Request for Proposals

The Office of the Chancellor and the Office of Research and Innovation have committed $40 million toward the Grand Challenges Catalyst Competition. Up to $10 million is available for allocation each year in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The 2025 request for proposals was released Sept. 24, 2024.

Download the 2025 request for proposals.

In 2025, the final year of the Grand Challenges Catalyst Competition, only proposals for catalyst award support will be accepted. No planning grant proposals will be accepted in 2025. 

Catalyst award proposals must describe a plan of work for implementing a goal-based project developed in response to one or more of UNL’s grand challenge themes. The expected outcome for an interdisciplinary team receiving a catalyst award is that they will demonstrate measurable progress toward their goal and project sustainability. Catalyst award proposals may request the level of support necessary to pursue the project goal during a period that may not exceed five years.

All proposals submitted to the Grand Challenges Catalyst Competition must be goal-driven. Project goals for catalyst awards must be audacious, resourced, and time-bound. Project goals also must be bold and catalytic. Proposals must not be aimed at incremental advancement of existing work.

For additional information about the Grand Challenges Catalyst Competition, contact Nathan Meier, assistant vice chancellor for research development, 402-472-3902.