FAA Aviation Research Grants Program 2026: Stage 1 – Program Overview & Eligibility

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Research Grants Program is a cornerstone initiative designed to foster innovation and address long-term challenges in the national airspace system. For the 2026 cycle, the FAA has allocated $6 million to fund high-quality research proposals from qualified entities. This first stage is crucial for potential applicants to thoroughly understand the program’s intent and confirm their eligibility before proceeding to the application development phase.

Core Research Areas

The 2026 program seeks proposals aligned with the FAA’s strategic research goals. Priority areas include, but are not limited to:

• Aviation Safety: Human factors, accident prevention, advanced materials, and system reliability.
• Air Traffic Management & Automation: Next-generation procedures, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) integration, and decision-support tools.
• Environmental Sustainability: Noise reduction, alternative fuels, and emissions mitigation technologies.
• Airport Technology & Infrastructure: Resilient design, pavement research, and efficient ground operations.
• Cybersecurity: Protecting aviation information and communication systems.

Stage 1: Eligibility Criteria

Determining eligibility is the mandatory first step. The following entities are eligible to apply as primary applicants:

• Accredited U.S. Institutions of Higher Education: Public and private universities and colleges.
• Non-Profit Research Organizations: 501(c)(3) organizations with a demonstrated research capability in aviation or related STEM fields.
• U.S.-Based Tribal, State, and Local Government Entities with relevant research missions.
• For-profit organizations are typically not eligible as primary applicants but may participate as sub-awardees or contractors under an eligible lead organization.

Principal Investigators (PIs) must have the qualifications and authority to direct the proposed research project. All applicants must have a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

What’s Next?

After confirming eligibility in Stage 1, prospective applicants should prepare for Stage 2: Application Process & Requirements, which will detail the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) release, proposal content, submission guidelines, and review criteria. Key dates for the 2026 cycle will be announced with the NOFO.

This information is a preliminary overview. All applicants must refer to the official FAA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the 2026 cycle for complete, authoritative guidelines and requirements upon its release.

Who Is Eligible?

• Accredited U.S. institutions of higher education (colleges and universities).
• U.S.-based non-profit research organizations.
• U.S. Federal, State, local, and tribal government entities.
• For-profit organizations, provided they partner with an eligible academic institution.
• Individual researchers and principal investigators must be affiliated with an eligible institution.
• Foreign entities may participate only as sub-awardees or consortium members under a prime U.S. recipient.