Vision Grants
Sponsor: Spencer Foundation
Keyword(s): Education, Education Policy, Pedagogy, Community Work, Research Planning Grants
Description: Vision Grants are research planning grants to bring together a team, for 12 to 18 months, to collaboratively develop ambitious, large-scale research projects focused on transforming educational systems toward greater equity.
Institutional Limit: None
PI Eligibility: Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs applying for a Vision Grant must have appropriate experience or an earned doctorate in an academic discipline or terminal degree in a professional field. While graduate students may be part of the research team, they may not be named the PI or Co-PI on the proposal. PIs and Co-PIs may not be part of more than one Vision Grant proposal (funded and/or in review).
Award: $75,000 for 12 to 18 months
Cost Share: Not required
Deadline(s): Intent to Apply Form (Required) due August 12, 2026. Full Proposal due September 16, 2026
Institutional Challenge Grant
Sponsor: William T. Grant Foundation
Keyword(s): Youth (ages 5-25), Education, Justice, Child Welfare, Mental Health, Immigration, Workforce Development, Higher Education, STEM Education
Description: The Institutional Challenge Grant supports university-based research institutes, schools, and centers in building sustained research-practice partnerships with public agencies or nonprofit organizations in order to reduce inequality in youth outcomes.
Institutional Limit: No limit
PI Eligibility: We especially encourage proposals from teams with African American, Latinx, Native American, and Asian American members in leadership roles. Eligible principal investigators are leaders at eligible research institutions. They have visibility, influence on institutional policies and practices, and access to the resources needed to optimize and implement the award. They also possess the skills needed to cultivate trusting relationships with leaders from the partner public agency or nonprofit organization and to ensure the conduct of high-quality research.
Award: $650,000 over three years.
Cost Share: Universities are required to fund one additional year of a full-time equivalent fellowship for the mid-career fellow. OR&I cannot guarantee a contribution to cost share. Researchers must discuss cost share contribution needs with their School Dean or Department Chair to secure cost share before submitting a proposal.
Deadline(s): September 9, 2026
Quantum Information Sciences
Sponsor: DoD, Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command
Keyword(s): Quantum Sciences, Computer Science
Description: The Air Force Research Laboratory is soliciting white papers under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for research, development, integration, test and evaluation of technologies/techniques to AFRL/RI’s C4I mission. FOCUS AREA 1: Quantum Algorithm and Computation; FOCUS AREA 2: Quantum Information Processing; FOCUS AREA 3: Memory-Node-Based Quantum Networking; FOCUS AREA 4: Heterogeneous Quantum Platforms; and FOCUS AREA 5: Quantum Information Science.
Institutional Limit: No limit
PI Eligibility: Contractor employees requiring access to USAF bases, AFRL facilities, and/or access to U.S. Government Information Technology (IT) networks in connection with the work on contracts, assistance instruments or other transactions awarded under this BAA must be U.S. citizens.
Award: $500,000-$27,000,000. There is potential to make awards up to $99,900,000. Awards will not exceed 36 months.
Cost Share: Not required
Deadline(s): Rolling through September 30, 2027. The following submission date is suggested to best align with projected funding: FY27 by September 30, 2026
Chemical Process Systems
Sponsor: NSF
Keyword(s): Chemical Processes, Biochemical Processes, Engineering, Biotechnology, Manufacturing, Energy, Fuel
Description: Supports engineering research in chemical and biochemical processes for chemicals, fuels, energy and materials.
Institutional Limit: No limit
PI Eligibility: No restrictions
Award: Not listed
Cost Share: Not required
Deadline(s): Full proposal accepted anytime
