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RESEARCH NOTES
Essential updates and opportunities for the Brown research community
AUGUST 2026
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
New research shows nearly half of U.S. pre-K-12 schools are near environmental hazard sites
A study by Brown University researchers found that 44% of pre-K-12 schools in the U.S. are within a mile of a known environmental hazard site, a distance at which negative exposure effects are well documented.
Read the story.
MESSAGE FROM THE VPR
Greetings,
As we continue to navigate the evolving federal research funding landscape, I want to draw your attention to the Division of Research’s Federal Updates page. Initially introduced in January 2025, we revamped the page to focus on current communications and guidance. All previous items remain accessible in the Archived Communications section, with the main page dedicated to communications from June 2026 onward.
Proposed changes to the Uniform Guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) continue to develop. Please visit the Federal Updates page regularly for the latest communications from Brown leadership. Any questions regarding federal directives pertaining to research can be directed to federalupdates@brown.edu.
On campus, I am delighted to share our 2026 Internal Funding Awardees. You can learn about the innovative work being done by the recipients of the 2026 Division of Research Seed Program and the Richard B. Salomon Faculty Research Awards on our website. Along with our recently announced Research Achievement Award recipients, all winners will be recognized next month at our Celebration of Research on September 15.
I hope you are able to enjoy these final weeks of summer and return to campus rested and reinvigorated for the semester ahead.
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Cheers,
Greg Hirth
Vice President for Research
DIVISION OF RESEARCH TEAMS
BROWN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS
Brown startup Red Maple LifeSciences to pitch at NEMIC + MedDevice Boston
Brown startup Red Maple LifeSciences (Anita Shukla/Alec McCall) will pitch at MedDevice Boston 2026 on August 26. Use Code "NEMIC2026" at checkout to gain free floor access to attend the event and walk the showroom floor. Register today!
Vote for Brown's Innovation of the Year 2026
Help choose BTI’s Innovation of the Year: the Top 10 finalists are now open to public voting through September 24 at 11:59 p.m. The Top 3 vote-getters will pitch live at the Innovation@Brown Showcase on October 15, and the audience will vote to select the winner.
RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION SYSTEMS
InfoEd Lab Animal eForm not populating?
The eForm fails to populate for two reasons: browser cache needs clearing for "all time," or the form requires additional load time. Keeping the tab or browser open in the background for a short while usually prevents this loading issue.
Want to update your email address within Huron to your preferred email?
Updates require specific channels based on affiliation: Brown employees and affiliates must contact Workday and HR directly. Conversely, staff affiliated with Brown University Health or Care New England need to submit a Brown (BIRCH) Support ticket.
Updating assignments for an Individual Record in Huron versus a Mass Update (Funding Proposals and Awards)
You can update administrative assignments for individual records via a self-serve activity, or submit a standard OIT Service Center ticket to RAIS requesting mass updates to certain administrative assignments on multiple records. Learn more about updating assignments.
RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Stay connected & share your news on LinkedIn!
See the latest Brown discoveries, funding opportunities, and community highlights on our feed! Plus, we want to celebrate your success—submit your research news or tag us to be featured.
SPONSORED PROJECTS
Subrecipient invoice review and RCT submission
As a best practice, subrecipient invoices should be reviewed by Principal Investigators and submitted as an RCT against the Supplier Contract in Workday within 2 weeks of receiving the invoice from the subrecipient entity. Please contact Research Subcontracting with specific questions about a subrecipient invoice.
Fringe Benefit Rates FY27 and beyond
Brown's Indirect Cost Rate Agreement has not been updated with the new FY27 Fringe Benefit rates. If a sponsor is requesting a copy of Brown's current Indirect and Fringe Rates be sure to include two documents: the University Rate Agreement and the FY27 Revised Fringe Benefit Rates. Contact resadmin@brown.edu with any questions.
Federal "Freedom of Information Act" (FOIA) requests
Federal Agency Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests related to a submitted proposal or funded award are received several times per year at Brown. If you receive such a request, please coordinate with our office before responding. Contact resadmin@brown.edu for assistance.
NIH
Updates to NIH Fellowship, Training, and Career Development applications
If you’re planning to apply for an NIH fellowship (F), career development award (K), or training grant (T), staying informed about recent NIH efforts to centralize peer review can help you understand how your application may be assigned and reviewed. View the recent updates.
NIH is replacing Letters of Support
July 27, 2026—In FY27, the NIH will no longer allow letters of support (NOT-OD-26-094) but will instead require letters of collaboration to document any collaborative relationships with individuals that are not identified in the application as senior/key personnel or other significant contributors.
NIH to simplify reporting of peer review scores
August 12, 2026—Under proposed changes (NOT-OD-26-088), NIH plans to report review outcomes as "Most competitive," "Competitive," or "Not discussed" rather than releasing numerical impact scores or percentiles. Submit comments on the Request for Information page by October 13, 2026.
NIH seeks feedback on proposed clinical trial funding models for mentored K awardees
August 14, 2026—Under a revised policy (NOT-OD-26-095), NIH will no longer allow K awards to cover clinical trial costs and will require mentored awardees to secure separate funding to lead trials. NIH is requesting input on two potential trial funding models. Submit comments on the Request for Information page by September 30, 2026.
NSF
NSF requests public comment on proposed Guidance on Financial Assistance (GFA)
June 24, 2026—The National Science Foundation published a Federal Register notice requesting public comment on draft Guidance on Financial Assistance (GFA), which will restructure and replace the current Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Stakeholders can review details and submit public comments through August 24, 2026.
DOR QUICK LINKS
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