The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) has announced the Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2025 funding opportunity, specifically the D.3 Astrophysics Research and Analysis (APRA) program. This grant opportunity supports a wide range of basic and applied research in astrophysics, focusing on investigations that contribute to NASA's astrophysics objectives. The solicitation is part of NASA’s annual omnibus Research Announcement (NRA) and provides funding for various program elements within astrophysics and space sciences.

The APRA program funds research that advances understanding in astrophysics through observations, data analysis, technology development, and laboratory astrophysics. Awards made under this solicitation may take the form of grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts, although most awards will be grants. The period of performance for an award is typically three years, but in some cases, projects may be allowed up to five years, while others may specify shorter durations. The funding is meant to support a broad range of activities, from theoretical modeling to experimental research.

Eligibility for this grant requires that proposers be affiliated with an institution listed in NASA's NSPIRES system. In general, NASA provides funding only to U.S. institutions, although international institutions may participate under a policy of no-exchange-of-funds agreements. Some specific NASA Research Announcements (NRAs) may include joint sponsorship with non-U.S. organizations, particularly in cases of international space science programs. Further details on eligibility requirements and restrictions for non-U.S. organizations can be found in the NASA Proposer’s Guide.

This program has a mandatory Notice of Intent (NOI) deadline of December 12, 2025, which must be submitted via NSPIRES. Full proposals are due by January 29, 2026. Applicants must download the application package and retrieve the necessary forms from the provided NASA solicitation links. The full instructions and guidelines, including proposal structure and submission requirements, are detailed in the ROSES-2025 solicitation document.

For additional details and any specific programmatic inquiries, applicants should refer to NASA’s online solicitation portal, NSPIRES. Questions about the ROSES-2025 funding opportunity may be directed to the Office of the SMD Deputy Associate Administrator for Research at sara@nasa.gov. Specific questions about the APRA program should be addressed to David C. Morris, Astrophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters. He can be contacted at (202) 718-9061 or via email at David.C.Morris@nasa.gov.

To stay informed on amendments, clarifications, and deadlines, proposers may subscribe to NASA’s SMD mailing lists or follow the ROSES-2025 blog and due date calendars available on NASA’s website.