The National Science Foundation (NSF) is offering funding through the Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) program, which supports projects that examine, promote, and improve responsible and ethical research practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The program encourages proposals that focus on responsible and ethical research across different career stages, including students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and practitioners. Projects may explore interventions that foster ethical research, assess challenges that hinder ethical practices, and analyze factors influencing ethical research cultures within teams, organizations, or communities.

The ER2 program is designed to promote a research culture that values integrity, responsibility, and ethical conduct in STEM disciplines. The program funds projects that develop strategies to ensure research practices align with ethical standards and that address organizational challenges impacting research integrity. Proposals that include collaborations with EPSCoR-eligible institutions, minority-serving institutions, women's colleges, and institutions serving persons with disabilities are encouraged. Additionally, international collaborations are welcomed when they provide unique resources or expertise beneficial to the project.

Funding is available for four types of projects: Conference Projects (up to $50,000 for one year), Incubation Projects (up to $100,000 for one year), Standard Research Projects (up to $400,000 for three years), and Partnership for Transformational Research (PTR) Projects (up to $700,000 for four years). PTR projects require a Project Management Plan outlining governance and coordination among partnering organizations. NSF anticipates funding between 10 and 15 projects with a total program budget of $5.4 million, subject to availability.

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education (IHEs) and non-profit, non-academic organizations such as museums, observatories, research labs, and professional societies directly involved in research and education. There are no restrictions on the number of proposals an institution can submit, but individual researchers may only be listed as a Principal Investigator (PI), co-PI, or senior/key personnel on a maximum of two proposals.

Proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov following NSF's Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). The full proposal deadline is January 22, 2026, and will recur annually on the fourth Thursday of January. All proposals will be evaluated based on intellectual merit and broader impacts, considering how they advance responsible research and contribute to STEM integrity.

Applicants are required to outline how their projects will disseminate findings and contribute to ethical research resources, such as the Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science (OEC). Additionally, awardees must budget for participation in biennial ER2 Principal Investigator meetings. The program does not support projects focusing primarily on medical education or medical research. Further details regarding eligibility, submission guidelines, and review criteria can be found on the NSF program website.