California Air Resources Board

Introduction

This website contains information needed to apply for CARB’s Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Research Project Solicitation. This includes information on:

• Background information on the selection process.
• Solicitation details, including relevant dates and details on individual projects.
• Registration link for the public meeting on the solicitation. A recording of the meeting will be posted on this website after the meeting.
• Additional resources for prospective applicants, including a frequently asked questions document.

How can you get in contact with us if you have further questions?

• To receive an email notification on solicitation updates and all other research planning activities, sign up for the Research Activities listserv here: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CARB/subscriber/new.

• You may also email us directly at research@arb.ca.gov.

Background

The California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) has identified its fiscal year 2026-2027 research project priorities. The proposed projects support CARB’s regulatory priorities related to health, air quality, climate, mobile sources, and sustainable transportation, housing, and communities.

The selection of these projects was guided by the research initiatives outlined in the Five-Year Strategic Research Plan (Five-Year Plan) and in coordination with other agencies, research institutions, the public, and experts in these fields. The selection of these projects was also informed by the research priority survey made public on May 8, 2025, and was discussed during a public meeting on May 28, 2025. The research priority list and details of that engagement can be found on the Research Comment Portal.

Solicitation Details

Who can apply?

In order to be eligible to apply for this solicitation, the principal investigator must be associated with the University of California or California State University (UC/CSU). UC/CSU researchers can partner with members of other public and private institutions, such as other universities, non-profit organizations, community-based organizations, or private research institutes to submit a multidisciplinary pre-proposal. There are limitations to funding amounts for partners. In addition, members of CARB advisory groups may not be signatories to the contract, be listed as completing tasks in the scope of work, or communicate with CARB regarding CARB’s decision on the proposed contracts. If an active CARB advisory group member makes a prohibited appearance or communication subject to Government Code section 87104 as described above, the application will not be eligible for an award. More information is available in the Frequently Asked Questions document.

Relevant Dates and Process Description

Proposed research priorities were presented at a public meeting on May 28, 2025, and then reviewed by the CARB Executive Office in August 2025. A pre-proposal solicitation is released once these concepts are developed into full proposals. Additional projects may be released for solicitation later in the fiscal year, and any active solicitations are posted on this page. In addition, some projects are released as Request for Proposal (RFP) and posted on the California E-Procure site (use department 3900 to find CARB RFPs). Once pre-proposals are seleceted for each project, the research team will be directed to develop a complete proposal. These proposals will then be reviewed by the Research Screening Committee (RSC). The proposal will be submitted for contract preparation and execution considering recommendations from the RSC. Projects kick-off after contract execution. Results are typically anticipated in two to three years after the kickoff. For additional information on the research planning process, go to the research planning “about” page.

Resources available for prospective applicants

This page contains a pre-proposal template and a frequently asked questions document on CARB’s solicitation and contracting processes. Please see the documents linked at the bottom of this page and the Frequently Asked Questions document.

Each year, CARB hosts the solicitation on the Empower Innovation website to foster the development of partnerships between university researchers and new research partners. Prospective researchers are encouraged to create a profile on Empower Innovation to find partners.

Virtual Public Meetings on CARB’s Research Pre-Proposal Solicitation

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) hosts virtual public meetings to help interested parties learn more about the solicitation process. CARB staff provide details on projects and expectations for submitted pre-proposals. Please see the documents linked at the bottom of this page.

Solicitation Meeting Details

Date: Wednesday March 4, 3:30-5 PM

Virtual meeting (Zoom): Zoom Registration

The slides presented at the meeting will be available at the bottom of this page.

Current Solicitation Details

Relevant dates

1. Letters of interest are requested and can be submitted by email to research@arb.ca.gov before 5pm on Monday, March 16, 2026.
2. Pre-proposals must be submitted by email to research@arb.ca.gov before 5 pm, Friday, April 17, 2026.
3. All pre-proposal submitters will be notified of the status of their submission on May 11, 2026.
4. For selected pre-proposals only, full proposals and detailed budgets will be due on May 29, 2026.

Application Process

If your research team is interested in conducting projects currently in active solicitation, please submit a letter of interest to research@arb.ca.gov by Monday, March 16, 2026. The letter of interest can consist of a brief email including the contact information of the prospective principal investigator (name, email, UC/CSU affiliation) and the title of the project you intend to apply for. No further details are required.

Full pre-proposals must be submitted to research@arb.ca.gov by 5 p.m. on April 17, 2026.

Responses to this solicitation should follow the pre-proposal template attached to this page. The main elements of the pre-proposal shall include the following:

• A pre-proposal that does not exceed five pages and discusses your proposed approach for conducting the research project.
• A curriculum vitae or statement of qualifications for all major scientists, community members, and/or non-academic researchers who would be involved in the study (does not count toward the 5-page limit of the pre-proposal).
• A brief description of research that has been conducted or is currently underway by the applicant in areas related to this topic (it is preferable that this includes funding source and amount of research funds; does not count toward the 5-page limit of the pre-proposal).
• For projects that include an equity component and/or community engagement, it is required that research teams provide a cultural competency/humility statement not to exceed two pages in length (does not count toward the 5-page limit of the pre-proposal).
• A preliminary budget using the Budget Form found in the template (does not count toward 5-page limit of pre-proposal).

Please reference the Scope of Work and Scoring Criteria information provided below for each project to get the full details on all pre-proposal requirements and project deliverables.

 List of Projects with Pre-Proposal Solicitation

Below is a list of the individual projects in active solicitation with a link to the paragraph description on the Empower Innovation site and a link to the individual project page where prospective researchers can find a detailed description of the project, or Scope of Work, and the Scoring Criteria, which is the basis upon which CARB staff will rank pre-proposals.

Currently Active

Pre-Proposals due April 17, 2026.

Investigating Long-Term Continuous Soil Nitrogenous Emission Rates Using Ambient Measurements

• Description
  • This study aims to improve our understanding of nitrogenous emissions from soils (NOx is required) in California’s San Joaquin Valley (SJV), a region facing significant air quality and public health challenges. A Subject Matter Expert Review Panel (SMERP) on nitrogenous emissions from soils convened in 2024 and identified data and knowledge gaps that limit the development of more accurate soil-based nitrogen emission estimates. This project will collect long-term continuous data from agricultural fields under various nutrient management scenarios. The project results will inform emission inventories and biogeochemical models to better assess the role of soils in addressing air pollution challenges in the SJV.
  • Empower Innovation Listing
• Scope of Work and Scoring Criteria
• Maximum award amount: $1,300,000