Grants for Schools & Universities

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH R21 award funds exploratory translational research on schizophrenia and related disorders in mid- to late-life, aiming to understand illness trajectory and identify prevention and treatment targets. It is aimed at research institutions and investigators, with a broad list of eligible U.S. organization types. Award amounts are not specified here. Applications are submitted through eligible organizations.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH (NIAAA) R34 award supports planning and pilot health services research aimed at closing the treatment gap for alcohol use disorder. It is aimed at research institutions and investigators, with a broad list of eligible U.S. organization types. Award amounts are not specified here, though R34 grants are typically smaller, planning-stage awards. Applications are submitted through eligible organizations rather than by individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH R01 award funds research into the mechanisms behind neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, with the goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets. It is aimed at research institutions and investigators, with a broad list of eligible U.S. organization types. Award amounts are not specified here. Applications are submitted through eligible organizations rather than by individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH R21 award funds exploratory research into the mechanisms behind neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, with the aim of revealing novel therapeutic targets. It is aimed at research institutions and investigators, with a broad list of eligible U.S. organization types. Award amounts are not specified here. Applications are submitted through eligible organizations rather than by individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH (NIAAA) R34 award supports planning and pilot research on alcohol use disorder treatment and recovery; a clinical trial is required. It is aimed at research institutions and investigators, with a broad list of eligible U.S. organization types. Award amounts are not specified here, though R34 grants are typically smaller, planning-stage awards. Applications are submitted through eligible organizations.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH R01 award funds translational research on schizophrenia and related disorders in mid- to late-life, aiming to clarify illness trajectory and identify prevention and treatment targets. It is aimed at research institutions and investigators, with a broad list of eligible U.S. organization types. Award amounts are not specified here. Applications are submitted through eligible organizations rather than by individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH R01 award funds research on how social isolation and loneliness raise suicide risk in older adults, including mechanism studies and intervention development and testing. It is aimed at research institutions and investigators, with a broad list of eligible U.S. organization types. Award amounts are not specified here. Applications are submitted through eligible organizations rather than by individuals.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH R21 award supports early-stage, high-risk exploratory research into the cellular, molecular, and circuit biology of risk factors for complex brain disorders, with no clinical trials allowed. It is aimed at research institutions and investigators, with a broad list of eligible U.S. organization types. Award amounts are not specified here. Applications are submitted through eligible organizations rather than by individuals.

U.S. National Science Foundation · $50K–$2M

This NSF program funds projects that fundamentally redesign undergraduate engineering departments and education. Only U.S. institutions of higher education may apply, and the PI must generally be an engineering department chair/head (or a dean/provost in some cases), so this is tightly restricted to higher education leadership. Awards range from about $50,000 up to $2,000,000. Individuals, nonprofits, and businesses cannot apply directly.

U.S. National Science Foundation · $2M–$3M

This NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program funds universities to develop interdisciplinary STEM graduate training models in high-priority research areas. Only U.S. institutions of higher education may apply, and the PI must be a faculty member at the submitting institution, so this is restricted to higher education. Awards range from roughly $2,000,000 to $3,000,000. Individuals, nonprofits, and businesses are not eligible to apply directly.

National Park Service · $15K–$50K

This National Park Service program provides financial assistance for natural and cultural resource protection along the U.S.-Mexico border, open to NPS units, educational institutions, nonprofits, tribes, and state and local agencies. Projects must work with and benefit a specified NPS unit and a protected area in Mexico. Foreign entities cannot receive funding directly, though recipients may subcontract to them. Awards range from about $15,000 to $50,000, making this a small-award opportunity.

U.S. National Science Foundation · $100K–$250K

This joint NSF/NIH opportunity funds science-of-science research analyzing and improving the biomedical research enterprise, drawing on social, behavioral, and economic science methods. Eligibility is stated as unrestricted (open to any eligible entity type), so check the solicitation for the specific organization categories allowed; NSF awards typically go to institutions on behalf of investigators. The stated award range is roughly $100,000 to $250,000. This is a research-focused opportunity.

U.S. National Science Foundation · $600K–$12M

This NSF CISE award funds future computing research across eleven program areas spanning algorithms, systems, networking, AI, and human-centered computing. Eligibility is limited to U.S. institutions of higher education, non-profit non-academic research organizations, and federally recognized Tribal Nations; individuals and most other entities cannot apply directly. Project budgets can range widely up to a $1,000,000 maximum over up to four years, with typical awards around $150,000 to $250,000 per year. This is a higher-education and research-organization opportunity.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Amount varies

This Department of War (Defense Health Agency) Vision Research Program Mentored Clinical Research Award funds patient-oriented vision injury research by clinicians in training, paired with an established clinician or PhD scientist serving as PI and mentor. It cannot support preclinical research or clinical trials, and applicants must submit IRB/ethics approval or exemption by January 1, 2027. Eligibility is otherwise stated as unrestricted, so review the program announcement for specific organization categories. Award amounts are not specified here.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Amount varies

This Department of War (Defense Health Agency) Hearing Restoration Focused Research Award funds preclinical and clinical research to accelerate drug discovery and therapeutics for hearing restoration after military-relevant auditory injury. It cannot support clinical trials, tinnitus research, or vestibular research, and offers two funding levels including a partnering-PI option. Eligibility is stated as unrestricted, so review the program announcement for specific organization categories. Award amounts are not specified here.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This NSF Probability Program supports research on the theory and applications of probability, including stochastic processes and related areas, as well as conference and workshop proposals. Eligibility is stated as unrestricted (open to any eligible entity type), so review the solicitation for the specific organization categories NSF allows. In practice NSF research grants are awarded to institutions on behalf of investigators rather than to individuals. Award amounts are not specified here.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This NSF/NEH partnership funds research and infrastructure projects to document and analyze endangered human languages, including fieldwork, archiving, and database development. Eligibility is limited to U.S. institutions of higher education, non-profit non-academic research organizations, and Tribal and Native-serving organizations; there are no program-specific restrictions on who may serve as PI. Funding is available as one- to three-year senior research grants and conference proposals, with amounts not specified here. Fellowships are handled separately through NEH.

National Institute of Standards and Technology · Amount varies

This NIST program funds research and partnership activities across measurement science areas such as metrology, standards, nanotechnology, AI, advanced communications, and advanced manufacturing. Eligibility is broad, open to higher education, non-profit and for-profit organizations, state and local governments, tribes, hospitals, and foreign public entities and governments; individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not eligible. Award amounts are not specified here. NIST encourages minority-serving institutions and community colleges to apply.

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA · Amount varies

This Department of War (Defense Health Agency) Reconstructive Transplant Concept Award funds exploration of highly innovative, untested concepts in reconstructive transplantation, and does not support clinical trials. Preliminary data are not allowed, but applications must show a clear rationale and the ability to produce interpretable results. Early-career investigators at or above the postdoctoral fellow level are encouraged to apply, and eligibility is otherwise stated as unrestricted. Award amounts are not specified here.

DOC NIST ERA · Amount varies

This NTIA (Department of Commerce) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program funds expansion of broadband access and adoption on Tribal lands, including remote learning, telework, and telehealth. Eligibility is restricted to Tribal governments, Tribal colleges/universities, Tribal organizations, Alaska Native Corporations, and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on behalf of the Native Hawaiian community. Other organizations and individuals are not eligible. Award amounts are not specified here.