Choosing a funding source
Multiple sources of funding
Many campuses support faculty with internal grant programs. These may include:
- Professional development, research and creative activity grants
- Research seed money
- Travel funds allocated for particular events, or to present at appropriate conferences
- Stipends to try new technologies or teaching strategies and study their impact on student learning
- Outstanding scholar awards
Information about these awards often comes from the Faculty Development Center, the campus foundation, or through departments or colleges themselves. In addition to these local campus awards, there are CSU system-wide monies available such as the Wang Award to support outstanding scholarship. In addition each campus has an office dedicated to identifying and expanding opportunities for faculty to obtain external funding. A wide array of funding sources such as foundations, corporations, and professional organizations offer funding, and taking the time to determine what is available is well worth the investment. It is expected that faculty learn how to go about locating appropriate resources for their work.
Match funding to purpose of research
Most funding agencies have a mission or goals they hope to accomplish and the chance of furthering them is the reason they are offering money to researchers. The more effectively the research project furthers those goals, the more likely it is to be funded. Reading the request for proposals (RFP) carefully will save a lot of wasted time applying for funding from agencies that are not likely to be interested.
Match funding to the size of the project
Generally small funding agencies provide support for small projects, large ones for large projects. Matching the size of a “suggested range” of proposals as described on the RFP will increase the chances that a proposal is funded. Local or community agencies often offer smaller grants (under $10,000), regional agencies are likely to offer awards in the middle range ($10,000-$100,000) and national or international agencies are most likely to offer awards over $100,000). There are exceptions to this general description, but if in doubt it is best to contact the agency and ask to be clear before applying.
Read the RFP carefully
Granting agencies or organizations carefully spell out the types of projects they hope to fund. The closer a grant proposal meets the guidelines outlined in the Request For Proposal (RFP) the more likely it will be funded. Take the time to make certain that the activities in the proposal meet all criteria, timelines, and purposes indicated. Missing details in the RFP, or failing to following all guidelines closely is the most frequent reason proposals are not funded.
Grant search strategies
Agencies that provide grants for research activities make considerable effort to get the word out to appropriate individuals and institutions and encourage them to apply for support. Most campuses have departments or individuals dedicated to supporting faculty members as they apply for grants, sometimes through the campus itself, other times through an affiliated foundation. In addition to contacting these individuals on your campus, check with faculty professional development centers, and campus administrators. After checking those places, contact professional and governmental organizations since many of them offer grant monies. It is very convenient to do an internet search of grant monies as well, but be sure to target sources of monies very carefully to avoid spending large amounts of time following up on inappropriate sources that have different goals and objectives than yours.
Funding Source Examples
Grants.gov
This federal grants search site is the managing partner for the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
This foundation welcomes proposals from any of the natural and social sciences and the humanities that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence, aggression, and dominance.
Office of Extramural Research
National Institutes of Health
This site offers basics about the grant application process, lists types of grants available, describes an overview of the peer review process, and many other helpful details.
AERA Grants Program
With support from the National Science Foundation, this research grants program seeks to stimulate research on U.S. education issues using data from the large-scale national and international data sets. It supports quantitative projects that analyze existing date from NCES, NSF or other federal agencies.
IREX
International Research & Exchanges Board
IREX offers a range of professional, scholarly research, and small grant opportunities for international individuals.
Grants and Contracts Website
Office of Science, US Department of Energy
This site offers funding to colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, for-profit commercial organizations, state and local governments, and unaffiliated individuals.
American Federation for Aging Research
The major goal of this program is to assist in the development of careers of junior investigators committed to pursuing careers in the field of aging research. The site offers examples of promising areas of research.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
This group supports investigations of 1-5 years by experienced scientists for basic or clinical research relevant to their mission.
Spencer Foundation
The Foundation’s research grants are organized under four areas of inquiry that identify broad topics of fundamental and abiding importance for educational improvement: (1) relationship between education and social opportunity, (2) organizational learning in schools, school systems, and higher education, (3) teaching, learning and instructional resources, and (4) purposes and values of education.
US Department of Agriculture
USDA funds are provided to researchers to address national problems and needs related to agriculture, the environment, human health and well being, and communities.
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Endowment sponsors programs around particular problems that change with changing needs.
Arts and Humanities Funding Opportunities
Office of Research and Graduate Studies, University of California
Most institutions have an Office of Research that helps faculty locate appropriate funding opportunities. This is one example of grants grouped around arts and humanities.
Business Research Opportunities
Office of Extramural Research, National Institutes of Health
This site provides a collection of funding opportunities in the area of small business innovation.
World Oral Literature Project
University of Cambridge
This site supports local communities and committed fieldworkers engaged in the collection of oral literature by providing funding for original research.
Research Funding for New and Young Faculty
Sponsored Projects Office, University of California Berkeley
This site lists organizations and programs by field of study, deadlines, and provides a synopsis of what the organization is looking for with their support.
Locating Funding
Vice Chancellor for Research and Federal Relations, University of North Caroling, Charlotte
This site is an example of the way campuses organize and provide guidelines for possible funding sources.
International Security & Foreign Policy Program
Smith Richardson Foundation
This program offers support to junior faculty conducting research on American foreign policy, international relations, international security, military policy, and diplomatic and military history. These grants are offered annually, and three grants of $60,000 each were offered in 2009.
Cancer and Leukemia Group B Clinical Scholar Award for CALGB Oncology Junior Faculty
The Cancer and Leukemia Group B Foundation
This grant is available to junior faculty studying particular innovations in cancer treatment.
Junior Faculty Research Grants and Career Development Awards
Health Sciences, University of Utah
This site lists many awards available for application only by junior faculty.
National Poverty Center
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
The University of Kentucky’s Center for Poverty Research solicits proposals for junior faculty who received doctorates in the last 7 years. This is the 2009 call for reference purposes.
Grant Programs for Young Investigators
Office of Sponsored Research, University of New Hampshire
This compilation chart offers a summary of programs designed to support young faculty with grant monies.
Community-Based Field Research Grants to Young Faculty and Students
American Public Health Association
This small grant program is offered in collaboration with Colgate-Palmolive Company to support behavioral hygiene projects.
Mathematical Sciences Program
National Security Agency
This program was started in response to an urgent need for faculty in mathematics, and supports unclassified research in particular areas of mathematics.
