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NSF 25-518: Structure and Physics of the Solid Earth (SPSE)

Closed Closed Opportunity NSF 25-518

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 2024.

U.S. National Science Foundation offered grants to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 75 awards worth $22.0 million in total. It is no longer open on Grants.gov.

From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed September 25, 2026. Checked November 7, 2026.

Key dates

PostedDecember 7, 2024
Archived by Grants.govSeptember 26, 2026

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in 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.

Is this a realistic fit?

What the grant funds

The Structure and Physics of the Solid Earth Program (SPSE) aims to advance fundamental knowledge about the ongoing dynamical processes over the age of the Earth that evolve the structure of planet Earth and underpin geohazards. SPSE supports research at all temporal and spatial scales, from the Earth's core to its crust. Through laboratory, field, theoretical, and computational studies, the program encompasses a wide range of disciplines including structural geology, tectonics, and geophysics. Research in these areas can help improve our understanding of natural hazards including earthquakes and mass flows, as well as Earth’s formation and its magnetic field.

Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

Who has won Geosciences grants before

From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Geosciences (47.050) awarded $5.4 billion across 7,605 grant awards, an average of $710,829 per award.

Largest recipients, fiscal 2021 to 2025
RecipientStateAwardsAmount
University Corporation for Atmospheric ResearchColorado78$725 million
Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionMassachusetts288$627 million
Texas a & M Research FoundationTexas3$287 million
University of California San DiegoCalifornia170$223 million
The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York160$193 million

Top states: Colorado ($905 million), Massachusetts ($785 million), California ($646 million), Texas ($442 million), New York ($304 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 25-518 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 Structure and Physics of the Solid Earth (SPSE)?

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 Structure and Physics of the Solid Earth (SPSE)?

Closed. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

How much funding is available?

About $22.0 million in total across about 75 awards.

Who has won Geosciences grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Texas a & M Research Foundation. The program made 7,605 awards worth $5.4 billion in that time.

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