As funding opportunities are announced and shared with the Office for Research & Graduate Education we will compile the opportunities, here. This page will be updated periodically as new opportunities come about.
External Funding Opportunities
Foundation for Food and Agriculture (FFAR)
Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research
The Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research (ROAR) program provides nimble deployment of funds to support research and outreach in response to emerging or unanticipated threats to the nation’s food supply or agricultural systems. ROAR participants, including but not limited to university researchers, farmers or producers, commodity groups and government officials, may apply for funds in response to an outbreak for development of diagnostics, monitoring and mitigation strategies. The ROAR program fills the gap until traditional, longer-term funding sources can be secured.
Deadline: Ongoing
National Institute of Health (NIH)
NIH Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Early-stage Investigator Research Award (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to recruit Early Stage Investigators (ESI) to pursue research programs of interest to NIH Chemical Countermeasures Research Program (CCRP) under the NIH Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) grant/cooperative agreement program. ESI CounterACT R21 projects may be exploratory, applied, proof of principle, or high risk-high impact research to discover safe and effective therapeutics to mitigate toxicities resulting from exposures to highly toxic chemicals.
A distinct feature for this FOA is that no preliminary data are required, expected, or encouraged. However, if available, minimal preliminary data are allowed. All preliminary data should be clearly marked and limited to one-half page, which may include one figure. Applications including preliminary data more than one-half page or more than one figure will be considered noncompliant with the FOA instructions and will not go forward to review. Projects supported by this FOA will have an extended level of support (3 years) and are expected to generate preliminary data that would facilitate the development of competitive applications for more extensive funding support from the NIH CounterACT programs or other related initiatives. Investigators that compete successfully for this R21 mechanism will not lose their ESI status.
Deadline: July 27, 2021
Time-Sensitive Obesity Policy and Program Evaluation (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health (NIH) and its participating Institutes and Centers invite applications for time-sensitive research to evaluate a new policy or program that is likely to influence obesity related behaviors (e.g., dietary intake, physical activity, or sedentary behavior) and/or weight outcomes in an effort to prevent or reduce obesity.
Deadline: August 10, 2021; September 10, 2021
NIH Director’s New Innovator Award Program (DP2 Clinical Trial Optional)
The NIH Director’s New Innovator Award Program supports early stage investigators of exceptional creativity who propose highly innovative research projects with the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important areas relevant to the mission of NIH. For the program to support the best possible researchers and research, applications are sought which reflect the full diversity of the research workforce. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups and from the full spectrum of eligible institutions in all geographic locations are strongly encouraged to apply to this Funding Opportunity Announcement. In addition, applications in all topics relevant to the broad mission of NIH are welcome, including, but not limited to, topics in the behavioral, social, biomedical, applied, and formal sciences and topics that may involve basic, translational, or clinical research.
Deadline: August 20, 2021
Understanding and Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
This initiative will support (1) observational research to understand the role of structural racism and discrimination (SRD) in causing and sustaining health disparities, and (2) intervention research that addresses SRD in order to improve minority health or reduce health disparities.
Deadline: August 24, 2021
Systems Approach to Understand Mechanisms of Heterogeneous Response to Influenza (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support the identification of mechanisms behind heterogeneous responses in the population to influenza infection and/or vaccination through development and application of computational tools.
Deadline: September 8, 2021
Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
The Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant supports an innovative project that represents a change in research direction for an early stage investigator (ESI) and for which no preliminary data exist. Applications submitted to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) must not include preliminary data. Applications must include a separate attachment describing the change in research direction. The proposed project must be related to the programmatic interests of one or more of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) based on their scientific missions.
Deadline: September 28, 2021
Promoting Bunyavirales Basic Science Research (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to stimulate fundamental research of human disease-causing pathogens in the Bunyavirales order by supporting projects studying vector competence, virology, pathogenesis, and immunity.
Deadline: October 23, 2021
High impact, Interdisciplinary Science in NIDDK Research Areas (RC2 Clinical Trial Optional)
This FOA seeks novel approaches in areas that address specific knowledge gaps, scientific opportunities, new technologies, data generation, or research methods that will advance the area in significant ways designed to accelerate scientific progress in the understanding, treatment, and prevention of diseases within the mission of NIDDK.
Deadline: November 2, 2021
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI)
The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) serves to increase access to shared scientific and engineering instruments for research and research training in our Nation's institutions of higher education, museums and science centers, and non-profit organizations. This program especially seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering, by providing shared instrumentation that fosters the integration of research and education in research-intensive learning environments. Development and acquisition of research instrumentation for shared inter- and/or intra-organization use is encouraged, as are development efforts that leverage the strengths of private sector partners as appropriate for the goals of the MRI Program.
Internal Intent Deadline: July 15, 2021
Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER)
This program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities pursued by early-career faculty should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. NSF encourages submission of CAREER proposals from early-career faculty at all CAREER-eligible organizations and especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply.
Deadline: July 26, 2021
Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure-1 (Mid-scale RI-1)
NSF Mid-scale Research Infrastructure (RI-1) program is intended to support experimental research capabilities in the $6-$20 million range that will enable US researchers to remain competitive in a global research environment by filling a research community-defined scientific need or enabling a national research priority to be met. Funds may be requested for any combination of facilities, equipment, instrumentation, or computational hardware or software, and the necessary human capital.
Internal Intent Deadline: August 23, 2021
Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure-2 (Mid-Scale RI-2)
The NSF Mid-scale Research Infrastructure (RI-2) program is intended to support experimental research capabilities that will enable US researchers to remain competitive in a global research environment by filling a research community-defined scientific need or enabling a national research priority to be met. Funds may be requested for any combination of facilities, equipment, instrumentation, or computational hardware or software, commissioning, and the necessary human capital.
Internal Intent Deadline: August 23, 2021
View the June 3rd RDO briefing on NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI), Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure-1, & Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure-2 programs here, or view the slides here.
Racial Equity in STEM Education (EHR Racial Equity)
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) seeks to support bold, ground-breaking, and potentially transformative projects addressing systemic racism in STEM. Proposals should advance racial equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce development through research (both fundamental and applied) and practice. Core to this funding opportunity is that proposals are led by, or developed and led in authentic partnership with, individuals and communities most impacted by the inequities caused by systemic racism.
Deadline: October 12, 2021
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Conservation Through Innovation Grants Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is investing up to $15 million to support the development of new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program.
CIG partners use creative problem solving and innovation to address our nation’s water quality, air quality, soil health and wildlife habitat challenges, all while improving agricultural operations. This year, funded CIGs will focus on climate-smart strategies for water resources, soil health (focused on carbon sequestration and climate resilience), nutrient management, grazing lands conservation and strategies to increase conservation adoption.
Deadline: July 19, 2021
AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program
The AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program supports grants in six AFRI priority areas to advance knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. The six priority areas are: Plant Health and Production and Plant Products; Animal Health and Production and Animal Products; Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health; Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment; Agriculture Systems and Technology; and Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities. Research-only, extension-only, and integrated research, education and/or extension projects are solicited in this Request for Applications (RFA). See Foundational and Applied Science RFA for specific details.
Deadline: Various Through July 29, 2021 (See 2021 AFRI Foundational Schedule)
Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) Competitive Grants Program
There are two types of UAIP Grants types which are entitled (1) Planning Projects and (2) Implementation Projects. The primary goal of UAIP is to assist eligible entities with projects that support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production. NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2021 will be approximately $4 million.
Deadline: July 30, 2021
Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant
USDA encourages applications that focus on improving meat and poultry slaughter and processing capacity and efficiency; developing and expanding markets; increasing capacity; maintaining food safety; and increasing access to slaughter or processing facilities for smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged producers, and veteran producers.
Deadline: August 2, 2021
Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE)
USDA Rural Development Rural Business-Cooperative Service is introducing Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE), a new grant program to help rural communities create good-paying jobs and support new business opportunities in high-growth fields. The new grant encourages a regional, innovation-driven approach to economic development. RISE provides grants of up to $2 million to consortiums of local governments, investors, industry, institutions of higher education, and other public and private entities in rural areas. The funds may be used to form job accelerator partnerships and create high-wage jobs, start or expand businesses, and support economic growth in the rural areas of their region. Funding may also be used to establish and operate innovation centers and partnerships, such as integrating rural businesses into new supply chains, providing workforce training and identifying community assets. To help ensure long-term and sustainable community and economic development, award recipients must support projects for at least four years.
Deadline: August 2, 2021
Other Funding Agencies
Ohio Vineyard Expansion Assistance Program
The 2021 Vineyard Expansion Assistance Program is open to new and existing Ohio vineyards. The VEAP funding will cover only the cost of the grape vines planted. Each grower may apply for up to $3,000 per acre with a maximum of three acres, or $9,000. Only growers in Ohio may apply for the assistance and the planting must occur in the spring of 2022.
Deadline: July 16, 2021
Social, Political and Economic Inequality Research Grants
The foundation's program on Social, Political, and Economic Inequality supports innovative research on the factors that contribute to inequality in the U.S. and the extent to which social, political and economic inequalities affect social, psychological, political, and economic outcomes, including equality of access and opportunity, social mobility, civic mobilization and representation, and the intergenerational transmission of advantage and disadvantage within and across generations.
Letter of Inquiry Deadline: July 28, 2021
National Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Champions Program
National Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Champions program offers grants up to $15,000 for farmers and outreach partners to learn and develop creative outreach strategies that target new farmer audiences and increase the rate of soil health practice adoption in the Midwest. Conservation Champions are teams of innovative farmers and local outreach partners that want to see sustainable agriculture practices become mainstream. A Conservation Champion team should consist of at least one farmer champion and one outreach champion and come from teams from Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, or Wisconsin. Each team can request up to $15,000 to cover the costs of their outreach plan.
Deadline: August 8, 2021
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: GLRI Nonpoint Source Runoff & Nutrient Reduction Projects
EPA is calling for grant applications to fund projects in the Great Lakes basin aimed at addressing stormwater runoff which carries pollution from the land into water bodies. These projects include innovative ways to reduce nutrients from agricultural runoff and a special consideration for underserved communities. EPA will award approximately $9 million in total for roughly 24 projects in three categories.
Deadline: August 20, 2021
Organic Farming Research Foundation
OFRF is excited to announce that we are now accepting Letters of Intent (LOI) for our research grant program. We recognize climate change is one of the most pressing challenges for farmers, ranchers, and society as a whole. Therefore, we are prioritizing research that maximizes the potential for organic agriculture to be part of the climate solution. Submissions must fall under at least one of the six research priority areas: soil health focus; weed, pest, and disease management focus; resilient cultivars focus; livestock and poultry focus; social science focus; and/or resilience focus.
This grant cycle, in addition to continuing our support for farmer-led research, OFRF is prioritizing applications from early career researchers and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). We believe it is critical to foster the next generation of researchers and support historically underserved and marginalized communities, while also ensuring all farmers have the most up-to-date and science-based information. OFRF is reserving half of our grants for BIPOC applicants.
Deadline: August 20, 2021
California Blueberry Commission
The California Blueberry Commission (CBC) is seeking proposals from outside organizations and/or individuals that are interested in conducting research on behalf of the CBC. Specifically, the CBC requests proposals from qualified companies and/or individuals to demonstrate their capabilities in conducting research that will ultimately benefit California blueberry growers and processors by increasing the efficiency of blueberry production and processing practices in California.
Deadline: September 1, 2021
Cliff Bar Family Foundation Small Grants Program
Through the program, the foundation will award general support grants as well as funding for specific projects in the three focus areas: strengthen our food system, enhance equitable community health outcomes, and safeguard our environment and natural resources. Priority is given to applicants that address two or more of the funding priorities at the same time, demonstrate strong community ties, and Operate within viable and clearly defined plans for positive change.
Deadline: October 1, 2021
Internal Funding Opportunities
Check back later