Resources for Postdoctoral Scholars

These web resources offer guidance for FAS postdocs who are interested in finding and applying for grant and fellowship funding. Please also speak with your department administrator or visit your individual department webpage as well—most departments offer valuable guidance and resources targeted to their affiliated postdocs.

Search tools for postdocs to find relevant funding opportunities
Workshops and training opportunities
Curated list of important funding opportunities for postdocs
Frequently Asked Questions
Additional Resources

SEARCH TOOLS TO FIND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

For Harvard Affiliates

  • Pivot: The most comprehensive database of funding opportunities for scholars of all disciplines, Pivot includes national, international, federal, private and corporate sponsors. You may access our user-guide here.
  • Foundation Directory Online (FDO): A database of U.S.-based private and corporate foundations that fund all research disciplines. You may access our user-guide here.
  • SPIN: A searchable database of federal and private funding opportunities in all fields.

Open Access

  • Grants.gov: A searchable federal database with opportunities from all federal agencies.

WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS

  • Finding Funding: A Guide to Using Pivot and Foundation Directory Online (FDO): This hour-long workshop demonstrates how to perform a search using two funding opportunity databases, Pivot and FDO. An elementary introduction, the course offers tips and strategies for Harvard-based postdocs.
  • Responsible Conduct of Research Course: RCR is a highly recommended “best practices” course for those desiring to deepen their knowledge of ethical research and responsible conduct. It is also an excellent professional opportunity for anyone interested in furthering a career in research.
  • Academic and Professional Development Courses at Harvard
  • Ad Hoc Workshops: Research Development offers ad hoc workshops on major sponsors such as the NIH and NSF.
  • Sponsor Visits: Research Development organizes campus visits featuring representatives from a variety of sponsors, including the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Fulbright Program, among others. We advertise in collaboration with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

  • Sample Proposal Library: includes successful sample narratives from K99 and F32 applications. Proposals marked with an asterisk are available to postdocs.
  • Internal Funding Sources: list of Harvard University funding opportunities.
  •  for an NSF Proposal.
  • Guidelines, Templates and other Resources: including NSF- and NIH-specific toolkits to aid proposal development.
  • Template for NIH Research Performance Progress Report: section B.4 “Training and Professional Development/Individual Development Plans.”
  • FAS Office for Postdoctoral Affairs: Supports close to 1,300 postdoctoral scholars, College Fellows, and research associates across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the Cambridge-based Harvard-affiliated schools, centers, and institutes. The office's mission is to support postdoctoral scholars and research associates in working toward their career and professional development goals, to serve as a resource to campus constituents on postdoc life and work, and to build a sense of community among postdocs.