Science & Research Grants for Researchers

U.S. National Science Foundation · $300K–$1M

An NSF program funding development and testing of innovative approaches to STEM graduate education. Eligible applicants are U.S. two- and four-year higher-education institutions (including community colleges), certain nonprofit non-academic research/education organizations, and federally recognized Tribal Nations. Awards run roughly $300,000 to $1,000,000. This is geared to colleges, universities, and education-focused nonprofits rather than small businesses or individuals.

U.S. National Science Foundation · From $15M

An NSF program funding large, ambitious, long-horizon research in computing and information science. Lead and collaborative applicants must be U.S. higher-education institutions with undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs in relevant computing fields; other organizations may participate only with independent funding. Awards are very large, up to about $15,000,000 over seven years. This is restricted to major research universities and is not a fit for general nonprofits, small businesses, or individuals.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command · Amount varies

A U.S. Army (West Point / U.S. Military Academy) Broad Agency Announcement soliciting basic and applied research and analysis across science, engineering, education, policy, ethics, history, and economics. Eligibility is broad, including higher-education institutions, nonprofits, state and local governments, for-profit organizations (large and small businesses), and foreign organizations/public entities, with no restriction on place of performance. No award amount is specified, and funding depends on the specific proposal. Proposals must advance the state of the art or basic knowledge rather than target specific devices.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This NSF program funds quantum testbeds within the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory, advancing use-inspired quantum information science and technology. Eligibility for the Design and Implementation phases is contingent on having an existing pilot or design project in the same topical area and a positive site-visit review, so it is staged and not open to first-time entry at those phases; the lead organization type is otherwise unrestricted. No award amount is listed.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This NSF EPSCoR program funds research fellowships that build research capacity for investigators in EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions through collaborative visits to host institutions. Eligibility is restricted to organizations located in RII-eligible jurisdictions, and proposals are limited to single early- or mid-career PIs at eligible institutions of higher education or non-degree-granting nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status; postdocs in transitional appointments are not eligible. No award amount is listed.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This NSF program funds open-science work such as research data management, cyberinfrastructure, and scientific publication models that make research data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. Eligibility is limited to U.S. institutions of higher education, non-profit non-academic research organizations, federally recognized tribal nations, and certain federal agencies and FFRDCs. No award amount is listed.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command · Amount varies

This U.S. Army Research Office broad agency announcement funds collaborative research and fellowships in quantum computing and qubit development through the LPS Qubit Collaboratory. Eligibility is broad, including individuals, universities, nonprofits, small businesses, other for-profits, and FFRDCs, with collaboration alongside a government laboratory. No award amount is listed.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This NSF solicitation funds Antarctic research that requires logistical fieldwork support from the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP), spanning Earth systems, biological, geochemical, and physical sciences. Eligible applicants are limited to U.S.-based non-profit non-academic research organizations (such as museums, observatories, and research laboratories), accredited U.S. institutions of higher education, and federally recognized tribal nations; individuals and businesses are not among the listed eligible submitters. Available USAP logistical support is currently limited due to facility maintenance, so applicants should follow the solicitation's guidance. Award amounts are not specified.

USAF 347 Contracting Squadron · From $10K

This U.S. Army (DEVCOM) open broad agency announcement seeks fundamental research collaborations specifically in the Indo-Pacific region. A key restriction: the government supports engagements ONLY in the Indo-Pacific region and does not support work performed in the continental United States, so this is geographically narrow. The minimum award is around $10,000; the maximum is not specified. Eligibility terms are otherwise vague in the available text, so applicants should review the full announcement on SAM.gov to confirm who may apply and the geographic requirements.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Amount varies

This Defense Health Agency broad agency announcement (BAA) solicits extramural basic and applied medical research and development proposals that benefit both military and civilian medical practice. Eligibility is unrestricted, meaning any type of entity may apply, subject to clarifications in the notice. No award amount is specified. The selection process is highly competitive, and projects must focus on advancing scientific knowledge rather than developing a specific system or product.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Amount varies

This Air Force Research Laboratory opportunity (CHEERS) solicits white papers, and potentially later technical and cost proposals, on human performance research areas defined in attached statements of objectives. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to clarification in the full announcement, so a range of organizations including businesses, nonprofits, and universities may be able to apply. Applicants must reference the related Multiple Authority Announcement to obtain required attachments. Award amounts are not specified, and specific eligibility terms are somewhat vague, so review the full solicitation carefully.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Amount varies

This Air Force Research Laboratory solicitation (CHEERS) seeks white papers, and potentially later proposals, on human-effectiveness and aerospace-medicine research for experimental and test purposes in defense development. Eligibility is unrestricted, meaning any type of entity may apply, subject to clarifications in the notice. No award amount is specified. Applicants must reference the related Multiple Authority Announcement to obtain required attachments, and the work is tied to specific defense research objectives.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command · Amount varies

This U.S. Army Research Laboratory Broad Agency Announcement solicits foundational (basic and applied) research proposals supporting Army modernization. Eligibility is broad, including universities, nonprofits, state and local governments, foreign organizations, and for-profit firms (large and small businesses). It uses a competitive merit-based process; no specific award amount is stated.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command · Amount varies

This U.S. Army DEVCOM Analysis Center Broad Agency Announcement solicits applied-research proposals supporting Army modernization, tool development, and data curation. Eligibility is broad, including universities, nonprofits, state and local governments, foreign organizations, and for-profit firms (large and small businesses). It uses a whitepaper-then-proposal process; no specific award amount is stated.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command · Amount varies

Open to higher-education institutions, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations, domestic or foreign (security restrictions may limit foreign participants; government labs, FFRDCs, and service academies can't be prime applicants). This Army Research Institute broad agency announcement funds basic, applied, and advanced research in the behavioral and social sciences tied to soldier performance and readiness. Applicants are encouraged to contact the listed technical point of contact first; funding varies by budget cycle.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · $750K–$50M

Open broadly to any type of entity — universities, nonprofits, businesses (including small businesses), and others. This Department of Defense / Defense Health Agency broad agency announcement funds extramural biomedical and human-performance research and development through FY28. Awards span a very wide range, from about $750,000 to $50 million.

Washington Headquarters Services · $2.5K–$800K

This Department of Defense program funds research on security cooperation and irregular warfare topics, open to individual researchers (with or without institutional affiliation), academic institutions, think tanks, and federally funded R&D centers; past awardees may reapply. Applicants can submit only one proposal at a time as principal investigator, and research products must be unclassified and made publicly accessible. Awards range from $2,500 to $800,000, and the deadline is not imminent.

Air Force -- Research Lab · Up to $99.9M

This is an Air Force Research Lab research-and-development opportunity (Foundations of Trusted Systems) for organizations working in defense-related science and technology. The total ceiling across the program is very large (up to roughly $99.9M), so awards typically go to established research institutions, universities, and contractors rather than small applicants. Full eligibility and requirements are only in the linked SAM.gov notice, so review that posting before applying.

U.S. National Science Foundation · $1.5M–$6.5M

This National Science Foundation program funds Mathematical Sciences Research Institutes as national resources that advance research in mathematics and statistics and broaden participation, with awards ranging roughly from $1.5 million to $6.5 million. Only U.S.-based non-profit non-academic research organizations and accredited institutions of higher education may apply; multi-institutional consortia are allowed but one entity must take overall management responsibility. Individuals and for-profit firms are not eligible.

Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command · Amount varies

The Army Applications Lab Broad Agency Announcement funds basic and applied scientific research in defense-relevant areas described in the BAA. Eligibility is unusually broad: institutions of higher education, nonprofits, state and local governments, foreign organizations and public entities, and for-profit businesses (large and small) may all apply. No specific award amount is listed, and projects are selected through full and open competition, so applicants should review the BAA's stated research areas of interest.