USGS Earthquake Hazards Program External Research Support Announcement for Fiscal Year 2027

The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program (EHP) issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for assistance to support research in earthquake hazards, the physics of earthquakes, earthquake occurrence, and earthquake safety policy. This activity is authorized by the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-124, 42 U.S.C. 7701 et. seq.), and as amended by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-307).It is estimated that a total of $4 million will be awarded in support of competitive research grants in FY2027, with a maximum total of $7 million. Based on awards in recent years, approximately 50 to 70 new awards are funded each fiscal year. There is no maximum award amount (i.e., any amount may be proposed if it can be justified appropriately), however, the majority of grants range between $30,000 and $120,000. This estimate does not bind the USGS to a specified number of awards or to the amount of any award unless that amount is specified by statute or regulation. This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) competitive grants solicitation supports external research partnerships that are essential to the Earthquake Hazards Program (EHP) mission. The goal is to generate scientific information and situational awareness products that help the program reduce deaths, injuries, and economic losses from earthquakes, and improve public safety and resilience nationwide. External grants with university, state, regional and local government agencies, and private industry partners support science that cannot be conducted within the USGS because of a lack of sufficient in-house expertise. Grants.gov Subscription: Principal Investigators (PIs) are urged to sign up for Grants.gov’s subscription service to receive notices about the Earthquake Hazards Program grant funding opportunities and possible updates during the application period. Sign up is through the Grants.gov website; our CFDA number is 15.807.Anticipated Award Date: January 01, 2027All projects must propose start dates between January 1, 2027 and September 1, 2027. The start date requested in the applicant’s submitted proposal is considered the applicant's official start date and may not be changed by the applicant. If funding delays do not allow for a project to be funded by the applicant's requested start date, the award will be issued as soon as funds become available, and the applicant will be notified of the new start date by the USGS Contracting Officer. During the application period an applicant may submit a revised or corrected proposal through grants.gov. Include a cover letter as the first page of the proposal stating that the proposal is revised and indicating that the previous submission is to be withdrawn from consideration. Such submissions must be completed by June 4, 2026, at 6:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time. The Project Narrative instructions, found in the "Prepare Your Application" Section of this NOFO, describes requirements for the proposal and other application components. Please allow sufficient time for the proposal to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov and allow time for possible computer delays. Applicants are strongly advised not to wait until the last minute for submission. A proposal received after the closing date and time will NOT be considered for award. If the USGS determines that a proposal will not be considered for award due to lateness, the applicant will be notified immediately. Program Website Link:https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/science/external-grants