Grants for Researchers

National Institutes of Health · Up to $500K

This NIH R25 grant (up to $499,999) funds mentored research education for otolaryngology residents and medical students, aiming to recruit them into biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research careers. It's aimed at eligible U.S. institutions; foreign organizations are not eligible. The deadline is September 29, 2026.

U.S. National Science Foundation · From $220K

This NSF program funds Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology for research and training at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biological sciences. Proposals are submitted by the individual fellow (not the host institution), and applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents who are recent doctoral recipients early in their careers, with several eligibility limits (e.g., on prior postdoctoral experience and number of prior submissions). The minimum award is listed around $220,000. This is for individual early-career researchers, not organizations, and has narrow eligibility criteria.

DOC NOAA - ERA Production · Amount varies

This NOAA/National Weather Service Broad Agency Announcement invites applications for special projects aligned with the NWS strategic plan and mission. Eligibility is broad and includes higher-education institutions, nonprofits, commercial organizations, international or foreign organizations and governments, individuals, and state, local, and tribal governments, subject to NOAA/NWS statutory authority for each activity. Federal organizations are generally outside the scope. No award amount is stated, and as a BAA it outlines a general framework rather than a single defined award; review the announcement for project-specific details.

Geological Survey · Amount varies

This U.S. Geological Survey award supports coordination of water resources research under the Water Resources Research Act. Eligibility is narrow: proposals are only accepted from designated Water Resources Research Act Institutes or Centers based at institutions of higher education, and applicants are directed to contact the grants specialist. No award amount is provided in the listing. This is not open to general nonprofits, businesses, or individuals.

DARPA - Biological Technologies Office · Amount varies

DARPA's Biological Technologies Office solicits proposals leveraging biological properties and processes to advance national defense capabilities. Eligibility is broad: all responsible sources capable of meeting the government's needs may submit a proposal, with details in the BAA's eligibility section. Research limited to evolutionary improvements on existing practice is specifically excluded. No specific award amount is stated, so review the full BAA for scope and submission requirements.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Amount varies

This Department of War (Defense Health Agency) Breast Cancer Research Program Breakthrough Award Level 3 supports promising research with high potential to lead to breakthroughs in breast cancer. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications. Small-scale clinical trials are allowed but not required, and the research team must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates. No specific award amount is stated; applications must address an FY26 BCRP overarching challenge.

DOC NOAA - ERA Production · Amount varies

This NOAA Broad Agency Announcement for the Office of Education seeks applications for special projects tied to NOAA's strategic and mission goals, including education and environmental work. Eligibility is broad: higher-education institutions, nonprofits, commercial organizations, international or foreign organizations and governments, individuals, and state, local, and tribal governments may apply, subject to the statutory authority for the specific activity. Federal organizations cannot be funded. No specific award amount is stated; contact program officials and submit to the appropriate line-office BAA.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Amount varies

This Department of War (Defense Health Agency) ALS Research Program Therapeutic Development Award supports research from preclinical validation of therapeutic leads through FDA IND-enabling studies, with product-driven, empirical projects. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications. Applicants must begin with lead compounds in hand and already-demonstrated proof-of-concept efficacy in a preclinical ALS model; candidates already granted an IND are not appropriate. No specific award amount is stated.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

NSF's Analysis Program supports mathematical research in areas such as complex, harmonic, and real analysis, dynamical systems, functional analysis, mathematical physics, operator theory, and partial differential equations. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications in the solicitation. No specific award amount is stated. Conference and workshop proposals must be submitted through a separate NSF solicitation rather than this program.

Naval Research Laboratory · Amount varies

The Naval Research Laboratory's Long Range BAA supports basic and applied research across many scientific and technical disciplines, including systems, materials science, ocean and atmospheric science, and space technology. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications in the announcement. No specific award amount is stated. Applicants typically submit white papers first; review the full announcement for topic areas and submission steps.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH U54 cooperative agreement funds establishment of a Center that trains researchers in product development for new substance use disorder (SUD) pharmacotherapeutics and advances promising concepts with technical and financial support. Unusually for NIH, foreign organizations and foreign components are eligible to apply under this opportunity. Clinical trials are not allowed under this mechanism. No specific award amount is stated; refer to the NOFO for full eligibility details.

DOC NOAA - ERA Production · Amount varies

NOAA's Broad Agency Announcement seeks applications for special projects tied to NOAA's strategic and mission goals across its line offices. Eligibility is broad: higher-education institutions, nonprofits, commercial organizations, international or foreign organizations and governments, individuals, and state, local, and tribal governments may apply, though eligibility also depends on the statutory authority for the specific activity. Federal organizations cannot be funded through this announcement. No specific award amount is stated, and applicants should review the relevant line-office BAA and contact program officials.

Office of Science · $50K–$5M

The DOE Office of Science runs this open, year-round solicitation supporting research across program areas including advanced scientific computing, basic energy sciences, biological and environmental research, fusion energy, high energy physics, nuclear physics, and isotope R&D. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications and to the requirements in 10 CFR 605. Awards range from roughly $50,000 to $5 million. The NOFO remains open until September 30, 2026 or until succeeded by a new issuance.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Amount varies

This Department of War (Defense Health Agency) Breast Cancer Research Program Breakthrough Award Level 4 supports promising research with high potential for breakthroughs in breast cancer. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications. Clinical trials are required for this level, and the research team must include two or more breast cancer consumer advocates. Up to two partnering Principal Investigators are allowed. No specific award amount is stated; applications must address an FY26 BCRP overarching challenge.

FAA-COE-TTHP · $1–$1M

This FAA Center of Excellence for Technical Training and Human Performance opportunity is limited to institutions of higher education, specifically public and state-controlled institutions and private institutions of higher education. Other organization types are not listed as eligible. The stated maximum is about $1 million. The posting provides little additional detail, so review the full announcement for scope and requirements.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Amount varies

This Department of War (Defense Health Agency) Transformative Breast Cancer Consortium Award supports highly integrated, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional consortia addressing major problems in breast cancer. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications. Applications must include at least one breast cancer consumer advocate per project team and may involve up to five Principal Investigators. No specific award amount is stated; review the full opportunity for the consortium structure and submission requirements.

FAA-COE-AJFE · $1–$20M

This FAA Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuel and Environment opportunity is restricted: new grant opportunities are open and available only to the university members of the ASCENT research coalition, which was awarded the Center in 2013. Organizations outside ASCENT's member universities are not eligible. The stated amount range runs up to about $20 million. Because eligibility is limited to existing consortium members, most applicants will not qualify.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Amount varies

This Department of War (Defense Health Agency) ALS Research Program Clinical Outcomes and Biomarkers Award supports development and validation of clinical outcomes and biomarkers to enrich ALS clinical trials. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications. Projects may target a specific therapy, therapeutic class, or ALS subtype and may use digital health measures. Community collaboration informed by the ALS lived-experience community is expected. No specific award amount is stated.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

The NSF Division of Chemistry funds disciplinary research across six chemistry programs (catalysis, measurement and imaging, mechanism, synthesis, environmental chemistry, and nanochemistry). Proposals may only be submitted by U.S. institutions of higher education and non-profit, non-academic research organizations such as museums, observatories, and research labs; this is not open to individuals or most businesses. No award amount is stated. Higher-ed and research-institution focus makes eligibility relatively narrow.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Amount varies

This Department of War (Defense Health Agency) ALS Research Program Therapeutic Idea Award supports new, innovative, high-risk/high-reward ideas aimed at ALS drug or therapy discovery, with hypothesis-driven studies generating preliminary data. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to clarifications. Preliminary data are not required; the application's strength should rely on the approach. No specific award amount is stated.