NSF 22-591: Opportunities for Promoting Understanding through Synthesis
Closed
This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Major Research Instrumentation Program: (MRI) (NSF 27-500). Status: Closes January 29, 2027 (83 days left). It is in our archive of U.S. National Science Foundation notices from 2022.
U.S. National Science Foundation offered grants of up to $350,000 (at least $200,000) to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 15 awards worth $3.0 million in total. It is no longer open on Grants.gov.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed February 2, 2026. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$350,000
- Award floor$200,000
- Total funding$3.0 million
- Expected awards15
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Key dates
| Posted | April 21, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Archived by Grants.gov | February 3, 2026 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
*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.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Biological Sciences awards averaged $609,810; this notice allows up to $350,000 per award.
- Most of the program's money (82% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
Synopsis of Program: The OPUS program is targeted to individuals, typically at later-career stages, whohave contributed significant insights to a field or body of research over time. The program provides an opportunity to revisit and synthesize that prior research into a unique, integrated product(s) useful to the scientific community, now and in the future. All four clusters within the Division of Environmental Biology (Ecosystem Science, Evolutionary Processes, Population and Community Ecology, and Systematics and Biodiversity Science) encourage the submission of OPUS proposals.
Who has won Biological Sciences grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Biological Sciences (47.074) awarded $4.2 billion across 6,885 grant awards, an average of $609,810 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battelle Memorial Institute | Ohio | 8 | $381 million |
| Arizona State University | Arizona | 57 | $108 million |
| Cornell University | New York | 85 | $85.6 million |
| University of Florida | Florida | 100 | $70.6 million |
| Michigan State University Foundation | Michigan | 105 | $67.9 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, NSF 27-500, which is open now.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is NSF 22-591 still open?
No. It is no longer open on Grants.gov. A newer notice is open: NSF 27-500, closes January 29, 2027 (83 days left).
Who can apply for Opportunities for Promoting Understanding through Synthesis?
U.S. National Science Foundation accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for Opportunities for Promoting Understanding through Synthesis?
Closed. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $350,000 each. About $3.0 million in total across about 15 awards.
Who has won Biological Sciences grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Battelle Memorial Institute, Arizona State University, Cornell University. The program made 6,885 awards worth $4.2 billion in that time.