Sponsored Projects - Funding Forecast
A periodic newsletter for Bucknell faculty researchers, scholars and grantseekers with information on external funding opportunities, recent grant successes, upcoming deadlines, and updates and resources from the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP).
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News and Updates
OSP Drop-in Office Hours
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
8:30-11:30am, 2-4pm
Carnegie 208
No matter where you are in the funding process--just starting to explore, focusing on a specific funder, preparing a proposal, or wanting to meet the OSP team--please drop by our office hours to share ideas and get support! Robert Gutierrez, Jill Gardner, Rhonda Newton and Prof. Jiajia Dong, OSP Faculty Fellow, will hold open office hours on Tuesday, September 30th from 8:30-11:30am and 2-4pm in Carnegie 208. Staff are also available to meet any time throughout the year.
BGRI Reception
Wednesday, October 1st, 5-7pm
Henry Hood Center, 658 Center Street, Danville
Please join us for a Bucknell Geisinger Research Initiative (BGRI) Networking Reception that will include an overview of this year's call for grant proposals and a networking session with breakout groups based on research interests.
Staff will also share updates on the call for proposals, including new deadlines (January 16th for LOIs, and March 23rd for full proposals) and a new offering of initial feedback shared with prospective teams in January. Please see the call for proposals for additional details on the application timeline. Attendees will also have the chance to hear from previously-funded BGRI teams and meet with Geisinger researchers, clinicians and senior administrators.
Transportation: Do you need a ride to/from the event? The OSP is helping to coordinate transportation, if needed. Geisinger’s Henry Hood Center is located in Danville about 25 minutes by car from Bucknell. Please contact Baillie Versfeld at btv003@bucknell.edu with any interest and to request a spot.
This event is being hosted by Geisinger’s Office of Research Administration, and coordinated by the OSP at Bucknell. We hope to see you there and help make connections for new potential collaborations!
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Recent External Funding Awards
(August - September 2025*)
College of Arts & Sciences
Eric Faden (Film & Media Studies). "Research Services for the Yanai Initiative on Japanese Paper Film." Yanai Initiative, University of California - Los Angeles.
Yan Choi Lam (Chemistry). "Elucidating the Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Pathways Underpinning the Electrocatalytic Generation of Fuels." Department of Energy, via University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.
College of Engineering
Matthew Higgins (Civil and Environmental Engineering). "Impacts of Thermal Hydrolysis Pretreatment on Anaerobic Digestion and Dewatering." Eastman Chemical.
Interdisciplinary
Doug Collins (Chemistry), Dabrina Dutcher (Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) and Shaunna Barnhart (Bucknell Center for Sustainability and the Environment). "Air Quality in the Lower Anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania." Environmental Protection Agency, via Green & Healthy Homes Initiative.
Institutional
Steve Stumbris (Small Business Development Center). "Empowering Entrepreneurs with AI: Enhancing Client Support and Operations at the Bucknell SBDC." America's SBDC, via Google; "PREP: Enhancing Small Business Competitiveness in Central PA Through Digital Services and Artificial Intelligence (AI)." Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, via SEDA-Council of Governments.
Lisa Leighton (Weis Center for the Performing Arts). "Trees Series." Empowering Communities, PPL Foundation.
*Grant and contract awards being administered at the university, or that have been communicated to OSP and via the Sponsored Projects Approval (SPA) form.
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External Funding Opportunities and Upcoming Deadlines
Are you interested in applying for external funding to support your research, project or program at Bucknell? Here are just a few examples of opportunities, from federal, state, private and foundation sources. (For a more customized list based on your project needs, timeline and scholarship/research focus, contact OSP for a consultation or InfoGlobal SPIN database search.)NOTE: Federal opportunities linked to in this newsletter and in the "View More Grants" google document were active as of 9/16/25. We recommend checking the status of the program and reviewing the solicitation carefully before beginning a proposal, as solicitations may have been updated without notice.
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Social Sciences
Proposals Accepted Anytime. NSF: STEM K-12. This program supports research and development to advance STEM teaching and learning in K-12 formal and informal settings, leveraging AI and emerging technologies to build knowledge, create tools and strengthen the U.S. STEM education and workforce. Note: this replaces four solicitations which have been archived by NSF - Advancing Informal STEM Learning, Computer Science for All, Discovery Research PreK-12, and Translation and Diffusion.
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Natural Sciences and Mathematics
1/22/26. NSF: Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (LEAPS-MPS). This program supports the research in mathematical and physical sciences of pre-tenure faculty at institutions with historically lower levels of NSF funding and their efforts to prepare students for 21st century STEM workforce. Awards are for 24 months with budgets up to $250,000 in total costs. In addition to institutional eligibility, principal investigators must hold a doctoral degree in a discipline in which the Divisions of the Directorate of Mathematical and Physical Sciences support fundamental research; be in the pre-tenure period of a tenure-track faculty appointment; and have not previously served as a PI/CoPI on an NSF research award (see solicitation for exceptions).
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Humanities
LOIs accepted anytime. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation: Books. This program supports authors in the research and writing of a wide range of books aimed at public understanding of science and technology. The Foundation has six main categories it supports, including books about the culture and philosophy of science, and books exploring the numerous connections between science, technology and art. Full proposals may only be submitted if invited after submission of a letter of inquiry.
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Creative and Performing Arts
9/30/25. AAUW: Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship. The AAUW American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship is intended to increase the number of women in tenure-track faculty positions and promote equity for women in higher education. The fellowship is designed to assist scholars in obtaining tenure by spending a year pursuing independent research; tenured faculty are not eligible. The fellowship year runs July 1 to June 30. The Fellowship is open to women scholars in all fields of study; follow the link for additional eligibility criteria.
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Engineering
NSF Funding Opportunities by Division/Office in the Directorate for Engineering:
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Management, Business and Commerce
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Grantwriting Resources
Bucknell Budget Template
Are you publishing or planning to publish in the near future? Do you need support with a Data Management Plan or open access data sharing?
As research and publishing evolve, so do the demands for managing your data and understanding your rights. Bertrand Library staff are here to help! Katie Akateh, Data Services Specialist, and Rachel Sweeney, Scholarly Communications & Copyright Librarian, can help you navigate new requirements in the publishing and data sharing space.
Federal agencies, publishers, and funders are increasingly requiring researchers to share their data openly and complete a data management plan. Katie Akateh can help you manage your research data efficiently and effectively, especially if you reach out early in the process. She can assist you by:
- Reviewing your data management plan for completeness and clarity.
- Exploring options for data sharing, storage, and preservation.
- Implementing best practices to ensure your data are well-organized and accessible.
With traditional funding sources shifting and the push for open-access publishing, it's more important than ever to understand your contractual obligations as you build a research plan. Rachel Sweeney can help you navigate these issues and ensure you retain the rights you need.
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