Explore Science Technology Grants Nationwide

The SBIR & STTR programs supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration provide small businesses with non-dilutive funding to conduct research and develop new technologies with commercial potential.

Eligible for: Small businesses conducting R&D, innovation

Grant funding to Virginia’s public & private colleges, universities and eligible nonprofit research institutes to advance early-stage technologies toward commercialization. (Virginia Innovation Partnership)

Eligible for: Applications accepted rolling basis

The OPUS program aims to support individuals in later career stages who have made significant contributions to their fields by allowing them to synthesize their research into integrated products beneficial to the scientific community. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, independent museums, research laboratories, professional societies, and accredited institutions of higher education located in the U.S. Proposals must be submitted through the appropriate channels, and applicants should contact NSF grants.gov support for assistance with the application process.

The Engineering for Civil Infrastructure (ECI) program funds fundamental research in various engineering fields to enhance the resilience and sustainability of civil infrastructure, particularly in the context of climate change and natural hazards. Eligibility is unrestricted, allowing a wide range of applicants to participate. Interested parties are encouraged to email a one-page project summary to the ECI Program Officers for guidance before submitting a full proposal.

The Nanoscale Interactions program aims to support research that enhances the understanding of interactions between nanomaterials and biological and environmental media, focusing on the development of predictive tools and the examination of transport and impact of nanostructured materials. Eligibility is unrestricted, allowing a wide range of applicants to apply. Interested researchers should contact the program director prior to submission to ensure alignment with program goals and to discuss proposal specifics, as well as adhere to the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide.

The Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics program aims to advance fundamental engineering research related to chemical reactions, systems engineering, and molecular thermodynamics to enhance the design and optimization of chemical reactors and sustainable manufacturing processes. Eligibility is unrestricted, allowing a wide range of applicants to apply. Interested parties should contact the program director before submission to discuss their proposals, which should emphasize novelty and potential societal impact, and adhere to the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide.

The Life and Environments Through Time (LET) program funds research focused on the origin and evolution of Earth's climate, environments, life, and sedimentary record, with implications for future global change and ecosystem services. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, independent museums, research laboratories, and accredited institutions of higher education located in the U.S. Proposals must be submitted through the appropriate channels, and additional instructions apply for international branch campuses of U.S. institutions.

The grant supports research and training on evolutionary and ecological processes across various biological levels, encouraging proposals that explore the unity and diversity of life and its environmental interactions. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations and institutions of higher education located in the U.S. Proposals must be submitted to specific core clusters within the Division of Environmental Biology, and additional instructions apply for international branch campuses of U.S. institutions.

The MultiPLEx program aims to support ambitious international multilateral research partnerships that address urgent global challenges by leveraging diverse expertise and collaboration across at least two countries outside the U.S. Eligible applicants include U.S. institutions and individuals, with proposals encouraged to involve a diverse range of talent. Applications can be submitted at any time, but those responding to specific priority areas may be invited through a Dear Colleague Letter, and it is advisable to consult a program director for appropriateness before submission.

The grant aims to advance the fundamental understanding of materials and their properties, supporting research that drives innovation in technology and addresses societal needs. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, research laboratories, and accredited institutions of higher education located in the U.S. Interested parties should refer to specific sections of the program description for detailed eligibility and proposal preparation instructions.

The Communications, Circuits, and Sensing-Systems (CCSS) Program aims to support innovative research in circuit and system hardware, signal processing techniques, and system architectures for next-generation cyber-physical systems (CPS) across various applications. Eligibility is unrestricted, allowing a wide range of applicants to participate. For application details, interested parties should contact the NSF grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

The Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences Program aims to support basic scientific research on the spatial distribution of human activity and environmental processes, emphasizing the integration of diverse methodologies and theoretical contributions to geographical science. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education in the U.S., with proposals requiring a principal investigator and a co-principal investigator, typically involving doctoral students. To apply, proposals must articulate how they contribute to geographical theory and demonstrate generalizability beyond specific case studies.