Browse grants

Department of Commerce · $1–$1.5M

The Department of Commerce / Economic Development Administration Research and National Technical Assistance (RNTA) program funds research and technical assistance projects that support economic development in economically distressed areas of the U.S. Eligibility is broad, including district organizations, tribes, states, local governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofits acting with local officials, private individuals, and for-profit organizations. Awards range up to about $1.5 million, and applications use a two-step process (concept proposal first, then invited full application) submitted through EDA's EDGE platform. No deadline is stated.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This U.S. National Science Foundation program (Particulate and Multiphase Processes) funds fundamental research on the physics and chemistry of particulate and multiphase systems, including suspensions, granular flows, structured and active fluids, aerosols, and self-assembly processes, with relevance to advanced manufacturing, energy, biotechnology, and environmental sustainability. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), though NSF research awards in practice are typically made to U.S. universities and research organizations. Funding amounts and deadlines are not stated.

Natural Resources · $30K–$2M

Government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses can apply for this Illinois Natural Resources grant funding invasive carp removal and monitoring activities in the Upper Mississippi River. Awards range from $30,000 to $2,000,000.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This U.S. National Science Foundation program (Transport Phenomena) funds fundamental research into the transport of mass, momentum, energy, and species across scales, supporting advances in areas such as AI, manufacturing, biotechnology, microelectronics, and energy. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), though NSF research awards are typically made to U.S. universities and research organizations through experiments, theory, and computational modeling. Funding amounts and deadlines are not stated.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

The NSF Advanced Manufacturing program funds fundamental, multidisciplinary research that transforms U.S. manufacturing capabilities, including manufacturing systems, materials processing, machines, and nanomanufacturing. Eligibility is unrestricted in principle (open to NSF's listed entity types, typically universities and research institutions), subject to NSF's standard clarifications. Proposals of varying sizes are considered; no fixed award amount or deadline is given here, so consult the current NSF solicitation.

CA Department of Food and Agriculture · $1–$190K

Businesses, individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments can apply for this CA Department of Food and Agriculture program funding research into new management methods for controlling the beet leafhopper and curly top virus, with awards up to $190,000. Proposals must be submitted 30 days before posted Beet Curly Top Virus Control Board meetings, and funding priority goes to no-pesticide or DPR-approved pesticide approaches, making this a narrow, specialized agricultural research opportunity.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

The NSF Electrochemical Systems program funds fundamental engineering research on electrochemical and photochemical processes for sustainable production of electricity, fuels, and chemicals, and for energy storage. Eligibility is unrestricted in principle (open to the entity types NSF lists, typically universities, research institutions, and qualifying organizations), subject to NSF's standard clarifications. No specific award amount or deadline is given in this listing, so check the current NSF solicitation for proposal windows and limits.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

The NSF Science of Science: Discovery, Communication and Impact (SoS:DCI) program has unrestricted eligibility, meaning most entity types may apply, though it is geared toward researchers at universities and research organizations. It funds empirical social-science research on how scientific discovery happens, how science is communicated, and how science creates public value and informs evidence-based policy. No specific award amount or deadline is listed. Strong proposals are expected to advance theory, build data and analytical tools, and include robust open-science data management plans.

U.S. National Science Foundation · $5K–$400K

The National Science Foundation's Biomechanics and Mechanobiology program funds researchers studying the mechanical behavior of living systems, from cells and tissues to whole organisms, with a required combination of biological and mechanics components. Awards range from about $5,000 to $400,000 and are open to any type of entity, though in practice applicants are typically universities and research institutions with qualified investigators. Purely clinical trials are not supported, though feasibility studies involving human or animal subjects may be allowed if tied to the research objectives.

Natural Resources · $10K–$1M

Illinois' State Wildlife Grants program (FY24) funds government agencies, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations for projects that benefit fish and wildlife habitats, with priority given to species of greatest conservation concern. Awards range from $10,000 to $1,000,000. No application deadline is listed, so applicants should check with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for current cycle timing.

State Water Resources Control Board · $2M–$10M

Open to nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments operating public water systems in California, for construction of drinking water infrastructure like treatment facilities, storage, and distribution systems. Eligible community water systems may receive principal forgiveness (effectively grant funding) from $2 million up to 100% of project cost depending on the community served and local water rates; other financing carries 0% to roughly half the state bond rate. Applications are accepted continuously but undergo a detailed technical, legal, and financial review.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

NSF's Marine Geology and Geophysics program funds research on ocean basin and Great Lakes geology, covering topics like seafloor tectonics, paleoclimate, and marine geohazards. Eligibility is unrestricted among standard NSF applicant types, meaning it is effectively aimed at research institutions rather than typical small businesses or general nonprofits. No specific award amount is listed.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open broadly to individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and California Native American tribes, this program funds habitat conservation projects tied to upland game birds through California's Upland Game Bird Account. Any proposal that meets the criteria in Fish & Game Code §3684 can qualify — eligibility isn't limited to established organizations. No specific award amount or deadline is listed, so applicants should confirm current cycle details with CDFW.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This NSF program funds foundational robotics research and is explicitly open to any type of entity, though proposals must clearly justify the research as centered on robots and address fundamental gaps in robotics science rather than routine engineering. No specific award amount or deadline is listed. Best suited to researchers and research institutions rather than general nonprofits or businesses, despite the broad formal eligibility language.

Natural Resources · $20K–$6M

Government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses can apply for this Illinois Natural Resources grant funding invasive carp management and control in Illinois waterways, supporting Great Lakes restoration priorities. Awards range from $20,000 to $6,000,000.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

The NSF Interfacial Engineering program funds fundamental research on atomic- and molecular-scale interfacial phenomena to improve chemical and biochemical process efficiency, including chemical and biological separations and engineered interfaces. Eligibility is unrestricted (open to any entity type subject to NSF's standard rules), but in practice these awards support university and research-institution investigators; proposals should show a clear path to advancing industrial chemical processes. Award amounts and deadlines are not specified here, so check the program solicitation for current limits and proposal windows.

Council on the Arts · Amount varies

Creative Catalyst is a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts program funding new initiatives that support creative workers and industries around asset development, workforce, community development, visibility, or policy. It's open to nonprofits, municipalities, school districts, and other non-arts nonprofits that provide arts programming or services, provided the project has statewide or broad regional reach. Awards go up to $25,000.

Natural Resources · $20K–$6M

Government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses can apply for this Illinois Natural Resources grant funding invasive carp management and control in Illinois waterways, supporting Great Lakes restoration priorities. Awards range from $20,000 to $6,000,000.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

Open to any type of entity (the NSF lists eligibility as unrestricted, though awards typically go to universities and research institutions). This U.S. National Science Foundation program funds fundamental engineering research on biological and biomedical systems, including biosensing platforms, optical imaging, biomanufacturing, tissue/organ function, and rehabilitation engineering. Note: proposals focused mainly on drug design, drug delivery, or developing animal disease models are not supported. No award amount or deadline is stated here.

Natural Resources · $50K–$500K

This Illinois Department of Natural Resources program funds government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations to protect and restore habitat and species within the Great Lakes Basin, with awards from $50,000 to $500,000. Eligibility is broad, covering most organization types with a Great Lakes conservation project. No application deadline is listed.