Researchers looking for funding opportunities can find Penn State limited submission listings as well as occasional calls and announcements from outside of the University.
Funding @ Penn State
Find internal and external funding resources
Upcoming Opportunities
Arnold Ventures - Building Evidence: Support for Causal Studies to Evaluate Social Programs and Policies
Arnold Ventures (AV) is a philanthropy whose core mission is to invest in evidence-based solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice. By funding rigorous research, we strive to better understand the root causes of problems and build the evidence around what works to solve them. Using this research, we advocate for policy reforms at all levels of government and build durable, bipartisan coalitions to drive lasting change and impact.
The Evidence and Evaluation team aims to identify, evaluate, and scale evidence-based solutions targeting the nation’s most pressing social problems. This funding targets the first two phases of that goal – identifying and evaluating potential solutions – and is geared toward studies examining the causal effects of a policy, program, or intervention that aligns with key AV policy areas. Causal research employing strong, quasi-experimental methods are a critical component of the evidence-building process and are important for increasing the knowledge base for decision-makers and stakeholders. Examples of causal research methods include natural experiments, regression discontinuity, difference-in-differences, and instrumental variable designs.
Internal Submission Deadline: Monday, June 2, 2025
https://psu.infoready4.com/CompetitionSpace/#competitionDetail/1932858
Arnold Ventures - Strengthening Evidence: Support for RCTs to Evaluate Social Programs and Policies
The Evidence and Evaluation team aims to identify, evaluate, and scale evidence-based solutions targeting the nation’s most pressing social problems. One of the strongest tools in the evidence-building toolkit is the randomized controlled trial (RCT). While not applicable to all policy and program contexts, RCTs are often the strongest choice for evaluating social programs because they fairly compare results between a treatment group and a control group, making it clear whether the program or policy truly works. This strong evidence can be important for informing decision-makers and stakeholders to support effective programs.
This Request for Proposals (RFP) aims to build the body of proven, effective policies, programs, and interventions by funding researchers to conduct rigorous RCTs across the spectrum of social policy. Areas of particular interest to the foundation are higher education, health, housing, employment and training, transportation, climate, and public finance. They especially encourage applications seeking to replicate findings from prior rigorous evaluations.
Internal Submission Deadline: Monday, June 2, 2025
https://psu.infoready4.com/CompetitionSpace/#competitionDetail/1932892
National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) Program - Track 1
The NRT Program is dedicated to shaping and supporting highly effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through the use of comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.
Internal Submission Deadline: Friday, June 6, 2025 at 4:00 pm
https://psu.infoready4.com/CompetitionSpace/#competitionDetail/1963159
W.M. Keck Foundation: Science & Engineering/Medical Research - June 2025 Grant Cycle
The W. M. Keck Research Program seeks to benefit humanity by supporting two different areas: (1) Medical Researchand (2) Science & Engineering. Keck seeks distinctive, novel projects that question prevailing paradigms, of have the potential to break open new territory in their field.
Both senior and early career investigators are encouraged to apply. Team approaches, including interdisciplinary teams, are encouraged.
Past grants have been awarded to major universities, independent research institutions, and medical schools to support pioneering biological or physical science and engineering research, including the development of promising new technologies, instrumentation or methodologies. You will read about two categories throughout (1) Medical Research and (2) Science & Engineering; these two areas are distinct.
Internal Submission Deadline: Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 4:00 pm
https://psu.infoready4.com/CompetitionSpace/#competitionDetail/1969696
Sloan Research Fellowships
The Sloan Research Fellowship Program recognizes and rewards outstanding early-career faculty who have the potential to revolutionize their fields of study. Successful candidates for a Fellowship generally have a strong record of significant independent research accomplishments that demonstrate creativity and the potential to become future leaders in the scientific community. Nominated candidates are normally several years past the completion of their Ph.D. in order to accumulate a competitive record of independent, significant research.
Internal Submission Deadline: Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at 4:00 pm
https://psu.infoready4.com/CompetitionSpace/#competitionDetail/1963241
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Climate + Health Excellence (CHEX) Centers Award
This program is meant to support institutions or consortia that have already begun to work toward taking on the problem of climate’s impact on health. Consortia might include neighboring institutions with already established collaborations, but of more relevance to this RFP are consortia of institutions united by common interests, for example in the health of residents of the Appalachian Mountains or the Great Lakes region, an urban focus, or a focus on rural life, etc.
Deadline: August 7, 2025