Sponsors occasionally limit the number of submissions that an institution can submit. When a call for proposals is “limited,” the Office of Research and Innovation (R&I) uses an internal selection process to determine which application(s) will be submitted to the sponsor for funding or award consideration.
The limited submission competitions process at UNL is a three-step process:
- Notifications of intent: Interested applicants must complete an online Notification of Intent to Submit Form by no later than UNL’s intent deadline. These notifications of intent are required and allow R&I to plan for the review of limited submission competition pre-proposals.
- Internal Pre-Proposal Submission: If there are more interested applicants than the sponsor’s limit allows, R&I will conduct an internal competition to select the UNL application(s) that will be recommended for submission to the sponsor. In this case, interested applicants will be notified to complete and submit an internal pre-proposal on or before the UNL pre-proposal deadline.
- Selection: Interested applicants will be notified by e-mail if their pre-proposal has been selected (or not selected) for submission to the sponsor as a full proposal. Selected applicants will then complete and submit the sponsor’s application by the sponsor deadline.
Active limited submission competitions follow. If you are interested in applying to a limited submission competition that is not featured here, contact Jackson Hardin (jhardin11@unl.edu), funding opportunity coordinator, to inquire about the status of the competition.
National Science Foundation
EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement-Focused EPSCoR Collaborations Program
https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/epscor-research-infrastructure-improvement-focused-epscor/nsf24-573/solicitation
Internal Notice of Intent Deadline: 04/21/2025
Sponsor Letter of Intent Deadline: 12/16/2025
Sponsor Application Deadline: 01/27/2026
This program, formerly known as “EPSCoR Track-2 program,” builds interjurisdictional collaborative teams of EPSCoR investigators in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics focus areas consistent with the current National Science Foundation Strategic Plan. Projects must include researchers from at least two EPSCoR eligible jurisdictions with complementary expertise and resources necessary to address challenges that neither party could address as well or as rapidly independently.
For this year’s competition, proposals will be accepted in the following focus area: “Building capacity towards use-inspired research.”
An organization may submit only one proposal to the competition as lead.
If you are interested in developing a proposal in response to this funding opportunity, please complete a notification of intent to submit by 04/21/2025. For more information regarding the internal selection process, visit https://research.unl.edu/fundingopps/active-limited-submission-competitions/.
Project Apis m.
Honey Bee Health Research
https://www.projectapism.org/apply-for-funding?utm_source=Funding+Supplement&utm_campaign=0529b51c3a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2025_03_18_06_59&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8d6cbefc3d-0529b51c3a-712519256
Internal Notice of Intent Deadline: 04/14/2025
Sponsor Application Deadline: 06/01/2025
This opportunity seeks research dedicated to enhancing the health of honey bees.
Organizations may submit one proposal per cycle.
If you are interested in developing a proposal in response to this funding opportunity, please complete a notification of intent to submit by 04/14/2025. For more information regarding the internal selection process, visit https://research.unl.edu/fundingopps/active-limited-submission-competitions/.
National Science Foundation
Major Research Instrumentation
https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/mri-major-research-instrumentation-program/nsf23-519/solicitation
Internal Notice of Intent Deadline: 05/19/2025
Sponsor Application Deadline: 11/14/2025
This opportunity supports the acquisition of a multi-user research instrument that is commercially available through direct purchase from a vendor, or for the personnel costs and equipment that are required for the development of an instrument with new capabilities, thereby advancing instrumentation capabilities and enhancing expertise for instrument design and fabrication at academic institutions.
Each performing organization is limited to a maximum of three proposals in Tracks 1 and 2, with no more than two (2) submissions in Track 1 and no more than one (1) submission in Track 2. One (1) additional submission is permitted in the newly defined Track 3. As a result, it is now possible for an institution to submit up to four MRI proposals within these Track limits.
If you are interested in developing a proposal in response to this funding opportunity, please complete a notification of intent to submit by 05/19/2025. For more information regarding the internal selection process, visit https://research.unl.edu/fundingopps/active-limited-submission-competitions/.
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Pew Biomedical Scholars
https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/projects/pew-biomedical-scholars/program-details
Internal Notice of Intent Deadline: 04/21/2025
This award supports assistant professors of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health. The award provides $300,000 in flexible support ($75,000 per year for a four-year period).
Institutions may select one nominee for consideration.
The internal selection process involves two required stages: 1) submission of internal notice of intent (NOI) to submit a proposal by 04/21/2025, and 2) submission of an internal pre-proposal by 05/02/2025. The link to submit the internal NOI is provide below, and details on how to prepare and submit the pre-proposal are available here.
If you are interested in developing a proposal in response to this funding opportunity, please complete a notification of intent to submit by 04/21/2025. For more information regarding the internal selection process, visit https://research.unl.edu/fundingopps/active-limited-submission-competitions/.
National Science Foundation
U.S. National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program
https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/us-national-science-foundation-research-traineeship-program/nsf24-597/solicitation
Internal Notice of Intent Deadline: 04/14/2025
Sponsor Application Deadline: 09/08/2025
This opportunity seeks proposals that explore ways for graduate students in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers.
Institutions of Higher Education may only participate in two proposals as lead or collaborative non-lead.
If you are interested in developing a proposal in response to this funding opportunity, please complete a notification of intent to submit by 04/14/2025. For more information regarding the internal selection process, visit https://research.unl.edu/fundingopps/active-limited-submission-competitions/.
Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Legacy Grants Program
https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/355645
Internal Notice of Intent Deadline: 03/28/2025
Sponsor Application Deadline: 04/21/2025
This opportunity seeks to provide tools for the public to learn about the histories of Veterans interred in national cemeteries and state, territorial, and Tribal Veterans cemeteries.
Organizations may submit one application in response to this opportunity.
If you are interested in developing a proposal in response to this funding opportunity, please complete a notification of intent to submit by 03/28/2025. For more information regarding the internal selection process, visit https://research.unl.edu/fundingopps/active-limited-submission-competitions/.
