Opportunity Information: Apply for 26 502
The NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award (TRAILBLAZER) is a National Science Foundation funding opportunity aimed at supporting bold, single-investigator engineering research that can open up genuinely new directions. The core idea is to back established innovators who want to pivot into research areas that are meaningfully distinct from their prior or current work, with the expectation that these new directions could produce outsized technical and societal impact. Projects are expected to be novel and creative and to show a plausible path toward either advancing fundamental or applied knowledge, catalyzing new industries or capabilities that strengthen U.S. leadership, and/or making major progress on a national need or grand challenge. While proposals are not limited to a fixed list of topics, NSF highlights current priority areas such as artificial intelligence, bioengineering, quantum engineering, robotics, and nuclear engineering as especially relevant.
A defining feature of TRAILBLAZER is that it is designed for individual investigators rather than teams. Only single-PI proposals are accepted, and NSF explicitly does not allow collaborative proposals in the formal NSF sense. The solicitation is also strict about project structure: proposals that include subawards or are submitted as multiple linked submissions from different organizations will be returned without review. In practice, that means the work needs to be led and executed under one submitting organization with one principal investigator, and the project should not be set up as a multi-institution partnership through subrecipient arrangements.
Eligibility is tied both to the submitting organization and to the investigator. Eligible submitting organizations include U.S.-based institutions of higher education (two-year or four-year, including community colleges, as long as they are accredited and have a campus in the United States) and certain U.S. non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies, provided they are directly associated with education or research activities. If a proposal involves funding or activity at an international branch campus of a U.S. institution (including via consultants), the proposal must clearly explain why that international location benefits the project and why the work cannot reasonably be performed at the U.S. campus.
The PI eligibility requirements indicate this is intended for mid- to senior-level engineering faculty (or equivalent). The PI must hold a tenured or tenure-eligible appointment at the associate professor or full professor rank (or equivalent) at an eligible submitting organization. In addition, the PI must be tied to engineering by either having an appointment in an engineering school or college and/or holding an engineering doctorate. For proposals submitted by eligible non-profit, non-academic organizations, the PI must have a continuing appointment expected to last for the three-year award period and the appointment must include substantial research responsibilities. Another important constraint is that overlapping funding is not permitted: prior or concurrent support for other projects that overlap with the proposed TRAILBLAZER work will make the investigator ineligible for a TRAILBLAZER award, so the proposed project needs to be clearly distinct from currently supported efforts.
NSF also emphasizes a cohort model for awardees. All funded projects will become part of an NSF TRAILBLAZER cohort, and PIs should expect to participate in an annual meeting. Investigators may also be invited to additional program activities, which signals an interest in community-building, cross-pollination of ideas, and shared learning across the funded portfolio, even though proposals themselves must be single-PI and non-collaborative in structure.
Key administrative details from the opportunity listing include that it is an NSF discretionary grant program in the science and technology research and development category (CFDA 47.041), with a listed closing date of July 24, 2026. NSF also plans to hold an informational webinar in early calendar year 2026, hosted by the Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities (EFMA) Office, with participation details to be posted on the Directorate for Engineering and EFMA websites.Apply for 26 502
- The U.S. National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-12-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-24. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award (TRAILBLAZER) FAQs
What is the NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award (TRAILBLAZER)?
The NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award (TRAILBLAZER) is a National Science Foundation funding opportunity that supports bold, single-investigator engineering research intended to open genuinely new directions with the potential for outsized technical and societal impact.
What is the main goal of TRAILBLAZER?
The program is designed to back established innovators who want to pivot into research areas that are meaningfully distinct from their prior or current work, where the new direction is novel and creative and has a plausible path to major impact.
Who is this program intended for?
TRAILBLAZER is intended for mid- to senior-level engineering faculty (or equivalent) who are established innovators and are ready to pursue a research pivot into a new direction that is distinct from their existing work.
Are proposals limited to specific research topics?
No. Proposals are not limited to a fixed list of topics. However, NSF highlights priority areas that are especially relevant, including artificial intelligence, bioengineering, quantum engineering, robotics, and nuclear engineering.
What kinds of impacts does NSF expect TRAILBLAZER projects to have?
Projects are expected to be novel and creative and to show a plausible path toward one or more of the following: advancing fundamental or applied knowledge, catalyzing new industries or capabilities that strengthen U.S. leadership, and/or making major progress on a national need or grand challenge.
Does TRAILBLAZER allow team proposals or multi-PI projects?
No. Only single-PI proposals are accepted. The program is explicitly designed for individual investigators rather than teams.
Are collaborative proposals allowed under TRAILBLAZER?
No. NSF explicitly does not allow collaborative proposals in the formal NSF sense for this solicitation.
Can a TRAILBLAZER proposal include subawards (subrecipient agreements)?
No. Proposals that include subawards will be returned without review.
Can multiple organizations submit linked proposals for the same project?
No. Proposals submitted as multiple linked submissions from different organizations will be returned without review.
What does the single-organization structure mean in practice?
In practice, the work must be led and executed under one submitting organization with one principal investigator, and the project cannot be set up as a multi-institution partnership through subrecipient arrangements.
What types of organizations are eligible to submit proposals?
Eligible submitting organizations include U.S.-based institutions of higher education (two-year or four-year, including community colleges) that are accredited and have a campus in the United States, as well as certain U.S. non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies, provided they are directly associated with education or research activities.
Are community colleges eligible to submit proposals?
Yes. Two-year institutions, including community colleges, are included among eligible U.S.-based institutions of higher education, as long as they are accredited and have a campus in the United States.
Can a non-profit, non-academic organization submit a proposal?
Yes, if it is a U.S. non-profit, non-academic organization (such as an independent museum, observatory, research laboratory, or professional society) and it is directly associated with education or research activities.
What are the PI appointment and rank requirements for eligibility?
The PI must hold a tenured or tenure-eligible appointment at the associate professor or full professor rank (or equivalent) at an eligible submitting organization.
What are the engineering-related requirements for the PI?
The PI must be tied to engineering by either having an appointment in an engineering school or college and/or holding an engineering doctorate.
What additional PI requirements apply if the submitting organization is a non-profit, non-academic organization?
For proposals submitted by eligible non-profit, non-academic organizations, the PI must have a continuing appointment expected to last for the three-year award period, and the appointment must include substantial research responsibilities.
Does the proposed research need to be different from the PI's current work?
Yes. A core idea of the program is to support investigators who want to pivot into research areas that are meaningfully distinct from their prior or current work.
Can an investigator receive TRAILBLAZER funding for work that overlaps with other supported projects?
No. Overlapping funding is not permitted. Prior or concurrent support for other projects that overlap with the proposed TRAILBLAZER work will make the investigator ineligible for a TRAILBLAZER award, so the proposed project needs to be clearly distinct from currently supported efforts.
Are international branch campuses allowed to be involved in a proposal?
They can be involved, but with conditions. If a proposal involves funding or activity at an international branch campus of a U.S. institution (including via consultants), the proposal must clearly explain why that international location benefits the project and why the work cannot reasonably be performed at the U.S. campus.
Does TRAILBLAZER include any cohort or community participation expectations?
Yes. All funded projects will become part of an NSF TRAILBLAZER cohort, and PIs should expect to participate in an annual meeting.
Are there additional program activities beyond the annual meeting?
Possibly. Investigators may also be invited to additional program activities, reflecting NSF's interest in community-building, cross-pollination of ideas, and shared learning across the funded portfolio.
What is the closing date for this opportunity?
The listed closing date is July 24, 2026.
What kind of grant program category is this listed under?
It is listed as an NSF discretionary grant program in the science and technology research and development category, with CFDA 47.041.
Will NSF provide an informational webinar about TRAILBLAZER?
Yes. NSF plans to hold an informational webinar in early calendar year 2026, hosted by the Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities (EFMA) Office, with participation details to be posted on the Directorate for Engineering and EFMA websites.
Where will details about the informational webinar be posted?
Participation details are expected to be posted on the NSF Directorate for Engineering website and the EFMA website.
Which NSF office is associated with hosting the webinar?
The informational webinar is planned to be hosted by the Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities (EFMA) Office.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Previous opportunity: Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) (R38 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for 26 502
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (26 502) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Apply for G26AS00060 Funding Number: G26AS00060 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $498,392 |
| Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Great Rivers Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Apply for G26AS00065 Funding Number: G26AS00065 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $48,500 |
| NASA SPACE TECHNOLOGY GRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES – FALL 2026 (NSTGRO26) Apply for NNH26ZTR001N 26NSTGRO B6 Funding Number: NNH26ZTR001N 26NSTGRO B6 Agency: NASA Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $84,000 |
| ERDC Broad Agency Announcement Apply for W912HZ26S0001 Funding Number: W912HZ26S0001 Agency: Engineer Research and Development Center Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $999,999,999 |
| Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Californian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Apply for G26AS00070 Funding Number: G26AS00070 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $495,000 |
| Depth-Resolved Algal Bloom Mapping at Lake Okeechobee, FL Apply for W81EWF 26 SOI 0001 Funding Number: W81EWF 26 SOI 0001 Agency: Engineer Research and Development Center Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $95,500 |
| Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program - Employment Apply for HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR AREM 0200 Funding Number: HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR AREM 0200 Agency: Administration for Community Living Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program - Health and Function Apply for HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR ARHF 0201 Funding Number: HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR ARHF 0201 Agency: Administration for Community Living Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Field Initiated Projects Program: Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) - Development Apply for HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR IFST 0206 Funding Number: HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR IFST 0206 Agency: Administration for Community Living Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Field Initiated Projects Program: Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) -Research Apply for HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR IFST 0205 Funding Number: HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR IFST 0205 Agency: Administration for Community Living Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Program - Community Living and Participation Apply for HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR ARCP 0202 Funding Number: HHS 2026 ACL NIDILRR ARCP 0202 Agency: Administration for Community Living Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Bat Diet Characterization Focusing on Tricolored Bats and Little Brown Bats for Arnold Air Base, Tennessee Apply for W9126G262SOI8046 Funding Number: W9126G262SOI8046 Agency: Fort Worth District Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $227,181 |
| CyberAICorps Scholarship for Service Apply for 26 503 Funding Number: 26 503 Agency: U.S. National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| Pilot Program to Increase Research Capacity at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority-Serving Institutions Apply for W911NF26S0075 Funding Number: W911NF26S0075 Agency: Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology Apply for 26 504 Funding Number: 26 504 Agency: U.S. National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIJ FY25 Invited to Apply - Operation of the Secretariat of SC 37 under JTC 1 of ISO/IEC Apply for O NIJ 2025 172534 Funding Number: O NIJ 2025 172534 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $60,000 |
| NIJ FY25 Invited to Apply - Funding to Support the Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes Program Apply for O NIJ 2025 172537 Funding Number: O NIJ 2025 172537 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $523,184 |
| NIJ FY25 Invited to Apply - Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development: Social Development Sub-study (ABCD-SD) Apply for O NIJ 2025 172535 Funding Number: O NIJ 2025 172535 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,800,000 |
| NIJ FY25 Invited to Apply - Novel Psychoactive Substance Discovery, Education, and Reporting Institute Apply for O NIJ 2025 172538 Funding Number: O NIJ 2025 172538 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Apply for G26AS00076 Funding Number: G26AS00076 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $47,632 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "26 502", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.