The University of California has opened applications for the 2027 Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives (MRPI) Pilot Awards. The initiative aims to foster new, high-impact research collaborations that involve multiple campuses within the UC system.
Eligibility is limited to UC Principal Investigators, with a requirement that proposals include collaboration among at least three UC campuses. The program also allows participation from UC-affiliated national laboratories, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), and UC Law San Francisco.
The MRPI funding is guided by three principles: enhancing the university’s systemwide research capacity through shared resources; advancing multicampus, multidisciplinary collaboration; and creating meaningful impact for both the university and California communities. According to program guidelines, “Enhance UC’s systemwide research capacity by leveraging shared resources and infrastructure. Advance multicampus, multidisciplinary collaboration to achieve outcomes not possible at a single campus or discipline. Create meaningful impact for UC and for California’s communities, environment, and economy.”
Priority will be given to projects that use seed funding to position teams for future external support, address underfunded areas relative to their importance on a state or national level, or pursue innovative interdisciplinary research in emerging fields. Proposals must include graduate student training and engagement across different career stages as well as a plan for sustaining research after the award period ends.
Key dates include a letter of intent deadline of March 19, 2026. Full applications are due August 6, 2026 by invitation only. Projects may last one or two years with budgets up to $250,000 per year. Each investigator can participate in only one proposal.
Applicants are encouraged to review the full request for proposals on the UC Research Initiatives website for further details about requirements and updates.
In addition, the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), together with the Efficient Fertilizer Consortium, has released a Request for Applications focused on enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEF). The aim is to support field trials that evaluate EEF products’ performance in increasing crop nutrient use efficiency while reducing nutrient losses.
Projects should investigate topics such as combining EEFs with management practices like tillage or cover crops; assessing nutrient carryover effects from EEFs; identifying effective EEFs based on climate or cropping systems; analyzing tradeoffs between agronomic productivity and environmental impacts; and examining how EEFs influence soil microbial communities.
Awards may be up to $500,000 each. Matching funds are encouraged but not required. Pre-applications are due March 18, 2026 at 5 p.m. EST; invited full proposals must be submitted by April 15, 2026.
More information about this opportunity can be found on the FFAR Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers website.
