Step 1: Find Funding
How do you find funding?
1. The first step to find funding for your research is to write down your draft research goals and objectives. In order to find a funding “home” for your research you need to determine your goals and objectives. It is your research objectives that determine your funding source.
2. Then, search potential sources of funding – there are several sources to help you do this.
PIVOT https://pivot.proquest.com/
NMT has a subscription to this service, it locates funding opportunities from federal and non-federal sources. Once faculty and staff have registered in PIVOT they receive weekly notices of opportunities. You can also do keyword searches to find opportunities that match your specific area and track opportunities that you are interested in (PIVOT will email you when the opportunity opens).
Federal Reporter https://federalreporter.nih.gov/
Lists what has been funded by the federal government. You can search previous awards to determine where your proposal might fit into which agency’s programs.
Grants.Gov http://www.grants.gov
Features nearly 900 available grant programs involving all 26 federal grant-making agencies that together award more than $350 billion annually in grant funds. The site simplifies the application process by allowing applicants to download, complete and submit applications for specific grant opportunities from any federal grant-making agency.
Top right on website has a link to “Manage Subscriptions” which will allow you to sign up for automatic notification of opportunities in your field
[Please be aware that NMT has a specific procedure for submitting proposals to Grants.Gov. Because the website requires all proposals to come from NMT's Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR), you must contact the Research Office ([email protected]) to submit proposals via Grants.gov.] This is for all proposals submitted through grants.gov including proposals to Departments of Education, Energy, Agriculture, NIH, etc.
Environmental Protection Agency: National Center for Environmental Research (NCER)
NCER periodically sends out emails to subscribers announcing new grants and/or funding opportunities or highlighting new documents in specific subject areas.
EdInfo delivers 2-3 messages per week from the U.S. Department of Education to your e-mail account. Each message features one report or initiative (or other information) from the U.S. Department of Education.
The DOE's IIPS website provides a listing of financial assistance opportunities; be aware, though, that it can be difficult to sort through.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Each week the NIH transmits via LISTSERV email the Table of Contents (TOC) information for that week's issue of the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. Associated with each TOC entry is the URL address for each Guide article/opportunity.
National Science Foundation (NSF): MyNSF
An alert service for NSF grant opportunities, publications and news that you customize to your own needs.
[Please be aware that NMT has a specific procedure for submitting proposals to the NSF through Fastlane/Research.gov. Because the website requires all proposals to come from NMT's Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR), you must contact the Research Office to submit proposals to the NSF. ([email protected])]
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Search for and view open, closed, past, and future NASA research announcements. The full text of the solicitation announcements can be viewed and downloaded.
[Please be aware that NMT has a specific procedure for submitting proposals to the NASA through NSPIRES. Because the website requires all proposals to come from NMT's Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR), you must contact the Research Office to submit proposals to the NSF. ([email protected])]
3. Review what has previously been awarded for the agency and program.
You want to know who has already received funding for research similar to yours, which agency funded it, how much, what kind of work they are doing, etc. This will give insight into what the agency/directorate/division/program has already funded and let you know if your research project is a good fit with the agency’s and the program’s goals. You can do this in the Federal Reporter or at NSF (for NSF relevant funding).
NSF will give you give information by NSF program (such as CAREER, MRI, NRT, etc.)
Federal Reporter lists federally funded research https://federalreporter.nih.gov/
Agencies include:
- NSF – National Science Foundation
- NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- USDA - Agriculture (ARS, FS, NIFA)
- DoD - Defense (CNRM, CCCRP, CDMRP, DVBIC)
- EPA – Environmental Protection Agency
- HHS – Health and Human Services (CDC, FDA, NIH, etc.)
- VA – Veterans Affairs
Both sites will give you:
- Title of awarded project
- Project summary
- PI info
- Awardee organization
- Start/end dates
- Funding agency
- Amount awarded
- Results, including publications and patents
4. Research the Funding Agency
Once you’ve determined which funding agency you are interested in pursuing, spend some time researching the agency. Read the agency’s strategic plan, goals, benchmarks, research priorities, etc. Make sure your research area supports their research focus and priorities.
A (short) Review of (some) Federal Agencies
National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
Health and Human Services (HHS)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)