Current Opportunities

National Science Foundation (NSF) Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program: Instrument Acquisition or Development

NSF's Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program supports requests for up to $4 million for the development or acquisition of multi-user research instruments that are critical to the advancement of science and engineering. Please note that NSF has not yet officially announced its next application cycle for the MRI program. In preparation for a potential new Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) funding solicitation with a Fall 2026 submission window, the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) has decided to proceed with an internal competition. This internal competition is based upon the most recent MRI solicitation. If NSF publishes a FY27 solicitation with major changes, the OVPR may edit and/or update questions within the internal pre-proposal. Harvard may submit up to four applications as the lead institution OR as part of a consortium.

Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program

The Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards program supports early career faculty who, as independent faculty members, demonstrate leadership in original scholarly research of outstanding quality, as well as innovation in and dedication to education. Harvard University, as one institution, may put forward one nomination for this funding opportunity. 

G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation Spring 2027 Grant Cycle

The Mathers Foundation funds work that can lead to major advances in scientific understanding and human health. Harvard as a single institution may put forward three nominees to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) for the Spring 2027 grant awards cycle. 

Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs

The Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) strive to transform health care for service members and the American public through innovative and impactful research.

Russell Sage Foundation: Core Research Grants

The Russell Sage Foundation (RSF) funds social science research that extends the methods, data, and theories of the social sciences as a means of better documenting and understanding the nation’s most pressing social, political, and economic problems. 

• Research priority programs accepting LOIs: Social, Political and Economic Inequality (SPEI); Future of Work (FOW); and Implications of the 2023 Supreme Court Decision to Ban Race-Conscious Admissions at Colleges and Universities for Educational Attainment and Economic Mobility (SCD23) 

Simons Foundation: Collaborations in Mathematics and the Physical Sciences

The Simons Foundation's Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) division invites collaborative Letter of Intent (LOI) submissions addressing topics where a significant new development creates a novel area for exploration or provides a new direction for progress in an established field.

ARPA-H Emerging Health Innovators (EHI) Initiative

The ARPA-H Emerging Health Innovators (EHI) Initiative is designed to increase access to government research funding for early-career biotech investigators and innovators, and to seed new ideas that address healthcare gaps in the United States. 

Office of Naval Research (ONR) Young Investigator Program (YIP)

The ONR Young Investigator Program aims to support early career academic scientists and engineers addressing innovative research areas who have the potential to contribute long-term to the advancement of the Department of Navy's Science and Technology program. 

The Michael J. Fox Foundation and Alzheimer's Association: Bridge Funding for Disrupted Neurodegenerative Research Grant Program (BFDN) Powering the Next Generation of Research 

The Bridge Funding for Disrupted Neurodegenerative Research Grant Program aims to provide funding for early career researchers whose projects focused on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders and age-related causes of dementia have been impacted by a series of changes within the U.S. federal government.

ACLS Digital Justice Grants

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Digital Justice Grants program is designed to promote and provide resources for projects that diversify the digital domain and advance justice and equity in digital scholarly practice.

McKnight Foundation Scholar Awards

The McKnight Scholar Awards support exceptional neuroscientists in the early stages of their careers. 

CIFAR Global Scholars Program

The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Global Scholars Program offers early-career scholars the opportunity to develop and lead high-risk, high-reward interdisciplinary research, expand their professional networks and receive focused leadership training in their pivotal first years as independent investigators.

NSF Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets)

The newly launched Unlocking Dataset Value for AI-Enabled Scientific Discovery (AI Datasets) program will advance scientific community datasets to enable scientific discovery and innovation using artificial intelligence (AI) and other methods.

DoW FY27 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP)

The Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) provides funding to U.S. institutions of higher education for the acquisition of research equipment or instrumentation to enable research and the education of scientists and engineers in areas important to national defense.

Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RSCA) Team Science Accelerator

The RCSA Team Science Accelerator program is a new two-year pilot program to help faculty adopt team science structures with the goal of amplifying impact, accelerating science, and solving big challenges.

Health Solutions Science in Action Request for Applications

The Pathways for Health Research Collective is seeking bold, rigorous projects that can improve health outcomes in the United States.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 DoW Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) 

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Department of War (DoW) Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) provides funds for U.S. academic research teams to conduct high-impact basic research that addresses future challenges faced by the DoW.

Luce/ACLS Civic Education for Democratic Life (CEDLife) Grants

Civic Education for Democratic Life (CEDLife) is a new grant competition that seeks to reframe civic education as real-world preparation for meaningful, collaborative participation in democracy.

Mellon Foundation Emerging Faculty Leaders Awards

The Emerging Faculty Leaders Award program supports early-career faculty members in the humanities and social sciences who are making a significant impact on their campus communities and beyond.

Russell Sage Foundation (RSF): Margaret Olivia Sage (MOS) Grants

The Russell Sage Foundation (RSF) has launched a new competition, for Margaret Olivia Sage (MOS) Grants, to support research by multi- or inter-disciplinary teams on social, economic, and political challenges with generational consequences for social and living conditions in the United States.

Wellesley College Suzy Newhouse Center for the Humanities Fellowship

The Suzy Newhouse Center for the Humanities hosts three to five external fellows each academic year. Resident fellows devote themselves primarily to their own research, but they also participate actively in the intellectual life of the institution, attending fellows' lunches and sharing their work in progress with one another and with the larger Wellesley community.

President's Innovation Fund for International Experiences (PIFIE)

The President's Innovation Fund for International Experiences (PIFIE) provides seed funding to faculty members at any Harvard school, to support the development of creative and significant academic experiences abroad for Harvard College students.

Frontiers of Innovation for Societal Impact Fund

The Frontiers of Innovation for Societal Impact Fund exists to expand the excellence and impact of Harvard faculty members’ research and creative activity beyond academe to tackle societal challenges through collaborations with external partners.

Kempner Institute Accelerator Awards

The Kempner Institute Accelerator Awards provide Kempner AI Cluster access to faculty across Harvard University working to understand the nature of intelligence in natural and artificial systems.

Heidelberg | Harvard Cooperation Program: Explorer Seed Fund and Strategic Partnership Grants

In 2025, Heidelberg University and Harvard University signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a structured institutional foundation for their scientific collaboration. Supported by the State of Baden-Württemberg through its Global Partnership in Science program, Heidelberg University offers the Explorer Seed Fund and Strategic Partnership Grant programs to deepen collaboration and scientific exchange between the universities.

Mittal Institute Faculty Climate Research Grants

These grants are designed to foster deeper scholarly engagement on climate change, catalyze the creation of new knowledge, and contribute to the development of sustainable solutions across South Asia. 

Dumbarton Oaks Grants and Fellowships

The Dumbarton Oaks grants and fellowships programs award over 150 appointments annually in the expanded fields of Byzantine, Garden and Landscape, and Pre-Columbian Studies. Residential fellowships for an academic year, semester, or summer are awarded in all three areas of study to scholars from around the world.

Mind Brain Behavior (MBB) Interdisciplinary Mind Grants

MBB funds are available to Harvard graduate students and postdoctoral trainees doing interdisciplinary work between traditional fields. These grants may support research, conference travel, summer lab exchanges, and other interdisciplinary experiences. 

Loeb Classical Library Foundation Fellowship

The Loeb Classical Library Foundation awards fellowships to qualified scholars to support research, publication, and other projects in the area of classical studies. Fellowships will normally range from $1,000 to $40,000.

Moise Y. Safra Collaborative Research Award at the Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence at Harvard University

Provides $50,000 seed grants to support collaborative research and scholarly exchange between the Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence and academic research institutions in Israel.

Harvard Kennedy School Middle East Initiative Research Grants and Fellowships

The Middle East Initiative is currently accepting proposals from Harvard faculty for research on the most critical policy issues facing the UAE, Kuwait, and the region. Two distinct funding opportunities are available: Emirates Leadership Initiative Faculty Research Grants and Kuwait Program Faculty Research Collaboration Grants.

Mittal Institute Faculty Multi-Disciplinary Research Grants

Faculty members at Harvard are eligible for grants that bring together scholars from different fields and regions whose scholarship relates to South Asia.

Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa

Made possible by the Motsepe Foundation, the primary purpose of the Fund is to support faculty-led and student-driven research projects that focus on advancing key challenges and opportunities facing Africa – whether it be emerging technologies and the Fourth Industrial Revolution; climate change and its effect on health, agriculture, water, and/or sanitation; renewable energy and its benefit to infrastructure and/or society; health; aging; materials science; and the governance and policies needed for an entrepreneurial economy.

Manuscript Workshop Grants for Tenure-Track Arts & Humanities Faculty

To support the career development of its tenure-track faculty, the Division of Arts & Humanities makes available to eligible tenure-track faculty members small grants of up to $3,000 to support travel and other expenses associated with bringing experts to Harvard to review and offer guidance on their in-progress manuscripts or artworks.

Lemann Brazil Research Fund

The Lemann Brazil Research Fund aims to foster collaboration between scholars at Harvard and in Brazil, and to support research projects focused on current issues facing Brazil. 

Arnold Arboretum Awards

The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University promotes and supports research consistent with its mission to discover and disseminate knowledge of the plant kingdom. To foster both independent and collaborative work, the Arboretum offers fellowships and awards to students, post-doctoral researchers, and professionals of the biological and horticultural sciences.

Tenure-Track Faculty Synergy Semesters and Faculty Research-Semester Leaves in International Affairs

The Center believes that one of the most important forms of support for faculty members is the opportunity for a sustained period of research. Each year the Center considers proposals from Weatherhead Center Faculty Associates for awards that provide salary support for one-semester faculty leaves to conduct research relating to the core interests of the Center.

Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA) Grants for Faculty Conferences

The Weatherhead Center provides logistical and organizational support for conferences, as well as financial assistance, to bring scholars and practitioners to Harvard from around the country and the world to participate with Harvard faculty in conferences and workshops designed to advance analytical research.

Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA) Research Incubation Fund

The Weatherhead Center has earmarked, annually, three awards of $30,000 to support the development of faculty research proposals that are intended to be submitted to major outside funding agencies or foundations (the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and various private foundations).

Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA) Small & Medium Grants for Faculty Research Projects

Each year the Weatherhead Center awards a limited number of small and medium grants for faculty research projects to conduct research relating to the core interests of the Center.

Mind Brain Behavior (MBB) Faculty Fusion Research Grants

These awards are intended to support inter-faculty collaboration that aims to explore bridging insights between research areas and methodologies, like the translational work of porting methods from one discipline into the content area of another. 

Mind Brain Behavior (MBB) Postdoctoral Fellowships

This two-year award funds a postdoctoral fellow who wants to examine MBB-related issues through interdisciplinary research and experiences. 

Center for Hellenic Studies Grants

Offers fellowships to scholars working on the ancient Greek world in all its varieties, for example, in fields of archaeology, art history, epigraphy, history, literary criticism, philology, philosophy, pedagogical applications, reception, and interdisciplinary studies. Awards are up to $5,000 for students and $9,000 for faculty, and are meant to support curriculum development, travel, internships, and/or allowable research-related expenses. 

Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) Faculty Grants

Harvard faculty affiliates of CAPS may apply for discretionary grants up to $5,000 for research on U.S. politics.

Dependent Care Fund

Provides financial assistance to Harvard Ladder Faculty who would like to travel for a professional event that will advance their academic careers, and who also have childcare or adult dependent care obligations.

Division of Social Science Manuscript Workshop Grants for Tenure Track Faculty 

Available to tenure track faculty with primary appointments in the FAS Division of Social Science who are in their 2nd to 6th year of residence. These grants support travel and other expenses associated with bringing experts to Harvard to review and offer guidance on in-progress manuscripts.

Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies: Faculty Conference Grant 

Conference grants offer up to $10,000 for faculty members planning to organize a conference on a theme related to China studies, or with significant participation by China scholars. 

Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies: Faculty Course Development Grant 

Intended to support faculty working on new undergraduate and graduate courses in or related to China studies. Applications for up to $5,000 will be considered.

Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies: Faculty Research Grant

Research grants support applications from Harvard faculty or preceptors for small research grants on Chinese studies of up to $5,000. 

Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies: Faculty Workshop Grant

Workshop grants support Harvard faculty or postdoctoral scholars proposing to organize a book workshop or one-day workshop for discussion of a topic in Chinese studies. The maximum award for a workshop grant is $5,000.

FAS Faculty Aide Program

The Faculty Aide Program (FAP) supports undergraduate students to work closely with a Harvard-affiliated faculty member as a Research Assistant. Faculty members benefit from cost-sharing the wages paid to the student with the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (URAF).

FAS Professional Development Funds 

Reimbursement for professional development activities undertaken by tenure-track faculty as scholars and teachers.

FAS Tenure-Track Publication Fund

Provides assistant and associate professors in the FAS and SEAS supplemental research funds to assist with costs related to scholarly publications, including but not limited to include research assistance, publication subsidies, copying, word processing, obtaining translations or illustrations, or creating footnotes or indices.

FAS Tenured Publication Fund

Intended to provide aid to tenured professors in the FAS and SEAS with funds to assist with costs related to scholarly publications; for example, expenses associated with indexing, obtaining digital images, securing copyright permissions, and modest subventions requested by not-for-profit publishers.

Harvard China Fund: (Re)engage with China Grant

Funding opportunity of up to $20,000 for faculty members to make short visits to China with the goal of reestablishing academic connections and exploring collaboration with Chinese institutions and partners.

Harvard China Fund: Research Assistant (RA) Grants

Up to $5,000 for Harvard faculty to hire a research assistant. 

Harvard China Fund: Small Grants for other academic activities

Small grants with a maximum of $10,000 to cover costs for academic needs related to China studies, including honoraria for manuscript readers, subscriptions, and other academic activities.

Harvard Data Science Initiative (HDSI): Faculty Special Projects Fund 

This Fund is intended to support one-time data science opportunities for which other funding is not readily available.

Harvard University Center for the Environment (HUCE) Faculty Grants for Exploratory Research

Supports preliminary explorations of significant environmental issues that show promise for further scholarship.

Institute for Quantitative Social Science (IQSS) Mindich Encounters with Authors Conference Series

Opportunity for IQSS faculty affiliates to present a major work still in progress. IQSS pays all conference expenses ($10,000 maximum), arranges invitations, and provides necessary administrative and staff support.

Institute for Quantitative Social Science (IQSS) Extraordinary Claims, Extraordinary Evidence

Through uniquely tailored support—including high-level data expertise, infrastructure, and funding—IQSS helps social science tenure-track faculty collect the extraordinary evidence required to challenge leading scientific, political, or cultural assumptions, and move the scientific community’s dominant position the farthest distance.

Mind Brain Behavior (MBB) Community Connect Grants

For graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty interested in organizing an event that includes or benefits part of the Mind Brain Behavior Interfaculty Initiative. This could be for a one-time event like a hosted speaker, gathering, or interdisciplinary workshop, or for recurring events such as journal clubs or faculty interest groups. 

Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) Wetmore Colles Fund

Awards provide funding to MCZ personnel (at least one MCZ faculty-curator, postdoctoral fellow, graduate student, or staff) as senior or lead author to support publication-related activities, in furthering dissemination of research.

Open Gate Grants

Provides funding for activities at Harvard University that benefit LGBTQIA2S+ students, faculty, staff, and alums. Open Gate supports a wide variety of requests, all in furtherance of scholarship, understanding, or celebration, in the fields of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

Solar Geoengineering Research Program (SGRP)

Harvard faculty members may apply for grants to develop new directions in their research related to solar geoengineering. These grants aim to support innovative research across a variety of disciplines to evaluate solar geoengineering as a potential means to address climate change.

Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA) Canada Program Funding For Harvard Faculty, Departments, and Schools

Support for research on a Canadian topic, or hosting short-term visiting scholars, policy practitioners, and public figures who are engaged in US/Canadian comparative topics.

Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA) Discretionary Grants

Faculty Associates may apply for discretionary grants for research relating to the core interests of the Center. This research focuses on international, transnational, global, and comparative national issues and may address contemporary or historical topics, including rigorous policy analysis, as well as the study of specific countries and regions outside the United States.

Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA) Dissemination of Publications for Tenure-Track Faculty

Once per year, tenure-track faculty may request that the Center circulate copies of their published or unpublished work to as many as ten scholars in their research area. The Center will defray the cost of the purchase of the publications and pay for the mailings.

Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA) Grants for Faculty-Led Seminars

Funding for faculty-led seminars which may benefit the general Harvard community or small groups of scholars to discuss research relating to the core interests of the Center. This research focuses on international, transnational, global, and comparative national issues and may address contemporary or historical topics, including rigorous policy analysis.

Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA) Grants for Tenure-Track Faculty Book Manuscript Conferences 

Provides every Faculty Associate who is an assistant or associate professor the opportunity to hold a conference for an in-progress book manuscript. The purpose of these conferences is to gather expert assistance to critique and review texts still in draft.