Featured Opportunities

May 20, 2026

• The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) and Wildlife Services (WS) is announcing the availability of around $12,050,000 in cooperative agreement funding1 to control and prevent chronic wasting disease (CWD) in farmed and wild cervids of which up to $2,000,000 may be awarded through non-competitive cooperative agreements as needed to address CWD outbreaks in farmed cervids. The amount available is based on the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Congressional appropriations language and directions. For Wild Cervids, proposals may include, but are not limited to, the development and implementation of wild cervid CWD surveillance, testing, management, and response activities, including further development and evaluation of techniques and strategies to prevent or control CWD. For Farmed Cervids, proposals may include, but are not limited to, the development and/or implementation of CWD surveillance, testing, management, and response activities. Proposals can include the use of funds for the indemnification and removal of CWD-affected farmed cervid herds and CWD-exposed cervids, as part of an overall CWD management plan.
• The Purdue University Archives and Special Collections offers travel assistance for scholars whose research cannot progress satisfactorily without consulting materials onsite and whose visit would not be feasible without financial support. Two awards (up to $2,000 each) are disbursed each reviewing period to individual scholars studying content represented in Archives and Special Collections’ collections. Anyone who wishes to use Purdue University Archives and Special Collections for onsite research may apply, regardless of their academic status. Subject areas strongly represented in archival and manuscript collections include the history of flight and space (Barron Hilton Flight and Space Exploration Archives); the history of women affiliated with Purdue University or the state of Indiana (Susan Bulkeley Butler Women’s Archives); the history of psychedelics for medicinal and healing purposes (Betsy Gordon Psychoactive Substances Research Collection); and the history of Purdue University, which includes the papers of alumni, faculty and staff, and the records of the university departments.Rare book collections include the history of engineering, science, and transportation (Goss Library of the History of Engineering), the history of economics and political thought (Krannert Special Collection), the history of typography and book design (Bruce Rogers Collection), books about Indiana history or written by Indiana authors, and books that complement our subject areas.
• The Department of State’s US Creative Tech Exchange (U.S.CTX) is a new international arts exchange program that drives economic growth by connecting U.S. creative professionals and technologists with international peers working at the intersection of the arts and emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI). The goal is to position American technology as a key driver of American innovation, economic, and cultural influence in art and technology, For the purposes of this program, “arts” refers specifically to architecture, creative coding and gaming, fashion, graphic design, music and immersive art such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR); but excludes film and television. U.S.CTX will support up to 30 participants through short-term, hands-on activities such as collaborative labs, fellowships, workshops, and public showcases. This is a limited submission program. If you are interested in applying, you must first contact of the Office of Research Development via ordlimitedsubs@ksu.edu.
• The Whiting Foundation (whiting.org) is proud to announce that applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Nonfiction Grants for Works-in-Progress. These grants of $40,000 are awarded to writers in the process of completing a creative and deeply researched work of nonfiction. Projects must be under contract with a publisher located in the United States, United Kingdom, or Canada. These grants are designed to encourage original and ambitious projects by giving recipients the additional means to pursue exacting research and devote time to composition. Successful applicants are at a crucial point mid-process, after significant work has been completed but when extra support can make a difference in the ultimate shape and quality of the work. The Whiting Foundation welcomes applications for works of history, cultural or political reportage, biography, memoir, science, philosophy, criticism, graphic nonfiction, and personal essays, among other categories. Self-help titles, historical fiction, textbooks, books primarily for a scholarly audience, and books for young readers are not eligible.
• The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Collaboratory to Advance Mathematics Education and Learning (CAMEL) for K-12 initiative aims to advance mathematics learning and education through purposeful collaboration that draws on the interdisciplinary Science of Learning (including neuroscience; cognitive, developmental, and social sciences; computer science; machine learning; engineering; and education research), deep experiences in education practice and teaching, and innovations in the use of data science, AI and technology. Through an agreement with philanthropic partners, including the Walton Family Foundation (WFF), CAMEL consists of two phases. Phase I invites proposals for the creation of new research networks to support the generation of high value datasets that aim to advance math learning and education. These research networks must include researchers who study the basic science of learning, education practitioners, and data scientists. The high value dataset may come from either generating a new dataset or by increasing the value of an existing dataset. Phase II, open only to awardees of Phase I, establishes a “collaboratory,” which is a socio-technological platform that prioritizes community-building and capacity-building to sustain collaborative efforts to advance math learning and education in K-12.
• NSF’s EDU Core Research (ECR:Core) solicitation invites proposals for fundamental research (curiosity-driven basic research and use-inspired basic research) that contributes to the general, explanatory knowledge that underlies STEM education in one or more of the three broadly conceived Research Areas: Research on STEM Learning and Learning Environments, Research on Broadening Participation in STEM fields, and Research on STEM Workforce Development. Within this framework, the ECR program supports a wide range of fundamental STEM education research activities, aimed at learners of all groups and ages in formal and informal settings.
• Proctor & Gamble’s (P&G) products typically include fragrances, bio-actives, polymers, surfactants, and cellulosic fibers. Traditionally, many of these came from petrochemical or plant-based sources. However, sustainability pressures have accelerated a move toward bio-based production, enabling biodegradable formulas and packaging. For example, surfactants derived from natural oils and fats offer effective, eco-friendly cleaning, while cellulosic fibers from wood pulp are increasingly used in personal and home care. Fragrances and bio-actives have also advanced, with bio-based alternatives mimicking synthetic compounds. Looking ahead, P&G aims to leverage advanced biomanufacturing, machine learning, and circular economy principles to innovate and meet consumers’ growing demand for sustainable, natural ingredients. To this end, they are offering Biomanufacturing of Transformative Ingredients in Consumer-packaged Goods funding opportunity via Halo. They are looking for approaches to engineer and optimize organisms (microbial and plant) for production and/or purification of relevant biomolecules in a non-trial-and-error format. It is believed that starting from a waste stream will be a more cost-effective solution. We are also interested in plant- or algae-based solutions that are scalable and cost effective. Solutions of interest include: 1) Downstream processing methods/technologies that facilitate continuous extraction and/or re-use of extractive reagents; 2) Approaches that leverage feedstocks separate from the food chain; 3) Strain engineering approaches that achieve target molecule production targets across multiple molecule classes in significantly less time versus the industry average; 4) Host engineering capabilities in non-model systems; and 5) Scale up platforms/methods that are amenable to commodity scale ingredients.
• The Department of Health and Human Services, NIGM’s Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) provides support for ESIs with a program of research that aligns with the NIGMS mission. MIRA distributes funding among promising investigators across the country. The goal is to boost scientific productivity and the chances for important breakthroughs. Through this program, investigators can: Receive independent research funding early to start and sustain strong research careers; explore new, unique research areas in the NIGMS mission; take on ambitious, creative projects; shift focus to include emerging techniques and technologies as needed; and devote more time to mentoring trainees in a stable research environment. NIGMS supports basic research on biological processes as well as translational and clinical research in specific areas. MIRA investigators have the flexibility to explore new ideas, techniques, and approaches that remain within NIGMS’ scientific mission.
• The National Science Foundation (NSF), Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), announces the NSF X-Labs Other Transaction Agreement Solutions Offering (OTASO). The NSF X-Labs initiative is a flexible, outcomes-driven effort to build and accelerate novel platform technologies capable of unlocking new sectors, advancing use-inspired scientific breakthroughs, and supporting U.S. leadership in science and technology. Through this OTASO, NSF is soliciting proposals from domestic responsible entities capable of establishing full-time, interdisciplinary R&D teams with the operational autonomy, technical expertise, and organizational flexibility necessary to pursue ambitious missions aligned with NSF X-Labs Topic Announcements.
• The Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service’s Multistate Conservation Grants support projects that address regional or national priority needs of State fish and wildlife agencies and their partners that are beyond the scale, scope, and capabilities of a single State. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) work cooperatively to manage the program. Priority needs of State fish and wildlife agencies, referred to as Strategic Priorities, are identified annually by AFWA through an open process that solicits input from State agencies, regional associations of fish and wildlife agencies, conservation organizations, industry partners, universities, and other organizations interested in regional or national conservation and R3 priority needs. The Strategic Priorities are used to guide proposal development and project selection. Eligible proposals funded under this opportunity address AFWA Strategic Priorities related to: 1) research, restoration, conservation, management, and enhancement of wild bird, wild mammal and/or sport fish populations and/or their habitats and projects providing for public use and benefit from these resources, or 2) recruitment, retention and reactivation, also known as R3, of hunters, target shooters or anglers.
• The William T. Grant Foundation’s Scholars Program supports career development for promising early-career researchers. The program funds five-year research and mentoring plans that significantly expand researchers’ expertise in new disciplines, methods, and content areas. Applicants should have a track record of conducting high-quality research and an interest in pursuing a significant shift in their trajectories as researchers. They recognize that early-career researchers are rarely given incentives or support to take measured risks in their work, so this award includes a mentoring component, as well as a supportive academic community. Their research interests center on studies that examine ways to reduce inequality in youth outcomes. We welcome descriptive studies that clarify mechanisms for reducing inequality or elucidate how or why a specific program, policy, or practice operates to reduce inequality. They also welcome intervention studies that examine attempts to reduce inequality.
• The Dirksen Congressional Center invites applications for grants to fund research on congressional leadership and the U.S. Congress. The Center, named for the late Senate Minority Leader Everett M. Dirksen, is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational organization devoted to the study of Congress. Since 1978, the Congressional Research Grants program has invested more than $1,250,000 to support over 500 projects. Applications are accepted at any time. The competition is open to individuals with a serious interest in studying Congress. Political scientists, historians, biographers, scholars of public administration or American studies, independent researchers, and journalists are among those eligible. The Center encourages graduate students who have successfully defended their dissertation prospectus to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside in the United States.
• The Department of Justice, NIJ’s Research and Evaluation on Human Trafficking seeks to build upon past research and evaluation efforts by focusing on emerging needs and remaining gaps to combat human trafficking and protect children, especially studies that focus on trafficking at the Southern Border. NIJ has invested in human trafficking research since 1999. Since then, NIJ-funded work has contributed strongly to the evidence base to understand, respond to, and prevent trafficking in the United States. This NOFO calls for applications in two categories to build upon prior research and evaluation efforts to prevent trafficking in the United States—Justice System Responses to Trafficking and Technology and Trafficking.