Grants for Schools & Universities

National Institutes of Health · Up to $750K

An NIH BRAIN Initiative R18 funding preclinical proof-of-concept work on novel recording and modulation technologies for the human central nervous system, up to readiness for first-in-human studies. The eligibility text is mixed but states foreign organizations and foreign components are not eligible to apply, while domestic research institutions, minority-serving and Tribal colleges may. Awards reach up to about $750,000, and clinical trials are not allowed. This is a specialized research award, not a fit for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

Council on the Arts · Up to $25K

Pennsylvania nonprofits and tax-exempt corporations, units of government, units of a college/university or school district, and non-arts nonprofits providing arts programming can apply for this Creative Catalyst grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. It funds new initiatives that strengthen Pennsylvania's creative industries and workforce, and proposals must demonstrate statewide or broad regional reach within Pennsylvania. Awards run up to about $25,000.

Council on the Arts · Up to $25K

Pennsylvania nonprofits and tax-exempt corporations, units of government, units of a college/university or school district, and non-arts nonprofits providing arts programming can apply for this Creative Catalyst grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. It funds new initiatives that strengthen Pennsylvania's creative industries and workforce, and proposals must show statewide or broad regional reach within Pennsylvania. Awards run up to about $25,000.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH BRAIN Initiative R01 funding the development and validation of novel tools to study cell-type- and circuit-specific processes in the brain. Eligibility is geared toward research institutions, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving and Tribal colleges, and foreign organizations; this is a federal research grant, not a fit for typical nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals without an academic/research affiliation. No award amount is specified. Clinical trials are not allowed under this opportunity.

U.S. National Science Foundation · $4M–$20M

An NSF program funding mid-scale research infrastructure (instrumentation, cyberinfrastructure, large datasets, and design activities). Eligible applicants are U.S. higher-education institutions, certain nonprofit non-degree-granting research organizations with 501(c)(3) status, and qualifying consortia; for-profit and small businesses may only participate through subawards, not as lead applicants. Awards are large, roughly $4,000,000 to about $20,000,000. This is a major research-infrastructure award, not a fit for general nonprofits, small businesses as primary applicants, or individuals.

U.S. National Science Foundation · $1.2M–$3.6M

An NSF program funding interdisciplinary convergence research teams tackling complex scientific or societal problems. Eligible applicants are U.S. higher-education institutions and certain nonprofit non-academic research/education organizations, with principal investigators required to hold full-time research or teaching appointments. Awards are large, roughly $1,200,000 to $3,600,000. This targets academic research teams, not general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $750K

An NIH P30 center grant funding shared research cores for digestive and liver diseases research. Only institutions with a strong existing research base, including at least $3 million per year in relevant direct-cost funding (with at least 30% from NIDDK), are eligible, so this effectively requires being an established, heavily NIH-funded institution. Foreign organizations are not eligible. Awards reach up to about $750,000. This is a narrow opportunity for major research centers, not for typical nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIDA U01 cooperative agreement funding animal-genomics research into variants linked to addiction and substance use disorders. Eligible applicants include research institutions, minority-serving and Tribal colleges, and foreign organizations. No award amount is specified, and clinical trials are not allowed. This is a federal research grant aimed at investigators, not general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $700K

An NIH BRAIN Initiative R61 funding exploratory human neuroscience using invasive neural recording and stimulation during surgical procedures. Foreign organizations and foreign components are not eligible; the work requires multidisciplinary teams with access to neurosurgical settings. Awards reach up to about $700,000, and clinical trials are not allowed. This is a highly specialized research award for institutions with relevant clinical/research capacity, not for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH/NHGRI R01 supporting early-stage investigators pursuing genomics research, across genomic sciences, medicine, data science, and ethical/legal/social implications. Foreign organizations are not eligible; domestic research institutions, minority-serving and Tribal colleges may apply, and the program targets researchers in an early-career stage. No award amount is specified. This is a research grant for academic/early-career investigators, not for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

An NSF program providing protected time and resources to help mid-career scientists advance their research, typically through a partnership at another institution. Eligible applicants are U.S. higher-education institutions and certain nonprofit non-academic research organizations; the principal investigator must be at the Associate Professor rank (or equivalent) for at least three years, so this is restricted to established faculty. No award amount is specified. Not a fit for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals without a qualifying faculty appointment.

U.S. National Science Foundation · $1M–$5M

An NSF program funding higher-education institutions to provide scholarships and support services for academically talented, low-income students in STEM. Only U.S. two- and four-year institutions of higher education (including community colleges) may apply; the scholarship recipients must be domestic low-income students. Awards are large, roughly $1,000,000 to $5,000,000. This is restricted to colleges and universities and is not a fit for other nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

U.S. National Science Foundation · $100K–$750K

An NSF program funding research on the coupling, energetics, and dynamics of the upper atmosphere, including ground- and space-based observations and modeling. Eligibility is relatively broad: U.S. for-profit organizations including small businesses, nonprofit non-academic research organizations, higher-education institutions, and federally recognized Tribal Nations may apply. Awards run roughly $100,000 to $750,000. While the entity types are broad, the work is specialized atmospheric science suited to research-capable applicants.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH/NIAMS UG3/UH3 cooperative agreement funding the implementation of clinical trials, where a clinical trial is required. The eligibility text is internally mixed but states that foreign organizations and foreign components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, while domestic research institutions, minority-serving and Tribal colleges may apply. No award amount is specified. This is a clinical-research award for institutions equipped to run trials, not for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH R01 funding discovery and optimization of in vivo chemical probes for novel nervous-system targets, with applicants expected to already have validated starting compounds and bioassays in hand. Domestic and foreign organizations and foreign components are eligible to apply. No award amount is specified, and clinical trials are not allowed. This is a research grant for investigators with existing medicinal-chemistry capacity, not for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $1.5M

An NIH RM1 funding team-based research at the intersection of HIV and substance use, requiring a detailed research plan and preliminary data. Eligible applicants include research institutions, minority-serving and Tribal colleges; foreign organizations and foreign components are not eligible to apply. Awards reach up to about $1,500,000. This is a research-team grant for established investigators, not for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $500K

An NIH U01 supporting collaborative translational research conducted with NIH intramural investigators using the NIH Clinical Center. Domestic and foreign organizations may apply, but NIH will not fund awards involving foreign subawards/subcontracts under this opportunity, so applications relying on foreign subawards are excluded. Awards reach up to about $500,000. This is a research grant for investigators able to partner with NIH, not for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH R01 funding innovative research at the intersection of HIV and substance use, open to both individual investigators and research teams, and requiring a detailed research plan with preliminary data. Eligible applicants include research institutions, minority-serving and Tribal colleges, and foreign organizations. No award amount is specified. This is a research grant for investigators, not for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals without a research affiliation.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $500K

An NIH/NIDDK U01 continuing the Cardiovascular Repository for Type 1 Diabetes (CaRe-T1D) consortium to study cardiovascular disease in people with type 1 diabetes. Foreign organizations and foreign components are not eligible to apply, and clinical trials are not allowed; it is tied to the existing consortium effort. Awards reach up to about $500,000. This is a specialized research-consortium award for investigators, not for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH R34 funding formative research and pilot-testing of behavioral, social, structural, or combination interventions to improve HIV prevention and treatment for people who use drugs; a clinical trial is required. Eligible applicants include research institutions, minority-serving and Tribal colleges, and foreign organizations. No award amount is specified. This is an early-stage clinical-research grant for investigators, not for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.