University Of Northern Colorado

University Of Northern Colorado, a state-controlled institution of higher education and Hispanic-serving institution headquartered in Greeley, Colorado, acts as a federal grant recipient and prime contractor delivering education, STEM research, workforce development, and historic preservation services to 54 distinct federal agencies. The institution does not hold government-wide contract vehicles and competes predominately under full-and-open solicitations rather than set-aside categories.

NSF and the Department of Education offices of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and Postsecondary Education anchor the award portfolio by count — 42, 22, and 18 awards respectively — though the Department of the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Air Force Air Education and Training Command, and Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration command the highest potential values. The top five customers by award count represent 46% of all awards; the top five by potential value cover 38%. Recent activity has grown from five awards in 2022 to twenty in 2024, with a current trajectory moderation to five awards in 2025 and three through mid-2026. Twelve awards face ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, creating recompete exposure.

Federal contract work centers on military tuition benefits and student fees. The Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and Air Force Air Education and Training Command direct task orders under the Indefinite Delivery Contract F0160089D0024 (15 task orders, $116 thousand combined potential value) and Basic Ordering Agreement N0018919GZ008 (8 task orders, $117 thousand combined potential value), funding tuition and fee reimbursement for active-duty and military health professions personnel. A single named contract award shows a March 2022 Navy delivery order for tuition and fees ($82,194.99 ceiling, completion June 2022).

Federal grant work dominates the footprint and spans STEM education, research, workforce development, and historic preservation. NSF funding supports multiple STEM education initiatives: a $1.928 million five-year Scholarships in STEM project (CFDA 47.076, February 2026–January 2032) providing scholarships and mentoring for low-income undergraduates in biological sciences, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, computer science, mathematics, and statistics; a $413,920 National Eye Institute grant (CFDA 93.867, August 2024–July 2027) for biophysical modeling of eye morphogenesis with undergraduate researcher engagement; a $299,768 NSF STEM Education award (October 2023) developing an "Acceptance of Climate Change Scale" survey instrument for undergraduate science students; and a $172,921 collaborative grant (July 2022–June 2025) exploring how molecular representations affect organic chemistry problem-solving, with faculty dissemination workshops. NSF's Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) awarded $399,996 in October 2023 for the EMERGE consortium with Kettering University, University of the Incarnate Word, and Western Carolina University to build research integration capacity in emerging technologies for underrepresented and marginalized communities.

The Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services funds vocational rehabilitation and interpreter training. A $227,521 Rehabilitation Long-Term Training program grant (CFDA 84.129, October 2025–September 2026) supports long-term training in vocational rehabilitation with mandatory 65% scholarship allocation to RSA scholars. Additional OSERS grants fund interpreter training programs including "Preparing Qualified Interpreters as Educational Team Members" and "Increasing Rural Interpreter Skills" (both October 2021 start dates, running through 2025–2026).

The Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education awards fund Student Support Services, the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Research Program, and enhanced school psychology training for rural and linguistically diverse populations. SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services awarded the HEART Initiative grant (September 2024–September 2027) addressing mental health and suicide prevention on campus and in the local community, with emphasis on support for rural, first-generation, LGBTQAI+, and marginalized at-risk students.

The National Park Service awarded three Historic Preservation Fund Grants-In-Aid under the African American Civil Rights competitive program totaling $1.446 million for rehabilitation of the O.T. Jackson House interior (July 2025–April 2029, $702,803) and the Dearfield Townsite (June 2024–May 2027, $743,224). The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management funds conservation genetic research on rare and endangered plants across Colorado and New Mexico, including studies of taxonmic accuracy and population genetics to inform management decisions, with awards for Colorado plant conservation and restoration studies (CFDA-equivalent cooperative agreement, September 2021–September 2026) and Northwestern New Mexico Sclerocactus conservation (September 2021–June 2025).

NIDDK funded research on cannabinoid therapeutics for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease ($377,986, August 2024–July 2027, CFDA 93.847). The National Eye Institute and National Park Service also awarded cooperative agreements for biophysical research and forest change assessment in Rocky Mountain National Park and Denali National Park.

In its subcontractor role, UNC serves as sub-recipient on NSF and other federal grants managed through Colorado State University, the University of Colorado regents, Indiana University, the International Research and Exchanges Board, and the Planetary Science Institute, contributing chemistry research on photoredox catalysis, mixed-methods analysis, augmented-reality human-machine interface development, and Martian lava flow morphology analysis. The university also holds subawards from state and local agencies including the Colorado Department of Public Safety and the Colorado Office of Economic Development, supporting community corrections decision-making evaluation and small business counseling.

The institution's federal award posture reflects its mission as a teaching-focused university and Hispanic-serving institution: the portfolio emphasizes direct service delivery (tuition benefits, scholarships, student support) and applied research with undergraduate engagement across STEM education, social sciences, and preservation work, with minimal exposure to large-scale defense or classified programs.