A Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is the official document federal agencies use to announce the availability of grant funding opportunities to the public. FOAs may also be referred to as program announcements, requests for applications (RFAs), or notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs). These announcements provide comprehensive guidance on federal grant programs, including funding priorities, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, award details, and reporting expectations. FOAs also outline the instructions and criteria applicants must follow to successfully submit a proposal. By federal regulation, all FOAs are required to include key information such as:

• Program purpose, objectives, and performance measurements
• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number associated with the grant program
• Type of funding award (e.g., discretionary grant or cooperative agreement)
• Application submission deadlines
• Funding opportunity number
• Reporting and compliance requirements
• Full announcement details and award information
• Application instructions and submission guidelines

Depending on the nature of the funding opportunity, FOAs may also include additional requirements or supporting sections such as management plans, postdoctoral mentoring plans, multi-principal investigator (multi-PI) leadership plans, and protections related to human subjects research.