Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science: ROSES-2022 | NNH22ZDA001N

Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH22ZDA001N

NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) issued its annual omnibus research solicitation called Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2022, identified as Funding Opportunity Number NNH22ZDA001N (CFDA 43.001). The solicitation was expected to be released around February 14, 2022, and it serves as NASA's main umbrella announcement for a broad portfolio of space science and Earth science research and related technology work. Instead of being a single, one-size-fits-all call, ROSES is structured as a collection of many separate program elements, each with its own technical focus, eligibility nuances, proposal instructions, and, importantly, its own proposal due dates. Collectively, these elements span basic and applied research, supporting research activities, and technology development aligned with SMD priorities.

A key point about ROSES-2022 is that funding is not limited to one award mechanism. Depending on the specific program element and the nature of the proposed work, NASA may issue awards as grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or inter- or intra-agency transfers. In practice, most external (extramural) research selections coming out of ROSES tend to be grants. Many program elements explicitly rule out contracts because contracts are generally used when the government is acquiring a defined deliverable service, which often does not match the exploratory, investigator-driven nature of research that ROSES is designed to support.

The usual project period for ROSES awards is three years, but the solicitation notes flexibility: some elements may allow periods up to five years, while others may require shorter durations. This means applicants need to pay close attention to the specific appendix/program element they are targeting rather than relying on a single default timeline.

Eligibility is broad and intentionally inclusive. Organizations of essentially every type may apply, including U.S. and non-U.S. entities, government and private organizations, for-profit and nonprofit institutions, and proposers may team in any arrangement without general restrictions. One important constraint applies to international participation: NASA policy requires that research involving non-U.S. organizations be conducted on a "no exchange of funds" basis. In other words, foreign partners can participate, but NASA generally will not send U.S. appropriated funds to non-U.S. organizations under this policy, so budgets and roles must be structured accordingly.

ROSES-2022 is hosted through NASA's NSPIRES/solicitation system, with the main landing page at http://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2022. Because the solicitation contains many distinct program elements, NASA points applicants to two key reference tables (Tables 2 and 3), posted separately at http://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2022table2 and http://solicitation.nasaprs.com/ROSES2022table3. These tables function as the roadmap for the entire opportunity: they list proposal due dates and provide links to the detailed descriptions and instructions for each program element in the ROSES appendices. This structure matters because an applicant is not really applying to "ROSES" as a single program; they are applying to a specific program element within ROSES, and the rules and deadlines come from that element.

NASA also emphasizes that ROSES changes over time through amendments, additions of new program elements, clarifications, and corrections. To keep up, applicants are encouraged to subscribe to SMD mailing lists through NSPIRES (by logging in and selecting email subscriptions), monitor the ROSES-2022 RSS feed at http://science.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/grant-solicitations/ROSES-2022/, and use the ROSES due-date Google calendars organized by science division (instructions are linked from NASA's SARA library and useful links page). NASA also maintains a dedicated FAQ page for ROSES-2022 at http://science.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/faqs/, which is intended to address recurring process and policy questions that come up across proposers.

For applicants needing guidance, ROSES-2022 directs questions in two ways. Questions about a specific program element are best addressed to the Program Officer listed in that element's Summary of Key Information and on NASA's program officer list at http://science.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/program-officers-list/. Broader questions about overall ROSES policies and procedures can be directed to the SMD research contact, listed in the announcement as Max Bernstein, via sara@nasa.gov.

Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary and supports science and technology and other research and development activities. The listing notes an original closing date of March 29, 2023, reflecting the reality that different elements open and close on different schedules across the ROSES cycle rather than having a single universal deadline. The posting also shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that funding limits are not captured at the omnibus level and instead are specified within individual program elements (or vary based on scope and NASA priorities), reinforcing the need to consult the relevant appendix for budget guidance and constraints.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science: ROSES-2022" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.001.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 14, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 29, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NNH22ZDA001N

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: