External Funding Opportunities
***Limited Submission***
(Repost from last week, now with limited submission info)
Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR)
Program: Innovator Award
Synopsis: Supports early-career scientists whose research addresses significant food and agriculture challenges. These awards enable the grantees to focus exclusively on research without the pressure of securing additional funding. Eligible candidates must also conduct research that aligns with FFAR research priority areas (1) cultivating thriving through production systems; (2) sustaining vibrant agroecosystems; (3) and bolstering healthy food systems. Eligible candidates include faculty members in a tenure-track position no longer than three years, and who are within eight years of receiving their PhD. Individuals with significant research experience prior to obtaining their faculty position will not be considered for this award. Significant research experience is defined as an individual who has been awarded a substantial research grant (three to five years of support) or has received project funding totaling over $1M within the time of their tenure position, or similar career development awards with similar budgetary scopes.
Award details: Up to $150K per year for up to 3 years.
USC Internal announcement: https://rii.usc.edu/limited-submissions/ffar/
Announcement on website: https://foundationfar.org/grants-funding/opportunities/new-innovators-request-for-applications/
USC internal due date: February 7, 2025.
Nominations due date: February 19, 2025.
Full proposal due date: February 26, 2025.
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***Limited Submission***
(Repost from last week, now with limited submission info)
Department of Energy (DoE) / Office of Science (SC) / Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR)
Program: EXPRESS: 2025 Exploratory Research for Extreme-Scale
NOFO #: DE-FOA-0003545
Synopsis: Supports research on the following topics, broadly, with details in the NOFO.
- Quantum computation based on topological concepts
- Local and Campus-Area Quantum Networking for Next Generation Parallel Quantum
Computing
- Neuromorphic Computing
- Computational Physical Systems
- Deep Understanding of AI Models
Proposed research should focus on creating the body of knowledge and understanding that will inform future advances in extreme-scale science. Therefore, funding from this NOFO is not intended to incrementally extend current research in the area of the proposed project.
Award details: $16M program funding. Individual grants will run $200K to $1M over 2 years. 20 awards anticipated.
USC Internal announcement: https://rii.usc.edu/limited-submissions/de-foa-0003545/
Announcement on website: EXPRESS 2025
USC Internal due date: February 7, 2025.
Pre-Application due date (required): February 25, 2025.
Application due date: May 6, 2025.
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***Limited Submission***
Department of Energy (DoE) / Office of Nuclear Energy
Program: U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost-Share Grant Program
NOFO #: DE-FOA-0003339
Synopsis: Supports cost-shared grants to fund a portion of Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) fees for pre-application and application review activities. Cost-shared grants will be awarded to selected applicants seeking funds in support of work with the NRC to increase regulatory certainty, review topical reports or white papers, and other efforts focused on obtaining certification and licensing approvals. The two Topic Areas are (1) Pre-application review activities: Review activities that occur prior to a formal license application being submitted to the NRC and (2) Application review activities: Review activities that occur after a formal license application is submitted to the NRC for review.
Award details: Topic Area 1: Approximate dollar amount of individual awards: $5K-$200K, with 20% cost share, for an approximate project period of 2 years. Topic Area 2 (contingent upon DoE’s no / go decision: Approximately $100K to $8M, with minimum cost share of 50$, for a project period up to 3 years.
USC Announcement: https://rii.usc.edu/limited-submissions/de-foa-0003339/
External announcement on website: Advanced Nuclear Energy Licensing Cost Share
USC Internal due date: February 7, 2025.
External due date: Annual due dates through 2029. The next due date is April 8, 2025
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Center for Craft
Program: Craft Research Fund
Synopsis: Supports academic researchers, scholars, curators for innovative research on critical issues in craft theory and history. Specifically, supports new cross-disciplinary approaches to scholarship in craft. Craft, in all its forms, demonstrates creativity, ingenuity, and practical intelligence. It contributes to the economic and social wellbeing of communities, connects us to our cultural histories, and is integral to building a sustainable future. Examples of possible projects include
- Research providing new insight into work by historical or contemporary craft in the U.S.;
- Projects presenting a new understanding of the relationship between handmade production and digital technologies; and
- Projects that place American craft in a global context.
Award details: $15K, of which 85% must be for expenses related to research.
Announcement on website: https://www.centerforcraft.org/grants-and-fellowships/craft-research-fund-grant
Anticipated due date: November 15, 2025.
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American Philosophical Society
Program: Phillips Fund for Native American Research
Synopsis: Supports young scholars who have received their Ph.Ds for research in Native American linguistics, ethnohistory, and the history of studies of Native Americans, in the continental United States and Canada. Applicants conducting research with Indigenous communities should provide information on appropriate contacts and the current state of consultation or arrangements made with those communities on any issues of research approval and ethical access that pertain to the proposed research. Details of preparations and plans will be requested within the application.
Award details: Average award is typically $3K, but not exceeding $3.5K for one year. Grants are intended for such costs as travel, audio and video recordings, and consultants' fees. Grants are not made for projects in archaeology, ethnography, or psycholinguistics; for the purchase of permanent equipment; or for the preparation of pedagogical materials.
Announcement on website: https://www.amphilsoc.org/grants/phillips-fund-native-american-research
Application due date: March 1, 2025.
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Harry Frank Guggenheim (HFG)
Program: HFG African Fellow Awards
Synopsis: Supports emerging African scholars studying aspects of violence on or directly related to the African continent. HFG welcomes proposals from any of the social and natural sciences or allied disciplines that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence and aggression, directly related to the African continent. Highest priority is given to research that can increase understanding and amelioration of urgent problems of violence and aggression in the modern world. Interest is in violence in the context of war, crime, terrorism, family and intimate partner relations, climate change and competition for natural resources, racial ethnic and religious violence; and political extremism and nationalism as these areas relate to the Africa continent. Applicants must be African and / or Africanist. No citizenship requirements, but must be age 40 or younger.
Award details: $10K.
Announcement on website: https://www.hfg.org/african-fellows/
Application due date: March 1, 2025.
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The Max van Berchem Foundation
Program: Research Grants
Synopsis: Supports the study of Islamic and Arabic archaeology, history, geography, art history, epigraphy, religion and literature. Awards grants for research carried out in these areas by scholars who have already received their doctorate.
Award details: Submission of a detailed budget is required to ensure application is reviewed.
Announcement on website: https://maxvanberchem.org/en/grant-applications
Application due date: March 31, 2025.
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Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)
Program: Teaching Development Grants
Synopsis: Supports teaching development through sponsoring networking opportunities, promote awareness of SPSSI, and increase SPSSI membership through support of
- Small-scale events hosted at a member’s institution or other local venue related to the teaching about the psychological study of social issues;
- Initiatives that enhance SPSSI membership through the creation of networks, and other collaborative opportunities, including building connections among early career, graduate student, new, and established members at teaching institutions.
- Pre-conferences or smaller meeting attached to larger conferences where the theme and content of the meeting is related to the teaching of social justice issues.
Current regular dues-paying members of SPSSI are eligible. (If not a current member of SPSSI, a membership application may be submitted along with the grant application). Graduate student members may apply, with a faculty mentor/advisor serving as a co-applicant.
Award details: $2.5K. Two awards will be made.
Announcement on website: https://www.spssi.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewpage&pageid=2182
Application due date: February 15, 2025.
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Google.org
Program: Accelerator: Generative AI
Synopsis: Supports eligible institutions, including academic institutions to build a gen AI-powered social impact solution. The 3 Focus areas include
- Knowledge, Skills and Learning — providing pathways for people to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to thrive.
- Scientific Advancement — Accelerate breakthroughs and AI-enabled scientific innovation that enables technology to be used for good in the world.
- Resilient Communities — Contribute to building resilient communities and a safer world.
Award details: $500K up to $2M to identify AI solution for 6-month program. Award also includes pro bono assistance from Google employees, technical training and access to Google Cloud credits to build with the best of Google Cloud Platform’s artificial intelligence tools and machine learning tools including Vertex AI and Gemini.
Announcement on website: https://impactchallenge.withgoogle.com/genaiaccelerator/
Application due date: February 10, 2025.
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The Teagle Foundation
Program: Education for American Civic Life
Synopsis: Supports efforts to prepare students to become informed and engaged participants in the civic life of their local and national communities. With an expectation that this grant program will be in effect for up to 5 years, the Foundation is accepting proposals from current planning grantees only.
Award details: $100K to $300K over 24-36 month period.
Announcement on website: https://www.teaglefoundation.org/Call-for-Proposals/RFPs/Education-for-American-Civic-Life-RFP
Concept paper due date: 3-5 page concept papers are reviewed December 1, March 1 and August 1.
Full Proposals due date (invited): Grant requests are reviewed in November, February and May.
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Cultivating Inland Empire Latino Opportunity Fund (CLELO Fund)
Program: Request for Proposals
Synopsis: Supports organizations, initiatives, and innovations that are led by–and serve–Latinos in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The CIELO Fund also invests in the next generation of leaders through the CIELO Fund Scholarship Program, commissions original research, and works on efforts that promote positive narratives for Latinos in the IE. Examples of areas of interest for funding include (partial)
- Support for immigrants
- Affordable housing
- Clean water
Award details: $15K for one year.
Announcement on website: https://www.iegives.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CIELO-Fund-2025-Grant-Guidelines.pdf
Application due date: February 27, 2025.
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California Council on Science and Technology
Program: CCST Science & Technology Policy Fellow
Synopsis: Recruits and trains a cohort of fifteen Ph.D. scientists and engineers to spend one year working in Sacramento, directly serving decision makers within the California State Legislature and Executive Branch. CCST S&T Policy Fellows work alongside decision makers to evaluate complex scientific issues and interpret data, while tackling the responsibilities of full-time staffers. Eligible candidates have a doctorate in either biological sciences, earth sciences, social and behavioral sciences, computational sciences. Candidates with expertise in other disciplines will be considered on a case by case basis.
Award details: Base salary is $68,640, along with paid-time off, health, dental, and vision benefits and reimbursements for approved professional development and travel expenditures. CCST will reimburse up to $4K in relocation costs for moves exceeding 50 miles.
Announcement on website: https://ccst.us/about-ccst/
Application due date: March 3, 2025.
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Simons Foundation / Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI)
Program: Autism Rat Models Consortium (ARC) 2.0 RFA
Synopsis: Supports the extension of a consortium of researchers using rats as an experimental system to advance understanding of the behavioral and circuit neuroscience mechanisms underlying autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). Proposals are expected to utilize SFARI rat models (additional rat models generated elsewhere may be added if relevant to autism/NDD) to conduct in-depth behavioral and / or circuit analyses to further understand mechanisms underlying autism and NDD. Competitive applications will utilize the rat’s advantages as a highly trainable species innately capable of expressing varied, complex behavior. Proposals that include recent advances in high-resolution behavioral phenotyping as well as neural imaging and analysis are encouraged. SFARI will offer two tracks within this RFA. The Explorer track is suited for those who have experience studying rat models but are new to studying autism / NDD and /or are focused on a functional domain or question that is not well represented in existing consortium projects. The Collaborative track is appropriate for multi-lab collaborative projects that are based on existing work in autism/NDD-relevant rat models.
Award details: Explorer track: $200K for each of the two years, and possibly another two years. Collaborative track: Each lab may request $300K per year for 3 to 4 years. Both types of award are inclusive of 20% indirect cost.
Announcement on website: https://www.sfari.org/grant/second-autism-rat-models-consortium-rfa/
Application due date: March 6, 2025.
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American Psychological Foundation
Program: Esther Katz Rosen Fund Grants
Synopsis: Supports activities on the advancement and application of knowledge related to identified gifted and talented children and adolescents. Activities include research, pilot, and research-based programs. Goals of this program include enable and enhance development of gifted children and adolescents, and encourages promising psychologists to continue innovative research and program in this area. Applicants must hold a doctorate and be affiliated with an accredited university. APF encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds with respect to age, gender, race, color, creed, nationality, ability, sexual orientation and geography.
Award details: $45K
Announcement on website: https://ampsychfdn.org/funding/katz-rosen-fund-grants/
Application due date: March 6, 2025.
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National Endowment for the Humanities
Program: Division of Education Programs – Institutes for Higher Education
Synopsis: Supports professional development programs that convene higher education faculty from across the nation to deepen their understanding of significant topics in the humanities and enrich their capacity for effective scholarship and teaching. A recording of the webinar providing details of this program is on the website.
Award details: Maximum award is $220K for 15 months.
Announcement on website: https://www.neh.gov/grants/education/institutes-higher-education-faculty
Application due date: February 12, 2025.
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Department of Energy (DoE) /Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E)
Program: Plant Engineering to Revolutionize Sustainable Energy Production and Heighten Opportunities for Novel Efficiency (Peresophone)
NOFO #: DE-FOA-0003551
Synopsis: Supports projects to develop disruptive new technologies for bioenergy crop genetic engineering. Bioenergy provides about 5% of domestic energy consumption and has the potential to provide 5-10% more. Specifically, PERSEPHONE aims to support the development of tools that could lead to an annual impact of the production of at least 1 quad of energy or mitigation of more than 60 MT of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). Genetic engineering is an essential strategy to realize U.S. bioenergy potential and security. Seeks projects in these 3 technical categories
- Category A: The development of robust, high-performing tools for the genetic engineering of bioenergy crops that overcome transformation genotype dependence, increase throughput 10x, and/or reduce cost and timeline by 4x and 2x, respectively.
- Category B: The creation of radically new technologies for plant genetic engineering that have a pathway to achieve metrics well beyond the targets established in Category A.
- Category C: The adoption of genetically engineered bioenergy crops by developing technologies to reduce the risks of invasiveness to less than 0.1 percent and eliminate the flow of transgenes into the environment.
Award details: Awards may vary from $250K up to $4M; at least 5% of total award is mandated cost share for educational institutions.
Announcement on website: Peresophone
Application due date: March 4, 2025.
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Department of Defense – Army
Program: U.S. Army Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Consortium (ASEC) Cooperative Agreement
NOFO #: W911SR-25-R-ASEC
Synopsis: Supports, and aims to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers through activities that engage students and educators in meaningful STEM experiences; connect student and educator participants to the Army science and technology mission; empower parents and legal guardians of student participants to be better informed of the Army STEM opportunities; serve military-connected students and those historically underrepresented in STEM; leverage the network of Consortium Members to broaden reach and impact; and to evolve approach based on data.
Award details: NOFO to award one cooperative agreement award of up to $277M over a period of performance of up to 10 years.. The award will consist of one 2-year base period of up to $52M, followed by up to four 2-year option periods of $53M to $60M each, totaling up to ten years and up to $277M total. Optional renewal periods are subject to availability of funds based on annual budget appropriations.
Announcement on website: Army STEM Education Consortium
Application due date: March 14, 2025.
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NSF / Across most Directorates (including BIO, MPS, SBE, TIP and STEM)
Program: Future Manufacturing
Solicitation #: 24-525
Synopsis: Supports research and education that will enhance U.S. leadership in manufacturing by providing new capabilities for companies and entrepreneurs, by improving our health, quality of life, and national security, by expanding job opportunities to a diverse STEM workforce, and by reducing adverse impacts of manufacturing on the environment. Future Manufacturing will complement existing efforts, supported by NSF and other federal agencies, in advanced manufacturing, but the focus of this program is to enable new, potentially transformative, manufacturing capabilities rather than to improve current manufacturing. Thrusts areas for this solicitation have been identified as
- Future cyber manufacturing research
- Future eco manufacturing research
- Future bio manufacturing research
Award details: Future Manufacturing Research Grants (FMRG) - up to $3M for up to four years; and Future Manufacturing Seed Grants (FMSG) - up to $5K for up to two years.
Announcement on website: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/fm-future-manufacturing
Full proposal due date: June 18, 2025 (extended from the original January 2025 due date)
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NIH / National Institute on Aging
Program: NIA Postdoctoral Fellowship Award to Promote Broad Participation in Translational Research for Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease Relation Dementias (AD / ADRD) (F3 Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award)
NOFO #: PAR-24-332
Synopsis: Supports research training of promising postdoctoral candidates from diverse backgrounds, and emphasizes the development of translational research skills and their application to various aspects of AD / ADRD research (from populations studies to research that can lead to new treatments and diagnostics, including all aspects of behavioral and social research). The long-term goal of this program is to develop a diverse translational workforce that can effectively participate in and/or lead a team-science, interdisciplinary approach to studies of AD / ADRD treatment, prevention, early detection, and disease management and care.
Award details: NIA intends to fund 4 awards, corresponding to a total of $420,000 in direct costs, for fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028. The number of awards for future years is contingent on annual NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Individuals may receive up to 3 years of aggregate Kirschstein NRSA support at the postdoctoral level, including any combination of support from institutional training grants (e.g., T32) and an individual fellowship award.
Announcement on website: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-24-332.html
Application due date: 3 annual due dates through 2027. The next due date for all types of applications except AIDS applications is April 8, 2025.
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NIH / National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)) / Office of The Director, NIH (OD)
Program: New Investigator Gateway Awards for Collaborative Type 1 Disease (T1D) Research (R03 — Small Grant Program)
Synopsis: Supports New Investigators and Early Stage Investigators to provide a robust pipeline of innovative projects and talented investigators in T1D research. In addition to providing support for preliminary research, the Gateway program provides an opportunity for new PIs to pursue their studies within the intellectual environment of a select number of large, ongoing collaborative research programs
Award details: $100K for direct costs per year for up to 2 years.
Announcement on website: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DK-26-009.html
Application due dates: June 26, 2025 and March 6, 2026 for all types of applications (except AIDS applications).
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NIH / Across Multiple Directorates
Program: Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health (R34—Planning Grant)
NOFO #: PAR-25-378
Synopsis: Support planning and development, including pilot or feasibility research, to improve health in Native American populations. Proposed research may address health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, recovery, or services research to inform intervention implementation and dissemination. Research with Native American populations requires engagement with tribal partners and communities to develop and / or adapt interventions and clinical trial protocols, understand intervention feasibility and acceptability, and identify and/or develop scientifically rigorous and culturally appropriate study designs and methods. Preparatory studies may fill information gaps, address unknowns, allow for strengthening of partnerships with Native American community leaders and organizations, and pilot test the feasibility of the intervention and clinical trial design, thereby improving scientific rigor and cultural appropriateness of a future efficacy, effectiveness, or implementation trial. Examples of projects could include (partial):
- Develop a novel intervention grounded in Indigenous Knowledge;
- Activities to further develop and establish meaningful and trusted partnerships with Native communities;
- Planning activities to assess the potential feasibility and acceptability of implementation strategies to be utilized in a future implementation research trial in Native American communities, including planning for hybrid effectiveness implementation studies.
Award details: Up to $450K for three years. Although variations from year to year are permissible, in no case may any year be more than $225K in direct costs, and total direct costs for the entire project period may not exceed $450K.
Announcement on website: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-25-378.html
Application due dates: October 21, 2025 and October 21, 2026 for all types of applications except AIDS applications. January 7, 2026 and January 7, 2027 for AIDS applications.
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Dornsife Corporate and Foundation Relations
(please contact Kerri Bennet kerribennet@usc.edu if interested)
Daiichi Sankyo
Program: In vitro bioassay systems modeling dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases
Synopsis: Supports projects to advance innovative, robust bioassay systems that accurately model neuronal dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Award details: Up to $150K for a 12-month project, with potential follow-on funding for 1 year.
Announcement on website: In vitro bioassay modeling
Application due date: January 31, 2025.
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