Solar, Heliospheric, and Interplanetary Environment Program

The Solar, Heliospheric, and INterplanetary Environment (SHINE) grant program, offered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), supports research initiatives that enhance scientific understanding of solar disturbances and their propagation through the heliosphere to the Earth. As part of the NSF’s broader efforts in geosciences under Assistance Listing 47.050, this opportunity is geared toward developing predictive capabilities for solar-terrestrial interactions. The SHINE initiative is informed by community-driven workshops and research priorities set by the SHINE organization—a grass-roots association of researchers dedicated to solar and heliospheric physics. These collaborative workshops shape the scientific direction of the funding program and ensure relevance to the community's evolving research questions. The program encourages proposals that are directly linked to the scientific topics discussed during SHINE workshops. These topics typically involve solar activity, such as coronal mass ejections and solar flares, and their interactions with planetary magnetospheres, as well as fundamental processes in space plasma physics. The goal is to improve predictive models and advance theoretical, observational, and modeling studies of the interconnected system comprising the Sun and the space environment through which solar disturbances travel. Applicants are encouraged to consult the SHINE website (http://www.shinecon.org) for up-to-date information on relevant community priorities and past workshop themes. Funding is delivered through discretionary grants, with an expected total program funding of $1.2 million. The floor for individual awards is $120,000, with no maximum ceiling provided in the announcement, indicating potential variability depending on the scope and merit of proposals. The NSF anticipates awarding approximately 12 grants under this opportunity. There are no cost sharing or matching requirements, and eligibility is broad—classified as “Unrestricted”—meaning any type of applicant entity may apply, subject to additional clarifications in the full program description. Applications were accepted up to the specified closing date, but this opportunity has now been archived. It was officially posted on June 6, 2025, and closed shortly thereafter, with the archive date listed as June 7, 2025. While the application window has passed, the recurring nature of SHINE-aligned opportunities suggests future calls for proposals may follow similar timelines. Given the reference to SHINE workshops and the community-based research cycle, it is likely that future announcements will align with workshop schedules, generally on an annual basis. Proposals were required to align directly with research themes discussed at recent SHINE workshops, and the evaluation process likely emphasized scientific merit, community relevance, and potential contributions to understanding heliophysical processes. Applicants experiencing difficulties in accessing program documents were directed to contact the NSF Grants.gov support team at [email protected]. The SHINE program remains an integral component of the NSF’s geosciences portfolio and supports critical advancements in heliospheric and space weather research.

Proposals are evaluated on Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts; ensure clear objectives, strong methodology, and inclusive participation.