Alternatives to Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Questions regarding this Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) may be emailed to Daniela Petchik, Grants Management Specialist at petchik.daniela.m@dol.gov and Brinda Ruggles, Grant Officer at ruggles.brinda@dol.gov. We encourage prospective applicants and interested parties to use the Grants.gov subscription option to register for future updates provided for this particular TEGL.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to invite proposals for funding from Tribal Colleges and Universities, Tribal Serving Institutions, Community Colleges on or near Tribal Lands, and other Trade Schools on or near Tribal Lands interested in providing innovative hands-on, in-person manufacturing training and technical assistance through rapid reskilling of employees for 8(a) and HUBZone eligible small businesses , under the U.S. Small Business Administration's Empower to Grow Program (formerly known as 7(j) Management and Technical Assistance Program).

Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications for projects to expand, improve, or transform the utility of mammalian cancer and tumor models for translational research. With this NOFO, the NCI intends to encourage submission of projects devoted to demonstrating that mammalian models or their derivatives used for translational research are robust representations of human biology, are appropriate to test questions of clinical importance, and provide reliable information for patients' benefit. These practical goals contrast with the goals of many mechanistic, NCI-supported R01 projects that employ mammals, or develop and use mammalian cancer models, transplantation tumor models, or models derived from mammalian or human tissues or cells for hypothesis-testing, non-clinical research. Among many other possible endeavors, applicants in response to this FOA could propose demonstrations of how to overcome translational deficiencies of mammalian oncology models, define new uses of mammalian models or their genetics for unexplored translational challenges, advance standard practices for use of translational models, test approaches to validate and credential models, or challenge current practices for how models are used translationally

The Secretary of Labor, through MSHA, may award grants to State, Tribal, and Territorial Governments (including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) to assist them in developing and enforcing State mining laws and regulations, improve State workers’ compensation and mining occupational disease laws and programs, and improve safety and health conditions in the nation’s mines through Federal-State coordination and cooperation.   MSHA encourages State training programs to prioritize health and safety training for new and small mining operations. MSHA also encourages grant recipients to address, in their training and education programs, contract employee safety and occupational health hazards, powered haulage and mobile equipment safety, mine emergency preparedness, mine rescue, electrical safety, training for new and inexperienced miners, managers and supervisors performing mining tasks, and falls from heights. Applicants are encouraged, where applicable, to support the President’s goals of increasing the discovery and mining of critical minerals, by developing or creating training and compliance assistance programs to assist operators extracting critical minerals, including coal. The President has declared a National Energy Emergency to discover and mine critical minerals. Executive Order (EO) 14156, Declaring a National Energy Emergency (2025). To increase the response, on March 20, 2025, the President also directed the appropriate federal agencies to take immediate actions to increase mineral production. EO 14241, Immediate Measures To Increase American Mineral Production (2025). In response, the mining industry may experience increases in the reopening of idled mines and developing new mines in the search for these critical minerals. With these increases, new and innovative programs to train new miners or retrain miners for extracting specific critical minerals are vital. The Department of Energy (DOE) published a list of critical materials for energy, Federal Register :: Notice of Final Determination on 2023 DOE Critical Materials List . On May 29, 2025, DOE added metallurgical coal used for steelmaking to the Critical Material list, 90 Federal Register 22711 (2025). The Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, in consultation with other federal agencies published the list of critical minerals, What are Critical Minerals? | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov) . Moreover, on April 8, 2025, the President amended EO 14241 and declared coal a critical mineral. EO 14261, Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending EO 14241 (2025). On January 12, 2026, the President extended the National Energy Emergency declared in EO 14156 for another year. Notice of January 12, 2026, Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Energy, 91 Federal Register 1667-68 (2026). 

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The overarching goal of this R25 program is to encourage individuals who have not had substantial biomedical research experience, or who have the potential to significantly benefit from additional biomedical research experience to pursue further studies or careers in research. To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this NOFO will support educational activities with a primary focus on: (1) Research Experiences, (2) Curriculum or Methods Development and (3) Outreach. The NCI’s mission is to conduct and support research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs concerning cancer. This funding opportunity seeks to facilitate educational activities that encourage students to become knowledgeable about cancer and available to focus on cancer later in their careers. To promote broad interest in pursuing a career in biomedical research via early intervention strategies, the NCI Youth Enjoy Science (YES) Program will support efforts to create and maintain an institutional program to engage grades 6-12 and/or undergraduate students in cutting edge cancer research experiences. The proposed institutional programs may also provide research experiences for the grade 6-12 teachers and undergraduate faculty members. The goals are to inspire interest in biomedical sciences, help envision research as a career path, and strengthen practical research and career skills. In alignment with these goals, institutions may develop unique programs that capitalize on their research strengths and are responsive to their target populations.

The U.S. Department of State's Embassy Cairo announces an open competition to identify a qualified provider organization to support the placement and administration of two English Language Fellows (ELFs) in Egypt for a 28-month program period. This program addresses a critical operational need: the successful implementation of the English Language Fellows program requires an international or local partner with expertise in human resources management, visa facilitation, financial administration, and logistical support to ensure Fellows can focus on their educational mission while receiving comprehensive administrative support throughout their assignment. The English Language Fellows program brings American English language teaching professionals to Egypt to work with local institutions, train Egyptian English teachers, develop curriculum, and strengthen English language education capacity. These Fellows serve as cultural ambassadors while providing technical expertise in modern TESOL methodologies, educational technology, and professional development. The success of this program depends on seamless administrative support that allows Fellows to maximize their impact on Egyptian educators and students. The selected provider organization will serve as the primary administrative partner responsible for: (1) recruiting, vetting, and selecting two qualified American English Language Fellows in coordination with U.S. Embassy Cairo; (2) managing all financial aspects including monthly salary disbursement, housing allowance payments, and reimbursement for approved expenses; (3) facilitating visa issuance and work permit processes in coordination with Egyptian authorities and Embassy staff; (4) providing ongoing logistical support including housing arrangements, local orientation, and problem-solving assistance; (5) ensuring compliance with U.S. government regulations, Egyptian labor laws, and program requirements; and (6) maintaining regular communication with Embassy staff and Fellows to address issues promptly and ensure program success. This program directly advances the Trump Administration's core foreign policy objectives by making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous through strategic educational partnerships. By building English language capacity in Egypt through American expertise, the program creates lasting partnerships that facilitate trade, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding—all essential components of a prosperous and secure bilateral relationship in a strategically vital region. The Fellows program represents a cost-effective model for projecting American values and expertise while building sustainable institutional capacity in partner nations. Eligible applicants include educational organizations, non-governmental organizations, human resources firms, and institutions with demonstrated experience in personnel management, visa facilitation, financial administration, and support services for international professionals. The selected organization must have the knowledge of local regulatory requirements, and capacity to provide responsive support to American professionals working in the Egyptian context. Success will be measured through: timely recruitment and placement of two qualified Fellows (both Fellows in-country and working within 60 days of program start), effective financial management (100% on-time salary and allowance payments with accurate expense reimbursement), successful visa facilitation (all required permits obtained within regulatory timeframes), responsive logistical support (housing secured, orientation provided, issues resolved within 48 hours), and overall Fellow satisfaction (90% of Fellows rating provider support as "good" or "excellent" in end-of-program evaluations). This strategic partnership will enable the English Language Fellows program to achieve maximum impact on Egypt's English language education sector while ensuring American professionals receive the administrative support necessary to succeed in their educational mission. The provider organization will serve as a critical bridge between U.S. government priorities, American Fellows' needs, and Egyptian institutional requirements.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, the Department, or we), Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA or the Agency), is providing notice of the availability of up to $250,000 in grant funds for education and training programs to help the mining community identify, avoid, and prevent unsafe and unhealthy working conditions in and around mines. The program uses grant funds to establish and implement education and training programs, to create training materials and programs, or both. Section 14 of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act) requires the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to give priority to mine safety demonstrations and pilot projects with broad applicability. The MINER Act also mandates that the Secretary emphasize programs and materials that target miners in smaller mines, including training mine operators and miners about new MSHA standards, high-risk activities, and other identified safety hazards. Applicants may be states, territories and tribal governments (including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Federally recognized tribes) and public or private nonprofit entities. Eligible entities may apply for funding independently or in partnership with other eligible organizations. For partnerships, a lead organization must be identified. Faith-based organizations are encouraged to apply, as are any eligible organizations, subject to any applicable constitutional, statutory, and regulatory protections and requirements. Those that meet the eligibility requirements may receive awards under this funding opportunity. DOL will not, in the selection of recipients and administration of the grant, discriminate on the basis of an organization’s religious character, affiliation, exercise, or lack thereof, or on the basis of conduct that would not be considered grounds to favor or disfavor a similarly situated secular organization. A faith-based organization that participates in this program will retain its independence from the Government and may continue to carry out its mission consistent with religious freedom and conscience protections in Federal law. MSHA may award up to five grants. An applicant may submit multiple applications, and MSHA will select the applications that are most advantageous in meeting the goals of this program. MSHA’s focus for these grants is effective emergency response and recovery training in various types of mine conditions. MSHA is interested in programs that focus on training miners on workplace safety, including training miners and employers about new MSHA standards, high-risk activities, or hazards identified by MSHA. Special attention will be given to programs that target miners at new, newly opened, and smaller mines, or create training and compliance assistance programs to assist new operators.

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) encourages applications for institutional research career development (K12) programs that propose to support intensive supervised research training and career development experiences for clinician scientists (Scholars) leading to research independence in the area of substance use and substance use disorder research.

Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to accelerate the adoption and validation of molecular/cellular/imaging markers (referred to as "markers" or "biomarkers") and assays for cancer detection, diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, and prediction of response or resistance to treatment, as well as markers for cancer prevention and control. This NOFO will also support the validation of pharmacodynamic markers and markers of toxicity. Applicants to this NOFO must have an assay(s) whose performance has been analytically validated in specimens similar to those for the intended clinical use of the marker(s) and assay(s). As chemotherapies and/or radiation therapies are increasingly combined with immunotherapies to enhance the durability of anti-cancer responses, assays for measuring multiple markers, including immune markers, can be developed and validated simultaneously. The UH3 mechanism will support the clinical validation of established assays for up to 3 years using specimens from retrospective or prospective clinical trials or studies. This NOFO may be used to validate existing assays for use in other trials, observational studies, or population studies. Efforts to harmonize clinical laboratory tests, including investigation into the performance and reproducibility of assays across multiple clinical laboratories, are also appropriate for this funding opportunity. Projects proposed for this NOFO will require multi-disciplinary interaction and collaboration among scientific investigators, oncologists, statisticians, and clinical laboratory scientists. This NOFO is not intended to support early-stage development of technology or the conduct of clinical trials but is intended for validation of assays to the point where they could be integrated into clinical trials/studies as investigational assays.

The U.S. Department of State's Embassy Cairo announces an open competition to implement a teacher training program serving up to 200 Egyptian university English language teaching assistants, lecturers, and English instructors from across Egypt. This program advances U.S. strategic interests by promoting American culture, strengthening the U.S.-Egypt partnership, and projecting American influence through English language education. Participants will build professional knowledge and skills, enhance English language proficiency, develop a deeper understanding of American culture and values, and acquire the most current English language teaching methodologies — including the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in English language instruction. The program will also foster practical life skills and professional development. The program includes a one-week intensive course on practical applications and best practices of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Course content will include: ·        Critical and analytical thinking skills for the professional classroom ·        Effective classroom management techniques ·        Inclusive instructional strategies to support all learners ·        AI integration in English language teaching ·        21st century professional skills for educators

Malaysia-wide outreach with physical advising centers in the Klang Valley, Penang, and East Malaysia. The Public Diplomacy Section at the United States Embassy in Malaysia announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to promote U.S. higher education opportunities for Malaysian students at the graduate and undergraduate levels. This project includes maintaining physical presences of at least three EducationUSA advising centers manned by trained EducationUSA advisors that will serve as the primary resource for accurate, comprehensive, and current information about studying in the United States. Programmatic requirements will include education fairs, presentations at secondary schools and universities, and other programs in cooperation with the U.S. Embassy. Freedom250: All successful Education USA Malaysia 2026 proposals must clearly celebrate and promote the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America (Freedom250) and align with: making America safer, strengthening our nation, expanding our prosperity, and defending freedom of speech. Proposed projects should be completed in 3 years or less .

Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) along with other participating Institutes encourages submission of applications proposing to conduct secondary data analysis and integration of existing datasets and database resources, with the ultimate aim to elucidate cancer risk and related outcomes (e.g., risk prediction or reduction, survival, or response to treatment, etc.). The goal of this initiative is to address key scientific questions relevant to cancer by supporting the analysis of existing clinical, environmental, surveillance, health services, vital statistics, behavioral, lifestyle, genomic, and molecular profiles data. Applicants are encouraged to leverage and perform innovative analyses of the existing data. Applications may include new research aims that are being addressed with existing data, new or advanced methods of analyses, or novel combinations and integration of datasets that allow the exploration of important scientific questions in cancer research.