This section includes general information regarding grant funding and budget submissions. Budgets are required after the selection of successful science proposals. Detailed information will be provided in the STScI Budget Proposer Guide and the current STScI General Grant Provisions (GGP).

STScI Grants Administration (GRA) will send Budget Notification Letters after program selections have been announced and NASA has provided authorization of funding to STScI.  The letters will be sent to U.S. Program Administrative PIs, their Institution Contacts, and Co-investigators with a U.S. institution listed as their primary institution in MyST.

Contact GRA with questions concerning funding policies, eligibility, budget submissions, or allowable costs.

Phone: (410) 338-4200
Email: gms_mail@stsci.edu

Budget proposal deadline

Mid-April 2026 for planning purposes. The specific deadline for Cycle 5 will be stated in the Budget Notification Letter.

Budget proposals are submitted via the Space Telescope Grants Management System (STGMS): https://stgms.stsci.edu. Contact the Sponsored Research Office at your institution if you need an STGMS account. Be sure to allow sufficient time to meet all internal deadlines at your institution.

Eligibility for STScI grant funds

Important: STScI grant funding is available only to U.S. investigators. Carefully review the GGP, Section 3, Eligibility for STScI Grant Funding, for specific eligibility requirements. Contact GRA with questions regarding requirements or to determine if a person is eligible to request STScI grant funding.

Guidance for budget proposal preparation

Reference the STScI Budget Proposer Guide for budget preparation guidance. As in past cycles, STScI Grants Administration will hold a webinar shortly after budget notifications are released to provide information and answer questions about the Cycle 5 budget process.

Budget proposal reviews

All budget proposals will be reviewed to ensure compliance with applicable STScI grant policies and federal regulations (see the section STScI Authority below). Specifically, all proposed costs must be: allowable, aligned with the science goals described in the original proposal, reasonable, and clearly detailed and justified in both the cost proposal and budget narrative. Detailed information about the evaluation process will be provided in the STScI Budget Proposer Guide.

STScI review of risk posed by applicants

STScI has an obligation to ensure that grantees meet the requirements related to the award of federal funds. See GGP, Section 7 for criteria considered in STScI’s evaluation of risk posed by applicants. STScI has the authority to deny issuing a grant award to any institution failing to meet such requirements.

Availability of funds

All grant awards and incremental funding are contingent upon the availability of funds from NASA.

In the event that program allocations exceed the level of funding authorized by NASA, budget reductions will be required.

Grant awards

STScI grants will be awarded in accordance with the GGP and the terms and conditions of the specific award. The terms of this Call for Proposals are incorporated into, and considered part of, the GGP.

STScI authority

Allowable costs for all budgets, awards, and expenditures will be determined in accordance with the GGP, this Call for Proposals, and all applicable institutional, NASA, and federal guidelines, policies, and regulations, including but not limited to 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. STScI has the final authority to determine if costs for budgets, awards, and expenditures are allowable, reasonable, allocable, and necessary. STScI reserves the right to recover grant expenditures that were not compliant with applicable policies and regulations.

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