Postdoc Resources

Harvard University subscribes to three searchable funding opportunity databases: Pivot, Candid, and SPIN. Additionally, postdocs may use the internal CARAT database to search for funding opportunities. See the Funding Databases webpage for informational resources to help you navigate these tools.

There are two ways to submit an application for funding: you may submit as an individual or through Harvard University’s Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP). Some sponsors will require you to apply as an individual while others will require you to submit through the institution. Please note that there may be tax, benefits, and other implications depending on whether you submit through Harvard University or as an individual. We highly recommend that you discuss your applications with a grant administrator or your faculty mentor prior to submitting a proposal.

For opportunities for which awards would be issued directly to Harvard University, proposals must be reviewed and approved by the following:

• Your department or center
• The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP)
• Additional signatures (including FAS Office of Research Administration (FORA), Office of Technology Development (OTD), or the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR)) may be required based on the content and circumstances of the proposal. 

Certain fellowship opportunities specify that resulting awards will be awarded/issued directly to the postdoctoral fellow; proposals for such opportunities may be submitted directly to the sponsor without the requirement of internal review. Please contact your sponsored research administrator as early as possible with any intention for proposal submission to review and confirm the required process for each opportunity.

Proposals must be submitted to FAS and OSP at least 5 business days before they are due to any sponsor, per Harvard’s Proposal Submission Policy. For more information about the review process, please see Review & Submission. 

Postdocs may contact Stephen Kargère, Director of Professional Development for Researchers and Non-Ladder Faculty, for guidance and resources for postdoctoral scholars. 

Yes, Harvard University offers many internal funding programs. Please refer to this list of internal Harvard Funding opportunities, available to faculty, postdocs, and students. Additionally, please explore this curated list of opportunities available to postdoctoral scholars, including internal programs.

Yes. Some sponsors only offer funding to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or scholars who have been living in the United States for at least three years. However, eligibility differs considerably from sponsor to sponsor and many offer funding to non-U.S. citizens and foreign nationals.