how do i get a research grant

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Grants & funding.

The National Institutes of Health is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world. In fiscal year 2022, NIH invested most of its $45 billion appropriations in research seeking to enhance life, and to reduce illness and disability. NIH-funded research has led to breakthroughs and new treatments helping people live longer, healthier lives, and building the research foundation that drives discovery.

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Grants Home Page

NIH’s central resource for grants and funding information.

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Find Funding

NIH offers funding for many types of grants, contracts, and even programs that help repay loans for researchers.

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Grant applications and associated documents (e.g., reference letters) are due by 5:00 PM local time of application organization on the specified due date.

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How to Apply

Instructions for submitting a grant application to NIH and other Public Health Service agencies.

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About Grants

An orientation to NIH funding, grant programs, how the grants process works, and how to apply.

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Policy & Compliance

By accepting a grant award, recipients agree to comply with the requirements in the NIH Grants Policy Statement unless the notice of award states otherwise.

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Grants News/Blog

News, updates, and blog posts on NIH extramural grant policies, processes, events, and resources.

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Explore opportunities at NIH for research and development contract funding.

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The NIH Loan Repayment Programs repay up to $50,000 annually of a researcher’s qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research.

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Candid learning offers information and resources that are specifically designed to meet the needs of grantseekers..

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How do I find funding for my research?

Because most private foundations make grants only to nonprofit organizations, individuals seeking grants must follow a different funding path than public charities. You need to be both creative and flexible in your approach to seeking funding.

If you are affiliated with a college or university, contact your department office. Some colleges and universities have an office for sponsored programs, which coordinates grant requests and helps researchers with finding grant opportunities.

Also ask your peers and colleagues about funding sources. Please note that many national organizations may have local chapters that may run their own funding programs. National chapters might not know what their local chapters are offering, so it is up to you to check at each level.

Another approach is to find a nonprofit with a similar interest that will act as your fiscal sponsor. In this arrangement, you might qualify for more funding opportunities. Click here to learn learn more about fiscal sponsorship.

Some grantmakers offer support for individual projects. Candid offers the following resources that can help researchers find grants:

Foundation Directory is our searchable database of grantmakers. Perform an advanced search by Transaction Type: Grants to Individuals, in addition to search terms for Subject Area and Geographic Focus. For more detailed search help, please see our article, Find your next scholarship, fellowship, or grant on Foundation Directory Professional. 

Subscribe  to search from your own location, or search for free at our  Candid partner locations .

If you are unfamiliar with the process of grantseeking, you may want to start with these:

• Introduction to Finding Grants , our free tutorial
• Our students and researchers resources

See more Knowledge Base articles related to this topic:

- How do I write a grant proposal for my individual project? Where can I find samples? - Where can I find information about financial aid as a graduate student?

More articles for individual grantseekers

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Explore resources curated by our staff for this topic:

Staff-recommended websites.

Includes requests for research proposals. Records include funding organization(s), brief description of eligibility and application requirements, deadline, and link to original notice. Searchable by subject or keyword. Subscribe for a free weekly email digest or RSS feed.

Where to Search for Funding

Sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, this page includes links to free and fee-based grant funding resources.

Grants & Funding: NIH Central Resource

The Office of Extramural Research offers grants in the form of fellowships and support for research projects in the field of biomedicine.

One of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States. Grants typically go to cultural institutions, such as museums, archives, libraries, colleges, universities, public television, and radio stations, and to individual scholars.

Active Funding Opportunities--Recently Announced

Promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering.

The System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is the official website of the U.S. Government for federal award recipients. It ties together all federal award information including federal assistance and contracting opportunities.

The "electronic storefront for federal grants," organized by topic. Selecting a topic provides links to funding pages for the 26 federal grantmaking agencies, some of which support individual research projects. It offers users “full service electronic grant administration” with guidelines and grant applications available online.

On the Art of Writing Proposals

Eight pages of proposal writing advice for scholarly researchers.

Grant Proposals (or Give me the money!)

This handout will help you write and revise grant proposals for research funding in all academic disciplines (sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the arts). Targeted primarily to graduate students and faculty, but also helpful to undergraduates who are seeking funding for research (e.g. for a senior thesis). Includes sample budget and project timeline.

Scholar Rescue Fund

Provides fellowships for established scholars whose lives and work are threatened in their home countries. One-year fellowships support temporary academic positions at universities, colleges and other higher learning institutions in safe locations anywhere in the world, enabling them to pursue their academic work. If safe return is not possible, the scholar may use the fellowship period to identify a longer-term opportunity.

Social Science Research Council

Supports fellowships and grant programs in the social sciences. The Fellowship and Prizes section of the web site provides access to information on current funding opportunities and online applications.

Awards & Grants

Describes more than 450 organizations that grant fellowships, awards, and prizes to historians. Some of this information is available online only to members of AHA.

Staff-recommended books

The Grant Writing Guide: A Road Map for Scholars

Find: Amazon | Free eBook

Grantsmanship for New Investigators

The Grant Writer's Handbook: How To Write A Research Proposal And Succeed

Grant Seeking in Higher Education: Strategies and Tools for College Faculty

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Tips and Tools for Finding and Applying for Research Grants

In this article, we recommend several tools for finding and applying for grants, and we list the top funding databases, both free and subscription-based. There are several services you can employ to ensure your application is strong to increase your chances of securing funding.

Updated on September 22, 2021

For many researchers, the prospect of finding and applying for grant funding can seem daunting. The grant review process is rigorous and time consuming, and funding opportunities are not only limited but highly competitive. Thus, knowing where to find available sources of funding is an essential starting point in the process. In this article, we recommend several tools for finding and applying for grants, and we list the top funding databases, both free and subscription-based. Additionally, there are several services you can employ to ensure your application is strong, which may increase your likelihood of securing funding.

Tips for finding and applying for grants

1. Consider the large, well-known sources of funding. Large, well-known funding agencies, such as the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, can be good starting points in your search for grant funding opportunities. These funding sources are usually free to access and provide an abundance of information about submitting an application. Please see our lists of both free and subscription-based databases below.

2. Reach out to senior researchers and your institution's grant office. Experienced researchers with a strong track record of receiving funding may be able to recommend funding sources and may have examples of successfully funded grant proposals that they are willing to share with you (4). Additionally, your institution likely has a grant office that can point you toward grant opportunities and advise you on every step of the grant application process (4).

3. Cast a wide net. By widening your funding net, you are more likely to ensure financial security for your research. Money lost due to budget cuts can be replaced with smaller awards from a variety of smaller and/or lesser known sources (3) beyond large/government grants.

4. Be in the know. Following news from organizations in your field and regularly searching for novel funding sources will keep you apprised of any otherwise unknown funding opportunities (3).

5. Network with colleagues. Your colleagues may be aware of funding opportunities or may have received grants that you are not aware of. Asking around your network is particularly helpful if your team is multidisciplinary, having diverse experience and points of view (3).

6. Know the funding agency's requirements. Learn as much as possible about the funding agencies and their grant review processes in order to write your proposal according to the organization's specific requirements. Additionally, do not name specific grant reviewers in your cover letter, as this could be construed as a potential conflict of interest (2).

7. Ask questions early. There are typically personnel at grant agencies who can answer questions about the entire grant application process, from initial submission to receiving an award. Taking advantage of this resource can provide you with additional information that may not be available on the grant application or website (4).

8. Consider adding experienced co-investigators. If you are an early-career researcher with limited experience, some grant reviewers may immediately discount your application for that very reason due to the number of applications they receive. By adding co-investigators with long-term experience in your field, you may increase the likelihood of being awarded a grant (2).

9. Demonstrate your expertise and research plan. Clearly and concisely show reviewers that you and your team have the appropriate knowledge and background to conduct the research. Also show that you will work within the stated timeframe and budget. The difference between failure and success is the significance and feasibility of the proposed research, according to anesthesiologist and clinical researcher Peter Nagele (2).

10. Consider employing a grant support service. You can improve the language, conciseness, grammar, and clarity of your proposal with the help of a grant support service . With these services, experienced, professional researchers will help you to strengthen, edit and polish your grant proposal.

Tools for finding grants

Free-access funding databases.

Grants.gov provides a list of all discretionary funding opportunities from 26 US government agencies. Access is free, and the database of available grants is comprehensive with customizable search options. The grants offered by these government agencies cover a broad range of research fields. Eligibility for international applications varies from agency to agency.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

NSF is an independent federal agency that funds approximately 20% of all federally-supported research conducted at American colleges and universities. The current percentage of approval is approximately 28% (1). The NSF specifies that they rarely fund foreign organizations but that they do consider collaborative research between foreign and domestic institutions.

CRDF Global

Formerly known as Newton's List, CRDF Global funds research in civilian-oriented science, entrepreneurship, and the natural and social sciences. According to their site, CRDF Global facilitates international science cooperation by providing a forum for grant seekers and funders. This site is useful for individuals searching for funding opportunities internationally and for organizations marketing grants to an international audience.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Office of Extramural Research

The NIH is the largest funding source for biomedical research worldwide. The database includes a wide range of search options. However, due to limited budgets, funding opportunities with this agency are extremely competitive, with a funding success rate of 18% over the past five years (2).

Spencer Foundation

The Spencer Foundation offers funding opportunities for researchers in the education field. According to their website, the Spencer Foundation provides funding for education-focused research projects, research training fellowships, and additional field-building initiatives. The list of grants is freely accessible on the site, and each funding opportunity provides comprehensive information about the grant and how to apply.

Subscription/fee-based funding databases

Terra Viva Grant Directory

The Terra Viva Grant Directory lists grants for researchers in the agriculture, energy, environment, and natural resource fields. It is free to subscribe to the site; however, unlimited access to the grants database starts at $12/year.

Candid, formerly Guidestar and the Foundation Center, is an international network that connects philanthropists and grant providers with grant seekers. The Foundation Directory by Candid mostly lists funding opportunities for small businesses and nonprofits but also offers grants for scientists and researchers. The subscription pricing includes biennial, annual and monthly options, ranging from $119/month to $200/month.

Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPIN)

SPIN is a widely-used international funding database with over 10,000 funding organizations (1) and database features that make searching for specific grant opportunities easier. An institutional subscription is required to gain access.

Pivot, formerly known as Community of Science, is one of the largest, most comprehensive databases of available funding, which includes over 700 member institutions. Many universities provide institutional access for students and faculty. Check with your institution to see if you are eligible for access.

Grant Resource Center (GRC)

Operated by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the Grant Resource Center includes a database that is customized for small institutions. According to their site, a subscription to GRC provides access to a comprehensive suite of tools, services, and expertise, which can increase success in securing funding from federal and private grants. Additionally, GRC database search results highlight viable funding sources because the database excludes region-specific solicitations, those with fewer than three awards per year, and those for which higher education institutions are not eligible to apply or partner. Contact GRC for membership information.

Kostos, David. Scientific Research Funding: 10 Grant Application Sources Worth Your Time. JoVE. July 2016. https://www.jove.com/blog/scientist-blog/scientific-research-funding-10-grant-application-sources-worth-your-time/.

Powell, K. The best-kept secrets to winning grants. Nature 545, 399–402 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/545399a .

Tachibana, Chris. Beyond government grants: Widening your funding net. Science. September 2018. https://www.science.org/features/2018/09/beyond-government-grants-widening-your-funding-net .

Yeager, Ashley. Seven ways to boost your chances of funding. American Psychological Association. July/August 2017. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/07-08/boost-funding .

Eliza McKowan, MS

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Ensure funding for your research

Funding can make or break your research. AJE expert editors will edit your grant proposal to help you secure the funding you need.

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How To Apply for Funding

Resource for behavioral and social science studies.

Learn how to determine if a study is a Phase II or Phase III clinical trial using NIH's decision support tool (PDF) . 

Learn the steps to successfully plan, write, and submit an NIH research application, and find out what happens during the review and post-award process. The grants process overview from the NIH Office of Extramural Research will also help you with the entire grant process, from planning and submission to award and closeout.

Step 1: Get Started

Learn the basics.

Learn how NIH approaches grant funding and how your research fits a research portfolio.

• Find the Right Fit for Your Research
• What Does NIH Look For?
• Who Is Eligible?
• Types of Grant Programs
• Types of Applications
• Understand Funding Opportunities

Plan Your Application

Find funding opportunities, get to know the submission process, and learn tips and strategies for planning and organizing your application.

• Understand NIH
• Use RePORTER To Help Identify Where Your Research Fits

Contact NIH Staff

• Find a Funding Opportunity
• Determine Application Submission Date
• Plan Within Your Organization
• Obtain Any Prior Approvals From NIH
• Get To Know the NIH Peer Review Process & Criteria
• Consider These Additional Application Elements
• Clinical Trial Requirements for Grants and Contracts
• Decision Support Tool: Features to Consider in Determining if a Clinical Trial is Phase II or Phase III (PDF)
• Organize Your Time To Complete the Application

Step 2: Apply for Funding

Prepare to apply.

Six to eight weeks before submission, make sure you have met all of the registration requirements, review the different types of FOAs and applications, and choose the most appropriate submission option.

• Systems and Roles
• Submission Options
• Obtain Software
• Application Due Dates
• Foreign Grants
• Grant Writing Tip Sheets
• Protocol Templates for Clinical Trials
• How To Apply – Video Tutorials
• Write Your Application

Find application forms and get tips for developing your budget and formatting attachments.

• Develop Your Budget
• Request a Scientific Review Group
• Format Attachments
• Page Limits
• Data Tables
• Reference Letters
• Biosketches
• Forms and Instructions Library

No matter your career stage, we strongly encourage you to communicate with NIH staff throughout the life cycle of every grant. The best people to talk with about the scientific, review, or administrative information in your application or award are in the NIH Institute or Center that may fund the grant. Learn about the different NIH staff roles and how you can contact the right person at each phase of the application and award process.

• Contacting Staff at the NIH Institutes and Centers
• Find NIH Program Officials in Your Research Area
• NIH Disease Prevention-Related Programs, Offices, and Divisions

Submit Your Application

Submit your application at least 2 days before the due date to make sure you have time to review it and correct any errors. Track and view your application to confirm it has been received and is correct.

• Submission Policies
• Submitting Your Application
• Submit, Track, and View
• How NIH Checks for Completeness
• Submit a Changed/Corrected Application

Step 3: Application Referral and Review

Alert : For application due dates on or after Jan 25, 2025 – There are changes coming to how most research grant applications will be reviewed.  Learn about the new simplified review framework .

Application Referral & Review

Most applications are assigned to the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) study sections for review, while about 30% of the applications are reviewed by review groups organized by an NIH Institute or Center. Learn how you can request a specific assignment, as well as what happens to your application after it is received.

• Submission & Assignment Process
• Before You Apply: Request a Scientific Review Group
• CSR Study Sections
• Prevention-Related Study Sections 
• What Happens to Your Application During and After Review?

Peer Review

Grant applications are reviewed through a rigorous two-stage process. The first level of review is primarily done by non-federal scientists, while the second level of review is performed by Advisory Councils or Boards.

• Simplifying Review of Research Project Grant Applications
• First Level of Review – Scientific Review Groups
• Second Level of Review – Advisory Council/Board
• Post-Review
• Frequently Asked Questions for Applicants
• Peer Review Webinars & Videos
• NIH Peer Review Briefing for Basic Research Applicants and Reviewers (Video)
• Eight Ways To Successfully Navigate NIH Peer Review and Get an R01 Grant (Video)
• Eight Ways To Successfully Navigate NIH Peer Review and Get a Fellowship Grant (Video)

Step 4: Pre-Award & Award Process

Pre-award & award process.

If you score well in peer review, your application is reviewed by the Advisory Council of the Institute or Center (IC). You may be asked to submit additional information, just in time for the award. After that, final administrative reviews are conducted and Notice of Award documents are sent to successful applicants.

• Roles and Responsibilities
• Pre-Award Process – Competing Applications
• Pre-Award Process – Non-Competing Awards
• Award Process

Post-Award Monitoring & Reporting

NIH monitors grants carefully. Active monitoring includes reports and correspondence from the grantee, audit reports, site visits, and other information.

• Policy & Compliance

• Insights & Analysis
• Nonprofit Jobs

Grant Research Tools

Have you found it challenging to navigate the many grant research tool options? Unless your nonprofit has a multi-person development shop with dedicated staff members doing research and writing proposals, grant research will always pose a challenge. How can you make sure you’re finding all the grants you’re eligible for, and exclude the grants you have little chance of winning?

There are several different grant research tools with different strengths and weaknesses and dramatically different costs. To help nonprofits navigate the confusing world of grant research databases, we explored some of the available tools.

In the chart below, we compare a few of them to help readers hone in on which one might be the best match for their organization. We don’t assess the quality of support, "extra" features (such as calendars or grant tracking), or educational resources offered by each organization. However, this chart does take a look at the databases themselves, and in some cases notes our opinion of their strengths and weaknesses. We try to keep the lists of features and pricing up to date; feel free to share any updated information with our staff .

This resource also does not address how to write grant proposals, read foundation 990s, or qualify, cultivate, approach, or steward funder prospects; if you need that kind of education, you could tap into educational programs offered by  state associations of nonprofits , the  Foundation Center , or  GrantStation , among others. Make sure you check out the resources on our  Fundraising  page as well.

There are other reasons to make sure you connect with your  state association of nonprofits  before you tackle the chart. In addition to offering educational programs, many state associations provide links to state-specific grant databases and member discounts on grant research tools. Some send regular grant alerts to their members. The benefits to your organization – in capacity-building, in connecting with others in your sector, and in amplifying your voice to advocate for the sector in your state – are tremendous.

One other way to locate prospective funders is to check the member list of your  regional association of grantmakers . Membership lists published by these organizations often include links to foundation websites – or, you can search on the internet for specific funders and/or their IRS Form 990s.

This chart is a work in progress. We welcome your  feedback  about the chart. (Note that the National Council of Nonprofits does not provide assistance with grant research itself.) Click here to download the chart .

Additional Resources

• Article from Idealware via TechSoup  (slightly dated but very good)
• Article from Nonprofit Quarterly's "Nonprofit Whisperer " on building a culture of philanthropy
• Foundation Directory Online (FDO)
• Funding Information Network locations
• GrantAdvisor , an anonymous review site of foundations
• GrantStation
• Instrumentl
• Regional Associations of Grantmakers
• Submit feedback, suggestions, or questions about the chart

Disclaimer: Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is neither intended to be nor should be construed as legal, accounting, tax, investment, or financial advice. Please consult a professional (attorney, accountant, tax advisor) for the latest and most accurate information. The National Council of Nonprofits makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or timeliness of the information contained herein.

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Research Funding—Why, When, and How?

Shekhar neema.

Department of Dermatology, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Laxmisha Chandrashekar

1 Department of Dermatology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Dhanvantari Nagar, Puducherry, India

Research funding is defined as a grant obtained for conducting scientific research generally through a competitive process. To apply for grants and securing research funding is an essential part of conducting research. In this article, we will discuss why should one apply for research grants, what are the avenues for getting research grants, and how to go about it in a step-wise manner. We will also discuss how to write research grants and what to be done after funding is received.

Introduction

The two most important components of any research project is idea and execution. The successful execution of the research project depends not only on the effort of the researcher but also on available infrastructure to conduct the research. The conduct of a research project entails expenses on man and material and funding is essential to meet these requirements. It is possible to conduct many research projects without any external funding if the infrastructure to conduct the research is available with the researcher or institution. It is also unethical to order tests for research purpose when it does not benefit patient directly or is not part of the standard of care. Research funding is required to meet these expenses and smooth execution of research projects. Securing funding for the research project is a topic that is not discussed during postgraduation and afterwards during academic career especially in medical science. Many good ideas do not materialize into a good research project because of lack of funding.[ 1 ] This is an art which can be learnt only by practising and we intend to throw light on major hurdles faced to secure research funding.

Why Do We Need the Funds for Research?

It is possible to publish papers without any external funding; observational research and experimental research with small sample size can be conducted without external funding and can result in meaningful papers like case reports, case series, observational study, or small experimental study. However, when studies like multi-centric studies, randomized controlled trial, experimental study or observational study with large sample size are envisaged, it may not be possible to conduct the study within the resources of department or institution and a source of external funding is required.

Basic Requirements for Research Funding

The most important requirement is having an interest in the particular subject, thorough knowledge of the subject, and finding out the gap in the knowledge. The second requirement is to know whether your research can be completed with internal resources or requires external funding. The next step is finding out the funding agencies which provide funds for your subject, preparing research grant and submitting the research grant on time.

What Are the Sources of Research Funding? – Details of Funding Agencies

Many local, national, and international funding bodies can provide grants necessary for research. However, the priorities for different funding agencies on type of research may vary and this needs to be kept in mind while planning a grant proposal. Apart from this, different funding agencies have different timelines for proposal submission and limitation on funds. Details about funding bodies have been tabulated in Table 1 . These details are only indicative and not comprehensive.

Details of funding agencies

Application for the Research Grant

Applying for a research grant is a time-consuming but rewarding task. It not only provides an opportunity for designing a good study but also allows one to understand the administrative aspect of conducting research. In a publication, the peer review is done after the paper is submitted but in a research grant, peer review is done at the time of proposal, which helps the researcher to improve his study design even if the grant proposal is not successful. Funds which are available for research is generally limited; resulting in reviewing of a research grant on its merit by peer group before the proposal is approved. It is important to be on the lookout for call for proposal and deadlines for various grants. Ideally, the draft research proposal should be ready much before the call for proposal and every step should be meticulously planned to avoid rush just before the deadline. The steps of applying for a research grant are mentioned below and every step is essential but may not be conducted in a particular order.

• Idea: The most important aspect of research is the idea. After having the idea in mind, it is important to refine your idea by going through literature and finding out what has already been done in the subject and what are the gaps in the research. FINER framework should be used while framing research questions. FINER stands for feasibility, interesting, novel, ethical, and relevant
• Designing the study: Well-designed study is the first step of a well-executed research project. It is difficult to correct flawed study design when the project is advanced, hence it should be planned well and discussed with co-workers. The help of an expert epidemiologist can be sought while designing the study
• Collaboration: The facility to conduct the study within the department is often limited. Inter-departmental and inter-institutional collaboration is the key to perform good research. The quality of project improves by having a subject expert onboard and it also makes acceptance of grant easier. The availability of the facility for conduct of research in department and institution should be ascertained before planning the project
• Scientific and ethical committee approval: Most of the research grants require the project to be approved by the institutional ethical committee (IEC) before the project is submitted. IEC meeting usually happens once in a quarter; hence pre-planning the project is essential. Some institutes also conduct scientific committee meeting before the proposal can be submitted for funding. A project/study which is unscientific is not ethical, therefore it is a must that a research proposal should pass both the committees’ scrutiny
• Writing research grant: Writing a good research grant decides whether research funding can be secured or not. So, we will discuss this part in detail.

How to write a research grant proposal [ 13 , 14 , 15 ] The steps in writing a research grant are as follows

• Identifying the idea and designing the study. Study design should include details about type of study, methodology, sampling, blinding, inclusion and exclusion criteria, outcome measurements, and statistical analysis
• Identifying the prospective grants—the timing of application, specific requirements of grant and budget available in the grant
• Discussing with collaborators (co-investigators) about the requirement of consumables and equipment
• Preparing a budget proposal—the two most important part of any research proposal is methodology and budget proposal. It will be discussed separately
• Preparing a specific proposal as outlined in the grant document. This should contain details about the study including brief review of literature, why do you want to conduct this study, and what are the implications of the study, budget requirement, and timeline of the study
• A timeline or Gantt chart should always accompany any research proposal. This gives an idea about the major milestones of the project and how the project will be executed
• The researcher should also be ready for revising the grant proposal. After going through the initial proposal, committee members may suggest some changes in methodology and budgetary outlay
• The committee which scrutinizes grant proposal may be composed of varied specialities. Hence, proposal should be written in a language which even layman can understand. It is also a good idea to get the proposal peer reviewed before submission.

Budgeting for the Research Grant

Budgeting is as important as the methodology for grant proposal. The first step is to find out what is the monetary limit for grant proposal and what are the fund requirements for your project. If these do not match, even a good project may be rejected based on budgetary limitations. The budgetary layout should be prepared with prudence and only the amount necessary for the conduct of research should be asked. Administrative cost to conduct the research project should also be included in the proposal. The administrative cost varies depending on the type of research project.

Research fund can generally be used for the following requirement but not limited to these; it is helpful to know the subheads under which budgetary planning is done. The funds are generally allotted in a graded manner as per projected requirement and to the institution, not to the researcher.

• Purchase of equipment which is not available in an institution (some funding bodies do not allow equipment to be procured out of research funds). The equipment once procured out of any research fund is owned by the institute/department
• Consumables required for the conduct of research (consumables like medicines for the conduct of the investigator-initiated trials and laboratory consumables)
• The hiring of trained personnel—research assistant, data entry operator for smooth conduct of research. The remuneration details of trained personnel can be obtained from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) website and the same can be used while planning the budget
• Stationary—for the printing of forms and similar expense
• Travel expense—If the researcher has to travel to present his finding or for some other reason necessary for the conduct of research, travel grant can be part of the research grant
• Publication expense: Some research bodies provide publication expense which can help the author make his findings open access which allows wider visibility to research
• Contingency: Miscellaneous expenditure during the conduct of research can be included in this head
• Miscellaneous expenses may include expense toward auditing the fund account, and other essential expenses which may be included in this head.

Once the research funding is granted. The fund allotted has to be expended as planned under budgetary planning. Transparency, integrity, fairness, and competition are the cornerstones of public procurement and should be remembered while spending grant money. The hiring of trained staff on contract is also based on similar principles and details of procurement and hiring can be read at the ICMR website.[ 4 ] During the conduct of the study, many of grant guidelines mandate quarterly or half-yearly progress report of the project. This includes expense on budgetary layout and scientific progress of the project. These reports should be prepared and sent on time.

Completion of a Research Project

Once the research project is completed, the completion report has to be sent to the funding agency. Most funding agencies also require period progress report and project should ideally progress as per Gantt chart. The completion report has two parts. The first part includes a scientific report which is like writing a research paper and should include all subheads (Review of literature, material and methods, results, conclusion including implications of research). The second part is an expense report including how money was spent, was it according to budgetary layout or there was any deviation, and reasons for the deviation. Any unutilized fund has to be returned to the funding agency. Ideally, the allotted fund should be post audited by a professional (chartered accountant) and an audit report along with original bills of expenditure should be preserved for future use in case of any discrepancy. This is an essential part of any funded project that prevents the researcher from getting embroiled in any accusations of impropriety.

Sharing of scientific findings and thus help in scientific advancement is the ultimate goal of any research project. Publication of findings is the part of any research grant and many funding agencies have certain restrictions on publications and presentation of the project completed out of research funds. For example, Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) research projects on completion have to be presented in a national conference and the same is true for most funding agencies. It is imperative that during presentation and publication, researcher mentions the source of funding.

Research funding is an essential part of conducting research. To be able to secure a research grant is a matter of prestige for a researcher and it also helps in the advancement of career.

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Top Tips for Getting Science Research Grants

Getting science research grants is becoming increasingly competitive and difficult. Read our top tips to maximize your chances of success.

Published February 3, 2022

I am a PhD qualified research professional with a strong background in Translational Medicine and Biomedical research. This has involved carrying out research into a variety of diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory lung disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease and drug allergy/hypersensitivity. I gained experience in laboratory and research management and now work in medical education regulation.

It is a fact universally acknowledged that getting science research grants is becoming increasingly difficult and competitive, with success rates of about 1 in 5 depending on the funding body and country. Those are not great odds, are they?

But science needs money, and so scientists need grants. To help maximize your chances of success, we’ve pulled together our top tips for grant success.

Why Do I Need a Science Research Grant?

It is now part of a research scientist’s job to secure funding year on year to enable projects to continue. Science research grants pay for equipment, reagents, supplies, research trips, and salaries. But securing funding is harder than ever; in 2020, for example, NIH Research Project Grants had a success rate of 20.6% . Check out this  Nature  article for some more grant stats .

The bottom line is essentially no money, no scientific progress. But given that funding bodies receive far more applications than they’ll ever be able to fund, some degree of failure is an inevitability.

But someone has to win these grants, even  prestigious NIH ones , for example. So there’s no reason why, with a bit of careful planning and foresight, that person cannot be you. Read on to find out how.

How Do I Get Science Research Grants?

The first thing to remember when applying for science research grants is that you need to have a problem that other people will want to be solved. The “why” is fundamental to your success.

One grant reviewer describes a  grant application as being like a sales pitch , and it’s helpful to keep that in mind. What are you “selling” and how will it benefit science/the world?

Another key point to remember is  not to rely on dependent aims  in your project, whereby if the first fails, all the others will fail. Including dependent aims in your application is a sure-fire way to fail.

We want your grant applications to succeed, so let’s look at our top tips for grant success in some more detail.

1.     Research the Types of Funding Available

Spend some time at the start of each year researching the grants you are eligible to apply for both nationally and internationally. 

Obviously, the large national funding agencies usually advertise at the same time of year. 

However, things change, and new funding opportunities can crop up, or previously awarded grants can be phased out. Note down in your calendar the submission deadlines and set a reminder a month or two before these dates so you have sufficient time to prepare.

2.    Start Early

Never underestimate how long it takes to complete a grant application. There will be multiple sections, some of which will have different guidelines, and you’ll need help from other people (from your collaborators to fact-checkers to proofreaders). All of this takes time. Account for this because rarely is a rushed application a good application.

3.     Tailor your Grant Application to the Particular Funding Call

Applying for a grant is a bit like applying for a job: you need to tailor your answers to the particular funding call. At the same time, make sure your grant application fits with the theme of the grant program. 

For example, a basic science project is unlikely to be funded by a clinical research grant program. If your project doesn’t fit well with the grant program, save yourself time and energy and focus on grant programs that will fit with your proposed project.

If you’re applying for multiple grants, make sure that you change your submission to fit each set of guidelines. Another reason for starting early!

4.    Follow the Rules

Follow the application guidelines and give yourself time to become familiar with them. Then make sure you are preparing your manuscript accordingly in terms of word count, layout, etc.

NIH grants, for instance, have multiple sections, each with its own guidelines.

Include all information requested by the funding agency. The academics who contributed to  this article on securing funding  all mention how important this is, so take heed! Use a successful application as a guide and remember these key points:

• Run a spelling/grammar check. Check out our  Grammar 101 for scientists webinar  if you need to brush up!
• Don’t exceed word counts.
• Choose appropriate keywords.
• Avoid jargon.

5.     Make Your Writing Clear, Concise, and Simple

Get your point across as briefly as possible. You don’t have to meet the word limit of the grant. Don’t propose too large a project: you will appear overly ambitious or your project plan will look poor. You need to have a realistic view of what can be accomplished within a designated time frame and budget.

6.     Put Yourself in the Reviewers’ Shoes

Remember that your grant may be one of hundreds of submitted grants read by a reviewer. Make your grant application stand out through careful preparation and attention to detail. Obtain experience early on in your career by reviewing grants. You can do this by

• offering to look over colleagues’ grants
• applying to be a grant reviewer yourself
• saying yes if you’re invited to review a grant!

Understanding the overall grant process will lead to better grant preparation.

Make it easy for a reviewer to read. Don’t mess with the margins of your page to try and squeeze more information in, for example; this will only annoy your reviewers and cause them to look unfavorably on your submission.

7.     Use Your Time Wisely, and Ask Colleagues for Help

Give yourself plenty of time to research and write your grant. While it isn’t ideal to completely stop lab work, don’t start an important experiment the week before a grant is due.

Ask colleagues to read your application both for proofreading purposes and for advice on content. 

If your application requires reference letters or a signature from the lab head, organize these in advance. You don’t want to turn up at your lab head’s office on the day of submission to discover that he/she is on holiday.

8.     Justify the Money You’re Asking for and Be Realistic

Don’t promise everything under the sun; reviewers want evidence of a project that’s deliverable within the time frame of the grant. Be realistic about what you can achieve.

Check and double-check your numbers. Then get someone else to check them.

9.     Avoid Writer’s Block

If you’re struggling with a particular section, leave it and go on to another. There’s no point battling with a difficult piece of writing. Come back to it later with fresh eyes. Don’t leave the application completely, though. Use your time to finish off other sections.

10.     Remember That Persistence Pays Off

We said earlier that success rates for research grants aren’t high, so over the course of your career you can expect a fair degree of rejection. But don’t let that deter you.

Use feedback from your applications to hone your next grant, and use the experience as an opportunity for growth (once you’ve allowed yourself an hour/ a day of wallowing, of course). After all, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Who Awards Science Research Grants?

The funding bodies to which you can apply for science research grants vary depending on where you’re based and what career stage you’re at.

As well as the big hitters (the NIH, the MRC, etc.), smaller funding bodies may also have ideal fits for your work, so cast your net wide.

You can check out  where to search for funding in the USA  here.

In the UK,  UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding opportunities  are listed here, and  opportunities for research funding in Australia can be browsed here . 

Wellcome now has three funding streams , from early career research grants to grants for established researchers, so it’s worth checking that out too.

And the  European Commission lists its funding opportunities here ; it’s worth looking into to see if your project fits one of their opportunities.

How have you found your science research grants? What was the application process like? And have we missed any research funding opportunities? Let us know in the comments below!

Originally published August 31, 2012. Reviewed and updated January 2022.

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The Basics of Grant and Prospect Research

Kyle h. andrei.

It doesn’t matter how many foundations, individual donors, local and regional governments, and other funders believe in your organization and can donate financial support to it if those donors can’t find you and put you on their radar. Researching grants and prospects is the first step in the process, and navigating the upper levels of major-gift fundraising often requires a different approach than individual gift campaigns.

Grant research involves a certain amount of strategy and thoughtfulness, which no software can provide for you. But a number of tools on the market can facilitate your efforts to identify and research funders and make tracking your results more manageable.

For example, online search databases are essential to help you find new potential grants quickly by listing local and national foundations sorted by interest area, saving you time that would otherwise be spent poring over catalogs and directories. Some Web-based services can also help you locate the people in your area who are likely to make major contributions to your organization.

Foundation Grant Research

At its most basic, grant prospect research essentially consists of two major practices: researching various foundations’ grant cycles and giving histories, and managing your organization’s applications for each foundation. The former is an exercise in Web research—identifying a list of foundations that might give to your organization and locating them online to identify the types of organizations they’ve funded in the past, and with what size grants—and the latter is a matter of tracking and managing data.

Grant Research Tools

When looking up giving histories and grant cycles, websites like the Foundation Center’s Foundation Directory Online  database or  GrantStation  are invaluable. They allow you to search very detailed records of foundations by a variety of criteria, including past grants, focus areas, and giving interests. For example, an animal rescue shelter might identify a list of foundations dedicated to animal welfare or with a history of funding other shelters and animal rescue groups. You can access the Foundation Center database online with a monthly subscription ; the basic package starts around $20 a month, and full access costs around $180 monthly. GrantStation has a yearly subscription for $699, but may also be available at substantial discount through your state association.  GrantStation is also available through TechSoup’s product catalog  for qualified nonprofits and libraries. Alternatively, many regional or local philanthropy centers offer access as a benefit of membership, or free on location in their “grant research libraries.”

In addition, regional associations of grantmakers can be valuable sources of information (visit the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers  for a full list). Most grantmaker associations, also known as philanthropy centers, will house a publicly available list of foundations specific to a geographic area. Some are print-only, but a number offer online databases as well. You can also find associations of grantmakers centered on a mission area, such as  Grantmakers in Film and Electronic Media , or by other criteria, like the  Association of Small Foundations . Searching member lists for these associations may help identify potential grant prospects.

Federal grants are another key source of funding for many organizations. While you won’t find these grants in private and corporate foundation databases, you can search for U.S. federal grant opportunities at  Grants.gov . State and local grant listings can most often be found on your municipality’s website. A basic Web search is also a great way to find out what grants nonprofits similar to your own have received, and that your organization may qualify for. Many nonprofits list foundation funders on their websites or in annual reports.

Once you’ve identified a list of foundations, you’ll need to determine their giving histories and grant capacities. Tax records are an important source of information on past grantees, overall budget, granting capacity, and the value of past grants. You’ll likely find a lot of this information through the Foundation Center database, but you may also need to search in other places to find everything you’re looking for.  GuideStar  lets you search a database that contains more than 5 million IRS Forms 990—the form the government uses to track financial information about organizations. A number of helpful sites can show you how to find the relevant data in a 990 form, including the  Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York  and this  archived article  at BusinessJournalism.org.

Tools for Managing the Grants Cycle

As you begin to gather information about prospective funders, you’ll need a place to store it. Smaller organizations with limited budgets and nonprofits just starting their grant research may find spreadsheet applications like  Microsoft Excel  or  Google Drive  to be terrific low-budget options for managing foundation prospect lists. If you choose to go this route, create columns to track such information as foundation names, website links, giving interests, and potential giving capacities, as well as dates of RFPs (requests for proposals) and their due dates. If your organization’s internal deadline for proposals is different from the foundation’s deadline, be sure to record both dates.

Most donor management databases, like any of those listed in Idealware’s  Consumers Guide to Donor Management Systems , let you manage your list of foundations just like any other giving prospects, and can track the RFP and proposal dates, the status of your proposals, and your proposal workflows.

In addition, it can be useful to supplement your deadline- and submission-date records with calendaring or task-management software that can function as a to-do list to ensure you don’t miss any deadlines.

Individual Prospect Research

Major gift prospects—typically wealthy individuals in either your geographic area or the community associated with your issue who have the capacity and interest in donating to your organization—can be as valuable to your organization as foundations.

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Before you can start your research, you’ll need to create a list of current and potential donors.

• Start with your list of current donors. Who has been a good donor in the past? You may find through your research that these people have greater giving capacity than you expected.
• Ask your board members and other supporters to recommend people for the list.
• Identify a few key people in your community who aren’t currently on your list but are known to donate to other organizations.

While technology can help you better understand the giving potential of these donors, it can’t help you create this list.

Once you have your prospect list, you’ll need to create a profile for your potential donors that includes their contact and giving information, as well as their financial capacity. Much of this information can be found for free in public records like tax documents, property values, board affiliations, and publicly held stock portfolios. Depending on the size of your prospect list and your staff time capacity, it can be feasible to manually search for these records. Many documents, such as property value records from the assessor’s office, may require you to request this information in person; this is usually free, though there may be a small fee for photocopies. (Some high-level donors may own property in multiple states or municipalities, posing more of a record-gathering challenge.)

Wealth-Screening Services

Rather than searching manually, you could use a wealth-screening database to save staff time, which to many nonprofits is more valuable than the cost of one of these Web-based services—especially for a longer list of donors. Four of the most widely-used wealth-screening databases are  Donor Search ,  WealthEngine ,  LexisNexis Development Professionals , and  Blackbaud’s Target Analytics .

All four allow you to upload a list of potential donors in order to approximate their individual giving potential. This is similar to the process you would use to research individual prospects yourself. These services just pull information from the databases and public records to which you have access. The difference is the staff time you save by being able to run a list of thousands of names at once instead of manually searching one by one, as well as a honed ability to know where to look for detailed information.

While all of these tools tend to be expensive (prices are available only through a quote from the vendors), WealthEngine and LexisNexis cost more than DonorSearch or Target Analytics. Since they usually run on a subscription basis, you can either run large lists all at once, or smaller donor lists as needed. Many of these services will also filter your prospect list to identify the most likely donors, such as your top one percent or top one hundred prospects. Because the information used to create these donor profiles comes from public records, these services tend to use the same sources with minor variations among them. When choosing a tool, it can be helpful to arrange a trial list from the ones you’re considering by using a few names you already have up-to-date profiles on to judge the accuracy of the tools.

Now That You Have Your List…

As with foundation research, you’ll need a place to record and manage your individual prospects. This should be done using a donor management database, which will let you track each prospect and their giving histories, asset pools, giving interests, and the likelihood that they will give again. Many donor databases can also manage pledges and scheduled or recurring gifts, allowing you to keep track of large gifts spread out over a period of months or years—which can be an important source of reliable funding.

Once you’ve compiled a list of feasible prospects and put them through wealth screening, it’s time to start appending the records already in your database. If you’ve used a wealth-screening tool, you’ll find that some of them—WealthEngine or Blackbaud’s Target Analytics, for example—will integrate with your existing donor database or CRM, while others will require you to import the list manually. You also should check over the profiles you get back from these tools—to make sure, for instance, that the John Smith they’ve highlighted as your most likely prospect is the John Smith you think it is—before you import the list wholesale into your system.

It’s important to remember that these prospects are a starting point for cultivating new, high-value donors, not a piggy bank. If you don’t already have a relationship with your top potential donors, find a way to introduce your organization and take the time to build a relationship before soliciting thousands of dollars from them. You also may find from your research that your current long-term donors have greater capacity than you expected. Because you already have a relationship with them, you can consider asking them to increase their contributions.

As you can see, the technology exists to help you find available grants and track their grant cycle, but there still isn’t software to replace the human element—say, to write your proposals for you. And it’s the same with your individual prospects. Wealth-screening services can quickly track down information for your list that would take hours and hours of staff time, but they can’t sit down with each prospect and build a relationship. It’s still essential to have a seasoned fundraiser with the knowledge and capabilities to write good proposals and/or wine and dine potential donors. It’s a good idea to use the high-tech databases and wealth-screening services to help you find the door, but it’s still your job to get your foot in it.

This article was first published by TechSoup, who provided financial support for its creation. The author would like to thank the following nonprofit technology professionals for providing recommendations, advice, and other help: Robert Weiner ; Erin Baltes,  Thomas College ; Carolyn Appleton , Independent Nonprofit Fundraising Executive; Laura Jansen,  Pierce Family Foundation .

Copyright © 2014 TechSoup Global. This work is published under a  Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License .

About the author

Kyle H. Andrei is a research associate for Idealware, a nonprofit that provides thoroughly researched, impartial, and accessible resources about software to help other nonprofits make smart decisions. Visit www.idealware.org to find dozens of free articles, reports, and trainings about technology topics of interest to nonprofits.

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How to apply for a research grant to fund your studies

If you’re planning to study for your PhD, or even a Master’s degree, you’ll likely want to apply for a research grant to help fund your studies. But how exactly do you do this?

Knowing exactly what to include in your research proposal, who to submit it to and when to apply won’t come easy for most of us, even if they are essential  to studying for your postgraduate qualification.

Fear not, however, we’ve got you covered.

Decide on your research proposal

If you want to apply for a research grant, you’re first going to need a fully formed research proposal. If you are currently in education looking to go onto further study, you can ask your current professor to help you with this. If not, don’t worry too much, you can still write it yourself.

The main thing a research funder wants to understand is the purpose and impact of your research. You need to convince them your research is worth investing into and they will get high ROI.

Finalising your proposal is the first step of applying for funding. Source: Shutterstock

This means you need a clear idea of the topic you are researching, an understanding of why you’re are studying it, and an estimate of the impact your research will have on society, the industry or the academic community.

Bear in mind, your funder will want to benefit from your research, so ensure you are choosing bodies within your field and that will see the value of your proposal.

Identify relevant bodies that might fund you

After fine-tuning your proposal to something you are genuinely passionate about, you can begin finding suitable research funders to make your study abroad dreams a reality – be wary of doing this step before finalising your proposal, or you may end up studying something that can be funded but you don’t genuinely enjoy.

Unlike with most university courses, where you study is likely to be determined where you can get funding. If you are committed to studying in a particular part of the world, only bother looking for funding bodies in these areas, but the more flexible you are, the more funding you can apply to.

Google is your friend when finding suitable funders. Source: Shutterstock

Most countries have research and development funds, so these can always be lucrative funders. Corporations in the field may also have a budget for research, and universities themselves can sometimes offer funding.

It’s also worth looking if governments, universities or businesses are advertising funded research, as the projects they may be investigating could overlap with yours.

Funding bodies will have established criteria on how to go about applying for a grant. This can be found on their website, and differ from body to body. A quick google of funding agencies in the area your in should bring up these pages. It’s worth taking time to read the different application criteria to see:

• If your research fits in with their funding criteria
• Your proposal meets their application guidelines.

The longer your list, the better for potential funders and thus, the better chance you have of receiving funding.

Submit your grant proposal

Once you have identified some potential funding bodies, you can begin submitting your proposal.

This involves tailoring your research plan to fit the investor you are writing to and making your research relevant to them.

https://twitter.com/SamanthaZY/status/1027583177148125184

Time is of the essence here, and you should spend as long as you need ensuring you have adequately met all the criteria they need. This might include budget, long-term and short-term impact, a progress timeline showing a which point you will complete key milestones and any added support you may need.

Some applications may be made online, while others may be written or require a face-to-face meeting.

To ensure you can start your research in a timely fashion, you should apply at least two months before you intend to begin your studies.

You can also follow your proposal up with an email to further explain your passion for contributing to the field. This will help you to stand out against other applicants and reinforce your commitment to your studies.

Wait for the response

Once you have formulated and submitted your proposal, you must then do the hardest part of all – wait for a decision. This can be nerve-wracking, especially if you applied online without a chance to speak to the funding bodies directly.

You are likely to hear back the same way you applied – however, some investors may prefer to speak on the phone to discuss the criteria of their funding and what is expected of you.

There is no objective timeframe as to how long you may be waiting to hear back, but it can be useful to check when the application closing date is, or when you said you would be starting your studies. This can provide a benchmark as to when you will hear, so you’re not unnecessarily panicking the entire time.

If you have any questions about student finance or postgraduate education, please email us at [email protected] and we will do our best to help.

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Related Information

This decision tree is intended for independent investigators doing research within the NIGMS mission who are new to NIH and do not have a major research grant. This includes early stage investigators (ESIs) . NIGMS supports generalizable, foundational basic research and a limited number of clinical areas that affect multiple organ systems.

Anyone can use this tool, but it’s designed for those who are new to the NIH process. Click on the “Tell me more” option for definitions and additional information.

This decision tree will help identify potential fit to one or more of the four notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs) NIGMS generally uses to fund research project grants (RPGs).

Each NOFO includes details about organization and principal investigator (PI) eligibility information. All eligibility criteria must be met to qualify. Use the decision tree below to identify a potential fit, then check the appropriate NOFO to confirm full eligibility. Consult with your institution’s business official to verify your organization’s eligibility. For questions about the NOFO or eligibility, contact the program official or scientific/research contact listed towards the end of the NOFO.

Individuals who completed their terminal degree within the past 10 years and who has not previously competed successfully as PD/PI for a substantial NIH independent research award. - https://grants.nih.gov/policy/early-stage/index.htm

Are you interested in NIGMS funding for research (not for training or career development)?

Tell Me More:

Research project grant (rpg).

An award made to an institution/organization to support discrete, specified, circumscribed projects to be performed by named investigators in areas representing their specific interest and competencies.

research project grants and cooperative agreements include the following activity codes: R00, R01, R03, R15, R16, R21, R33, R34, R35, R36, R37, R50, R56, R61, RC1, RC2, RC3, RC4, RF1, RL1, RL2, RL9, P01, P42, PM1, PN1, RM1, UA5, UC1, UC2, UC3, UC4, UC7, UF1, UG3, UH2, UH3, UH5, UM1, UM2, U01, U19, U34, U3R, DP1, DP2, DP3, DP4, DP5. NIH's most commonly used grant program is the Research Project Grant Program (R01). Refer to Types of Grant Programs .

Do you have a current NIGMS R35 or R01-equivalent award?

Consult https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-22-180.html#_Section_III._Eligibility for more information.

Are you an ESI or NI?

Early Stage Investigator (ESI)

A program director (PD) / principal investigator (PI) who has completed their terminal research degree or end-of-post-graduate clinical training, whichever date is later, within the past 10 years and who has not previously competed successfully as PD/PI for a substantial NIH independent research award. A list of NIH grants that a PD/PI can hold and still be considered an ESI can be found on this webpage .

New Investigator

A PD/PI who has not previously competed successfully as a PD/PI for a substantial independent research award. For example, a PD/PI who has previously received a competing NIH R01 research grant is no longer considered a new investigator. However, a PD/PI who has received a small grant (R03) or an Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award (R21) retains their status as a new investigator. The list of NIH grants that a PD/PI can hold and still be considered a new investigator is the same as the list of grants that a PD/PI can hold and still be considered an early stage investigator.

Do you have a current NIGMS research project grant?

Will your research team include primarily undergraduate students?

Refer to NOFO PAR-21-155, Section IV— “Personnel Justification: Since a primary objective of the AREA program is to engage undergraduate students in meritorious research, the research team must be composed primarily of undergraduate students from the applicant institution/AREA-eligible component."

Does your institution enroll at least 25% of undergraduate students supported by Pell grants in each of the last 2 years? Alternatively, does your institution belong to one of the following categories Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) or Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), (i.e., institutions described in section 5(e) of Executive Order 14049 )? If you can answer "yes" to one or both of these, answer "yes" to this question.

Pell grant data can be found at https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/ maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics

Does your institution have less than $6 million total costs from NIH RPG funding in the past 2 years?

NIH SuRE R16 Grants

Does your institution have less than $6 million total costs from NIH funding in 4 of the past 7 years?

Need Help Determining Organization Funding Levels for R15 Eligibility?

Does your research require multiple principal investigators?

Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator

Will your research team include some undergraduate or graduate students?

Refer to NOFOs PAR-21-169 and PAR-21-173 “The research strategy must include a separate section entitled "Student Involvement Plan" that describes how students will be involved and supervised in conducting hands-on, rigorous research, including their participation in the execution, analysis, and reporting of the research.”

You should be looking at Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity (TWD).

Potential fits identified below.

All eligibility criteria must be met to qualify. Once you’ve used the decision tree to identify a potential fit, check the appropriate NOFO to confirm full eligibility. Consult with your Institution’s Business Official to verify your organization’s eligibility.

Supports research capacity building at organizations that receive less than $6 million per year (total cost) of NIH Research Project Grant funds and have either at least 25% of the undergraduate enrollment supported by Pell grants in each of the last 2 years or belong to one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) or Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).

Open to PIs with primary appointments at non-health professional schools or colleges within the applicant organizations that have primarily undergraduate enrollment. PIs who have intensive teaching responsibilities and limited time to devote to research may want to consider this mechanism. These are small-scope research projects defined by aims and must include undergraduate students.

Two funding opportunities: one open to ESIs and the other to new PIs seeking funding from NIGMS and established PIs who have current NIGMS funding for a research project. These awards provide support for a program of research that falls within the mission of NIGMS. Projects are not defined by a set of aims.

Parent R01 open to all PIs. These are defined research projects with a set of Aims. Note: If you are interested in technology development learn more about the NIGMS program here .

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• 4 . 29 . 20
• Career , Entrepreneur

How to Get Research Funded — 8 Types of Funding You Can Win

• Posted by: Chris

Updated May 27, 2021

I wasn’t expecting that knowing how to get research funded would be my most valuable skill after I left academia. To be honest, I thought that most organizations just had money.

Was I wrong! With each organization I worked for, I realized that everyone needed to win funding. When I worked at a think tank, we would conceptualize projects and then convince organizations to fund them. As a non-profit, it drew a combination of funding from government, corporations, and foundations, usually mixing and matching in order to get to whatever funding target was required.

When I started working for the government, I was working on international refugee projects. To my surprise, even in government, I had to apply for funding. In fact, one of my first tasks was working on an internal funding competition—different parts of the department competed to get their idea funded. Since we were working to develop refugee programs in other countries, funding was a universal language.

Funding is vital to most research organizations. And it’s important almost everywhere you go.

What follows is a condensed post based on a recent webinar I did: How to Get Research Funded Outside of Academia. If you would like, you can click the link at the end of the post and I’ll send you the full, 5,000+ word PDF guide.

Why do I need to know this?

• You’ll be valuable to employers.
• You’ll pay your own salar y
• You can work for yourself, on your own projects.
• You can straddle the academic/non-academic line.

What follows is a non-exhaustive list of funding that you can apply for. It’s based on my experiences of funding things outside of academia, where the funding sources varied. For some of these examples, I’m including a section called What they Want. Knowing what these funders want is important to know when you pitch them. After all, they don’t exist only to make your research happen. If you want to work with them, you’ll need to identify where you bring them value and create work that is mutually beneficial.

1. Academic Grants/Post Docs

I’ll start here, not because it’s the best source, but to get it out of the way. Academia can be a part of this conversation. After all, a lot of research happens there. You can leave academia, get off the tenure track, stop chasing positions, and still take money from the academy. You can find and create your own post doc or get research funds from a professor to do so. You can form a partnership with a professor, even if you’re not in academia.

In Canada we have a program called Mitacs that does fund post docs. if you can raise some of your own funding or get an organization to pay you, they will match it. As far as I know, there’s no U.S. federal equivalent.

2. Think Tanks

What do think tanks do anyway? I don’t know many people who really know. But I’m so glad my first career experience was at a think tank. It allowed me to meet a cross-section of the working world, people from the private sector, government, non-profits, and more. Think tanks do research and share ideas—a perfect match for a lot of academics.

Think tanks are usually non-profit organizations, and are funded in various ways, such as:

• membership funding (ie. institutional members)
• project funding

There are also some think tanks within government that have a mandate to provide policy direction. Examples of this include the International Development Research Centre in Canada or the U.S. Global Change Research Program in the U.S.

What they want . . .

Think tanks want to get their ideas into the public sphere. They want to influence, especially the realm of public policy and the actions of government. In suggesting courses of action and influencing policy directions, they show value to funders. This CAN be the shadowy side of think tanks. It can be a way for corporations to buy access to influence the decision-making process. You’ll need to find a think tank that mostly aligns with your values. If you’re a progressive lefty, don’t try to work for The Heritage Foundation.

Some Examples of Think Tanks Careers

New America

Carnegie Endowment

American Enterprise Institute

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Public Policy Forum

Conference Board

Chatham House

3. Private Sector

This is a hard entry to write, because so many companies do research! From pharmaceuticals to banks to geologists to management consultants, sometimes the best way to get paid to do research you love is to get hired by a company that does it. Find a company interested in the same things you are and try to meet with someone. Tell them you have a project to pitch they’ll be interested in. See if they are.

If you don’t want to get hired as an employee, perhaps you want to be a consultant. Lots of companies would consider this. But it’s up to you to do your homework and figure out where you’d fit, as well as to meet people from the company and create your opportunity. Companies don’t often post that they’re looking for consultants. They look in their networks! So, get to know some people at companies that do work you’re interested in. Or, pay attention to events like the Johnson and Johnson Quick Pitch, which gives outsiders a chance to pitch them ideas. Notice—a lot of companies are looking for ideas. Especially if they’re profitable. Finally, companies also give grants to get started sometimes, like this Deloitte incentive program.

If you can find a company who will benefit from your research, there may be a chance they’ll fund your work as one-off. In this case, you would likely be a consultant—you’d probably do the research and invoice them. You’d need to figure out the business ramifications for this.

There are also Corporate Responsibility Foundations, which I’ll discuss below.

The private sector usually wants one of two things.

• Profits : This is most common. They want to advance their profits. This might mean developing technology or products. They might do research on social trends that are relevant to them. So, if you’ve done your work and found out who’s interested in your project, it might be relevant to a company’s bottom line somehow. Make that connection, especially if you can show it will add value, and you’ll get money.
• Brand Awareness: The second way to get funded by the private sector is to have a project that advances their brand or fits within their corporate responsibility platform. Usually this means that private-sector organizations will direct some of their profits into projects that provide some social benefit, likely from a mixture of altruism and brand creation.

4. Public-Sector Funding

You could build an entire career on public-sector funding. Become an expert on this, and you could establish your own multi-million dollar research company and sell to government. It’s that lucrative. Or, you could invent things and make millions selling the government the patents.

There are different ways to get government funding, and it will be impossible to cover them in detail here. So, this should be an introduction to a few options. If it’s interesting to you, you can start researching more. What’s great about the government is that there is lots of funding and diverse ways to get it. On the other hand, it can be frustrating because of excessive red tape. But, if you take the time to learn the system, it will pay off.

Obviously, there are funding opportunities at all levels of government. This includes municipal and provincial/state governments. For the purposes of this brief guide, I’ll stick to federal. Most of the information here comes from the U.S. and Canada, but it is applicable elsewhere. Figure out how it connects in your own context.

In general, federal money is to stimulate the economy, create jobs, or—more frequently—to carry out the business of government. It’s to run the country. This is a big window. On the micro-level, individual parts of any government need to expand research and policy options or create products and services to serve taxpayers. Sometimes they just need to spend their budgeted money by the end of the year, so it doesn’t disappear for next year. Yup, it happens.

A few examples of government funding methods . . .

• Procurement  

Procurement is how the government acquires goods and services it uses to carry out the business of governing the country. This includes things like shipbuilding for the military, installing new printers in a government tower, creating an immigration database, programming an AI interface for passports, or building government housing. Procurement is a big business, and there are companies who have made it their business to sell to government. Sometimes you will see calls for research projects that the government would like done.

In order to get funded through procurement processes, you’ll need to apply for the process with the appropriate “vehicle” (probably a corporation), following the RFT very carefully.

You can see some of the procurement systems below. (Try searching for words like “research,” “policy,” or a keyword from your field.)

Procurement Databases

United States (Awarded Contracts listed here .)

United Kingdom

European Union

I won’t talk about them here, but some governments have Standing Offers for pre-approved suppliers to provide services on an ongoing basis.

• Sole Source/ Single Source/ No-Bid Contract

Because procurement processes can be clunky with lots of paperwork and long waits, governments often have workarounds for people who need to get work done quickly without the process. These projects must fall under a certain value threshold and are called sole-source contracts. In both Canada and the U.S., the limit on a sole-source contract is $25,000. Usually the use of a vendor without the bidding process must be justified, but this is not necessarily difficult to do—especially if you have a certain skill or specialty.

There’s a good guide to these contracts in the U.S. here and more information here .  

Sole source contracts, as I’ve known them in the Canadian government, are given out in two ways. Either the organization pitches the appropriate government division, or the government division identifies a need and searches for someone to provide the missing piece. Either way, networks are important, as is your personal brand as someone with expertise in your field. 

• Startup Grants/ Funding

Governments want businesses to thrive, and so they have a whole bunch of cool initiatives to help it happen. If you are doing research, this can be a great place to get funded (especially for STEM). For example, the Industrial Research Assistance Program   (IRAP) grant gives up to $200,000 for Canadian companies to develop technologies. There’s a list of U.S. grants here and Canadian ones here .

• Granting Agencies

Granting agencies are government too, and you probably know them through universities. But many have programs for things that are not strictly university related. (For example, you could check out the National Science Foundation Seed Fund grants .) Some of them give certain awards to non-profits (remember, you could start one or associate with one), and some give awards to small businesses. Perhaps you’re willing to launch your own research firm. Check the granting agencies associated with your research and see if they have programs that don’t require academic affiliation, or you could find an affiliation.

I won’t list all of them here, but for an example, here are the calls from the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Canadian Institute of Health Research .

5. Professional Associations, Industry Groups, Labor Organizations

Professional Associations or Industry Groups are a great source of funding, and often underutilized. Generally, these groups are made up of representatives of a collection of businesses, trades, non-profits, any organization really, stretched out across a region or country. They’re usually structured as non-profits that protect and promote the interests of their members. This often includes research and policy work, but the research usually feeds into outputs such as educating their stakeholders or the public or lobbying the government for their interests. (We often think of lobbying as a dirty word, but there may be causes that you would happily lobby for. It usually depends on the issue.)

These bodies want to show members that they’re doing useful work (ie. that the membership dues are worth paying), and that they’re sparking industry change and progress on their behalf. They educate the public and educate and/or advocate with government for the benefit of their stakeholders.

For example: The slogan “Got Milk?” was created by the California Milk Processor Board, funded by California Dairy Processors. It was licensed to the National Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), which used it nationally. If you go to their website, you’ll find that they have a research program on milk trends . . . Yep, a PhD could work here. Similarly, if you go to the Dairy Farmers of Canada Website , you’ll find that they do research on sustainable farming, milk and antibiotics, nutrition, and technology.

Lists of such associations/organizations

Professional Associations , Trade Associations , Labor Organizations

Industry Associations, Professional Associations , Labor Organizations

United States

Industry Trade Groups , Associations , Labor Organizations

International

6. Voluntary Sector/ Charities/ Foundations

The voluntary sector isn’t one we often associate with money, but I’m talking mostly about foundations here (although some non-profits will have small funding grants). There are lots of enormous foundations that are philanthropic or corporate that give out funding. Foundations are big pots of money. They can be established because of a grant from a wealthy or influential person (like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , the Obama Foundation , or the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation ). Corporations also fund big foundations like the The Mastercard Foundation . You can see the list of the World’s Wealthiest Charitable Foundations here.

Foundations are usually mission driven, and often have a specific ideology or goal. You’ll need to find the one that fits with your research. Whether it’s better community housing, nurturing diverse leaders, or studying renewable energy—they’ve got a purpose. Corporate foundations do a lot of social good, but obviously they’re also a way of polishing a corporate brand. As long as you can get on board with this, take their money and don’t look back.

Examples of Foundations

Royal Bank Foundation (Canada)

McConnell Foundation (Canada)

Wells Fargo Foundation

Open Societies Foundation

7. Funding from International Bodies

There are big international bodies that give out money. Think the United Nations organizations, which have some associated funds. For example, the United Nations Voluntary Fund on Disability supports research and education initiatives aligning with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The European Commission is another such body which gives out billions. For example, the Horizon 2020 granting scheme gives out €80 billion every seven years. Do some research and find one that fits you and apply.

This is hard to generalize, but usually these bodies want to advance their missions, to improve quality of life where they can, to create opportunities for underrepresented groups, and to make a better world.

8. New Funding Methods

This is not an exhaustive list of how to get research funded. You can be creative. Research funding is always changing. Did you know that you can Crowdfund scientific research? (There’s a list of some of the places to do that here .) I recently discovered the site Experiment , which does just this. I also love the Canadian initiative Generation Squeeze, which operates on a individual membership model and does research into the challenges facing young people in Canada, relying on small-scale private donors to fund them.

Whatever your project, think outside the box!

The problem will not be the lack of money and options. It will be focusing. There’s too much money.

So, you’ve got your idea, and some knowledge of how to get research funded. You’ve got some possible deliverables articulated, and you know who’s going to be interested in your research. You’ve now got a superpower. Take that knowledge out into the real world and see what happens.

I want to tell you three more things before I end.

• Believe it or not, the challenge of funding is not that there’s too little. The problem is that there is too much. There are too many opportunities. You’ll need to learn to be strategic, not necessarily chasing everything that you see.
• Build your network. Always. It opens up opportunities that you’ve never imagined. If you have a proposal and you know who’s going to be interested in your project, it’s going to make networking that much easier. When you reach out to people, make sure to explain that you are working on the project, state your credentials, and explain it a bit. People will likely take the time to meet with you if you present as professional and are doing work in their area of interest.
• There are less rules than you think. When I wrote grant applications in university, we could get it thrown out if our margins were the wrong size. There are certainly requirements in some of the granting streams identified above, but some have tremendous flexibility. Be creative in how you approach and acquire funding.

That’s it! I wish you luck as you go out and try to build the world you believe needs to be there. Get your idea funded and change some lives!  And don’t forget to read the related post: 11 Place You Can Get Paid to Research.

Consulting Secrets 3 – Landing Clients

Photo by Christian Sterk on Unsplash There’s a new type of post buzzing around LinkedIn. I confess, I’ve even made a few.  The post is

You’re Not Good Enough… Yet

Last year, I spent $7k on a business coach. She was fantastic. She helped me through sessions of crafting my ideas to become a “thought

$200/hr Expert? Here’s the Secret!

Photo by David Monje on Unsplash I was listening to Tony Robbins this week. He was talking about being the best.  Tony asks the audience,

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The Volunteer Grant Research Guide | Finding More Funding

Volunteer grants (also known as dollars for doers programs) present a lucrative opportunity for nonprofits to maximize their available resources and bolster their impact. However, navigating the complex world of research, engagement, eligibility guidelines, and submissions can be daunting. Lucky for you, that’s where our complete guide to volunteer grant research comes into play.

Designed to demystify volunteer grant research and more, this resource equips nonprofits with the knowledge and tools they need to identify, pursue, and secure more dollars for doers revenue than ever before.

In order to build much-needed familiarity with the programs, we’ll walk you through each step of the volunteer grant research process here. These phases include:

Understanding the Volunteer Grant Opportunity 🧠

Identifying your organization’s needs & goals 🎯, collecting employment information from supporters 💼, uncovering eligible volunteers in your network 🔎, encouraging volunteers to pursue corporate grants ✍️, bonus: enlisting a volunteer grant database tool 🦾.

Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer manager or new to the corporate volunteerism sector, our guide will help you uncover more funding opportunities, allowing your organization to thrive.

Let’s begin!

Volunteer grants are financial contributions provided by corporations to nonprofits where their employees volunteer. These programs are offered by thousands of businesses of all shapes, sizes, and sectors⁠—including IBM, Google, Home Depot, Starbucks, Microsoft, Disney, and  40% of the Fortune 500 .

However, a lack of volunteer grant awareness among teams and supporters alike has resulted in a significant gap in the programs being utilized and funding being secured. Therefore, for the best results, it’s crucial that a nonprofit’s team has a solid understanding of the volunteer grant opportunity before it can maximize its funding potential. After all, a well-informed team can more effectively communicate the benefits to volunteers, encouraging greater participation and maximizing the organization’s grant earnings.

Familiarity with companies offering these programs⁠—and the specific eligibility criteria for each⁠—is also essential for effectively targeting the right opportunities. Since each volunteer grant program is unique, having extensive knowledge of the programs allows nonprofits to tailor their outreach and engagement strategies according to each supporter’s eligibility.

Recommended resource to take your corporate volunteer knowledge to the next level: Double the Donation’s free downloadable  Ultimate Guide to Volunteer Grants

For a nonprofit to effectively pursue volunteer grants, it should first identify the unique needs and goals related to these grants. What, specifically, is holding your organization back from reaching its volunteer grant potential?

Perhaps you need better data on where your supporters work.

Or, if you do have accurate and up-to-date employment information for your volunteers, perhaps the roadblock is determining which individuals qualify for volunteer grant programs.

Or maybe you experience drop-off getting supporters to complete the request process on your behalf.

Regardless of the reason, once you’ve determined what’s stopping you from fully leveraging the opportunity, make a plan for overcoming the challenge. Clearly defined goals provide a roadmap for targeting volunteer grants in a way that will have the most significant impact on your cause. We recommend establishing goals that are SMART⁠—or Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example: “To secure $1,000 in volunteer grant funding by the end of the fiscal year.”

A detailed understanding of your objectives allows your team to craft compelling narratives for volunteer grant-related content. As a result, you can better demonstrate how a volunteer’s participation enables your organization to achieve tangible outcomes, thus making a stronger case for engagement.

It also ensures that everyone⁠—staff, volunteers, and beyond⁠—is working toward a common objective: maximizing the potential for volunteer grant success.

Collecting  employment information from supporters is a strategic approach for nonprofits to identify and leverage volunteer grant opportunities to their greatest potential. By understanding which companies their supporters work for, organizations can pinpoint potential sources of volunteer grants.

Fortunately, there are a few ways for fundraisers to source this information. For the best results, we recommend implementing a combination of the following methods:

• Ask volunteers to share their employers’ names on volunteer sign-up forms
• Conduct  email domain screening (or enlist a tool that does!) to scan for corporate email addresses
• Embed an employer search tool in your donation pages (there’s a significant overlap between volunteers and donors and between  companies with volunteer grants  and  companies with matching gift programs )
• Use social media and other online resources to conduct manual employment data research
• Utilize a third-party data enhancement service,  like an employer append, to fill in the gaps

Once you have this employment information on hand, you can use it to tailor your outreach and engagement efforts. For instance, knowing that a significant number of volunteers are employed by a company with a grant program might lead you to focus on building relationships with the business.

Volunteer grants are a specific type of grant generally tied to an employee engagement program offered by the company. As a result, an employer donates money to the nonprofit based on the number of volunteer hours contributed by their employees.

Recognizing which volunteers work for participating companies allows nonprofits to strategically identify and pursue the opportunities available to them.

Ultimately, this targeted strategy leverages existing volunteer efforts to generate more substantial funding, enabling the nonprofit to further its mission and enhance its programs and services.

You might want to scan your entire database for opportunities, too⁠—including existing volunteers, donors, and prospects. From there, you can alert current volunteers of their eligibility while informing donors and other non-volunteers about how they can provide more comprehensive support for your cause, empowering them to get involved in a new way.

Top tip:  Jump to the section on volunteer grant databases below to learn the best way to identify volunteer grant-eligible supporters in your network!

Once you know who qualifies for volunteer grants from your network, it’s important to take time to encourage them to actually participate. By motivating eligible supporters to apply for said grant opportunities, nonprofits can unlock significant funding and supercharge their volunteer engagement.

Many volunteers are unaware that their employers offer such programs, so simply providing information on eligibility and involvement can inspire volunteers to take action. Help supporters navigate the submission process and remind them to take advantage of their eligibility before it expires. By encouraging volunteers to pursue corporate grants, your organization can significantly increase its funding, thereby enhancing its ability to fulfill its mission and expand its reach in the community.

Encouraging volunteers to log their hours and apply for grants can lead to substantial financial contributions from their employers. This approach not only boosts the organization’s funding but also strengthens volunteer engagement, as volunteers see a direct impact of their work being amplified through additional resources.

Our final recommendation is one that is powered by innovative technology: a corporate giving or  volunteer grant database .

Enlisting a volunteer grant solution like 360MatchPro in your nonprofit’s engagement strategy is an excellent way to efficiently manage and maximize volunteer grants. A database tool can centralize information, provide direct links to online submission forms and eligibility criteria, and streamline the grant application process for volunteers.

By aggregating all the information you need in one place, the tool saves time and effort for both the nonprofit team and its supporters. Volunteers can easily access up-to-date information about available grants, application deadlines, and eligibility requirements, and being equipped with the right information makes them more inclined to complete the process.

Next Steps & More Volunteer Grant Resources

Securing funding through volunteer grants can be transformative for mission-focused organizations. Not only do the programs provide access to new streams of corporate philanthropy revenue, but they also incentivize greater levels of engagement among volunteers in the first place.

By leveraging this guide, nonprofits like yours can systematically approach the grant research and application process with greater confidence and efficiency. Remember, the key to success lies in thorough preparation, a clear understanding of the opportunity before you, and a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience.

Let this guide be your roadmap to making a greater difference in the communities you serve. Good luck!

Interested in learning more about volunteer grant research and other workplace giving programs? Check out these recommended resources:

• Webinar: How to Harness Corporate Volunteerism at Your Nonprofit.  Watch the webinar replay to explore top tips for making the most of corporate programs like volunteer grants. See how your team can grow your strategy!
• Free Download: Access 10 Quick Steps to Matching Gift Success.  Get a jump start on your nonprofit’s matching gift strategy with this downloadable checklist. Begin taking steps to increase awareness and funds today.
• Blog: Top Volunteer Grant Companies Offering Dollars for Doers. Looking for companies with standout volunteer grant programs? Browse our list of top programs here and see if your volunteers work for these employers.

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Published on 27.6.2024 in Vol 26 (2024)

Patient Portals Fail to Collect Structured Information About Who Else is Involved in a Person’s Care

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