Submit before October 5, 2076Proposals accepted anytime Submit a few days early and keep your Grants.gov confirmation and validation emails.

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

47.074Biological SciencesProgram →

Reported obligations under ALN 47.074

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$813M

FY25

$789M

FY26

$221M est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 47.074. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

U.S. National Science Foundation
grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
703-292-4203

Quick answers

When is the deadline for “Core Research in Biological Sciences (BIO Core)”?

According to the official notice, applications are due October 5, 2076. The notice adds: “Proposals accepted anytime” Confirm the deadline and submission time on Grants.gov before applying.

Who is eligible to apply for “Core Research in Biological Sciences (BIO Core)”?

The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible: Others (see notice). Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How much funding is available through “Core Research in Biological Sciences (BIO Core)”?

Per the notice, individual awards are listed as from $500k, total estimated program funding is $280,000,000 and the agency expects to make about 300 awards.

How do I apply for “Core Research in Biological Sciences (BIO Core)”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity 26-517), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.

OpenDeadline extendedResearchALN 47.050, 47.074…