Featured Early Career Award
| National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Minimum $500K over 5 years Deadline in July |
Supports basic research in all STEM areas. Applicants must be employed in a tenure-track position as an assistant professor and be untenured as of October 1 following the proposal submission. There is no citizenship requirement. A Principal Investigator may not participate in more than three CAREER competitions. https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20525/nsf20525.htm |
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Campus Early Career Award
| Hellman Fellows Program Up to $50K for 1 year Deadline in February |
Assists junior faculty at a point when start-up funding is exhausted and before first grants are obtained, about 2-3 years into their appointment. https://academicaffairs.ucsc.edu/hellman/index.html |
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Selected Early Career Awards:
- Federal Funders
- Foundation and Corporate (not disease-related)
- Foundations and Institutes (disease-related)
Johns Hopkins also maintains a spreadsheet of early career funding opportunities covering many disciplines with significant opportunities for disease-specific research.
- To discuss engineering (non-biomed) opportunities, contact Karen Ruhleder (kruhlede@ucsc.edu); for biomed, contact Hardeep Obhi (hkobhi@ucsc.edu).
- Foundation Relations assists with all proposals for private funders, including direct submissions. Contact them at cfr@ucsc.edu.
- For questions about developing corporate research relationships, contact Frank Howley, Senior Director of Corporate Development at fhowley@ucsc.edu.
Early Career Awards – Federal
| Air Force Young Investigator Program $450K over 3 years Deadline annually in June/July |
Supports basic research in areas that offer significant and comprehensive benefits to US national warfighting and peacekeeping capabilities. Applicants must have received their PhD on or after April 1, 2012, and must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident. https://community.apan.org/wg/afosr/w/researchareas/12792/young-investigator-program-yip/ |
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| Army Research Office Young Investigator Program $360K over 3 years Deadline: may submit at any time |
Supports basic research as outlined in the Broad Agency Announcement for Fundamental Research. Applicant must have held their graduate degrees (Ph.D. or equivalent) for fewer than 5 years at the time of application and be a US Citizen, National, or Permanent Resident. https://www.arl.army.mil/www/default.cfm?page= |
| This award is no longer available to faculty with start-up packages or other support sufficient to support a graduate research assistant for two years. |
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Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award |
Supports research addressing national security challenges and needs. Topics vary annually; see solicitation. Applicant must be within 3 years of their tenure-track faculty appointment and be a US citizen, Permanent Resident. https://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/for-universities/young-faculty-award |
| Department of Energy $750K over 5 years Solicitation released in fall |
Supports advanced scientific computing research; biological and environmental research; basic energy sciences, fusion energy sciences; high energy physics, and nuclear physics. Applicant must be an untenured Assistant Professor who received their PhD within the last 10 years. There is no citizenship requirement. https://science.osti.gov/early-career |
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Early Career Faculty |
Supports research in annually defined topical areas (see solicitation). Applicant must be untenured in a tenure-track Assistant Professor position and be a US citizen or Permanent Resident. Applicant may not have received a PECASE or Space Technology Research Grant Program award. |
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National Institutes of Health Stephen Katz Early Stage Investigator Awards (R01) |
Supports innovative projects in an area of science that represents a change in research direction for an early stage investigator and for which no preliminary data exists. https://grants.nih.gov/funding/katz-esi-r01.htm |
| National Institutes of Health / National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (R35) Five year award Deadline in October |
Supports NIGMS-relevant program of research in an investigator's laboratory to enhance investigators' ability to move into research areas that are distinct from those of their postdoctoral mentors. No preliminary data is expected or required. |
| Office of Naval Research $500K over 2 years; possible $250K for 3rd year Deadline in late summer |
Supports basic research that will enable superior warfighting and energy capabilities for naval forces, platforms and undersea weaponry. Applicant must have received their doctorate on or after January 1, 2012, and be a US citizen, National, or Permanent Resident at the time of application. https://www.onr.navy.mil/en/Education-Outreach/Sponsored-Research/YIP |
Early Career Awards – Foundation and Corporate (not disease-related)
| Agilent Technologies Early Career Professor Award $100K for equipment purchase Deadline in February By nomination |
Supports research with an annual focus relevant to Agilent’s mission. The focus for 2019 is the development of breakthrough artificial intelligence solutions advancing cancer diagnostics based on image analysis of pathology slides. Applicants must have received their PhD within 10 years. https://www.agilent.com/univ_relation/profaward |
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| Beckman Foundation Young Investigator Award $600K over 4 years LOI deadline in August Full proposal by invitation Foundation Relations sends campus solicitation |
Supports research contributing to advances in chemistry and the life sciences. Extra consideration for invention of methods, instruments and materials that will open up new avenues of research. Applicant must be in the first 3 years of a tenure-track position, have no previous major grants, and be a US citizen or permanent resident at the time of application. http://www.beckman-foundation.org/programs/beckman-young-investigators-program-information |
| Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists $250K in unrestricted funds Limited submission Campus deadline in September/October Foundation Relations sends campus solicitation |
Supports young researchers in the life sciences, physical science & engineering, and chemistry. See funder's website for age restriction. http://blavatnikawards.org/awards/national-awards/nomination-guidelines/ |
| Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation Inventors Fellowship Program $675K over 3 years Limited submission Campus deadline in October Foundation Relations sends campus solicitation |
Supports early-career innovators at US universities who will accelerate progress in scientific research, environmental conservation, and patient care. Applicant must be within 10 years of receiving the PhD. https://www.moore.org/initiative-strategy-detail?initiativeId=moore-inventor-fellows |
| Human Frontiers Science Program Young Investigator Award (biological systems) $1.34M over 3 years LOI deadline in March Full proposal by invitation |
Supports teams of 2-4 faculty within the first 5 years of their appointment and within 10 years of their PhD to pursue international cross-disciplinary collaborations to answer questions about complex biological systems. http://www.hfsp.org/funding/research-grants |
| Microsoft New Faculty Fellowship Program $200K over 2 years Deadline for nomination in November Office of Research sends campus solicitation |
Supports research in systems & networking and AI (including machine learning, computer vision, and robotics) as well as interdisciplinary extensions to them. Applicants must be within 5 years of their PhD. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/academic-program/faculty-fellowship/ |
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New York Stem Cell Foundation Neuroscience Investigator Award (includes non-stem cell research) |
Supports research in the fundamental areas of developmental, cellular, cognitive, and translational neuroscience, broadly interpreted. Applicants need not be working in areas related to stem cells, but must be within 5 years of starting a faculty position. https://nyscf.org/programs/extramural-grants/applicants/neuroscience-investigator-awards/ |
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New York Stem Cell Foundation Stem Cell Investigator Award |
Supports research exploring the basic biology and translational potential of stem cells. Applicants must be within 5 years of starting a faculty position. https://nyscf.org/programs/extramural-grants/applicants/stem-cell-investigator-awards/ |
| Packard Foundation Early Career Fellowship $875K over 5 years Limited submission Campus deadline in March Foundation Relations sends campus solicitation |
Supports research in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, astronomy, computer science, earth science, ocean science, and all branches of engineering. Applicants must be early career tenure track faculty. https://www.packard.org/what-we-fund/science/packard-fellowships-for-science-and-engineering/about-the-packard-fellowship-awards/ |
| Pew Biomedical Scholar Early Career Award $300K over 4 years Limited submission, departmental nomination Campus deadline in May Foundation Relations sends campus solicitation |
Supports research relevant to human health that is based on biomedical principles, but brings in concepts and theories from more diverse fields. Risk-taking is encouraged. Faculty must be within 3 years of their appointment. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/projects/pew-biomedical-scholars/program-details |
| Pew-Stewart Scholars for Cancer Research $300K over 4 years Limited submission, departmental nomination Campus deadline in May Foundation Relations sends campus solicitation |
Supports research relevant to human health that is based on biomedical principles, but brings in concepts and theories from more diverse fields. Risk-taking is encouraged. Faculty must be within 3 years of their appointment. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/projects/pew-stewart-scholars-for-cancer-research/program-details |
| PhrMA Drug Discovery Research Starter Grant $100K over 1 year LOI deadline in May |
Supports research that will promote development and use of novel informatics in an integrative approach toward understanding normal processes of human biology and disease processes. Applicants must be assistant professors in a tenure track position. http://www.phrmafoundation.org/awards/ |
| Rita Allen Early Career Award (biomedical) Up to $550K over 5 years Limited submission, departmental nomination Campus deadline in July Foundation Relations sends campus solicitation |
Supports biomedical research in the fields of cancer, immunology, and neuroscience. Faculty in their first 3 years in a position are eligible. http://ritaallen.org/scholars/ |
| Searle Scholars Early Career Award (biomedical) $300K over 3 years Limited submission, departmental nomination Campus deadline in May Foundation Relations sends campus solicitation |
Supports research in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and related areas in chemistry, medicine, and the biological sciences. Applicants must be within their first 2 years of their first tenure-track appointment. https://www.searlescholars.net/competition |
| Sloan Foundation Early Career Award $70K over 2 years Deadline in September |
Supports research in Chemistry, computational and evolutionary molecular biology, computer science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, ocean sciences, and physics. Applicant’s most recent PhD must have been awarded within 5 years. https://sloan.org/fellowships/apply |
| VMWare Research Award $100K unrestricted gift Limited submission; contact department chair Deadline in October |
Supports computer science systems research. Applicant must be within 5 years of their first tenure-track appointment. https://www.vmware.com/company/sysaward.html |
Early Career Awards – Foundation and Corporate (disease-specific)
| American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grants $800K over 4 years Deadlines in April and October |
Supports faculty whose research will improve cancer treatment and uncover factors that may cause cancer. Applicants must be in the first 8 years of their appointment. https://www.cancer.org/research/we-fund-cancer-research/apply-research-grant/grant-types/research-scholar-grants.html |
| American Lung Association Catalyst Award $100K over 2 years Deadline in December |
Supports mentored research prior to the receipt of career-development awards such as the K08, K23, or K99. Applicants must hold a tenure-track position and plan to pursue a career in lung health research. https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/research/awards-and-grant-funding/ |
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Burroughs-Wellcome Investigators in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease |
Supports research on pathogenesis, with a focus on the interplay between human and microbial biology, shedding light on how human and microbial systems are affected by their encounters. Applicant must be at the assistant professor level. https://www.bwfund.org/funding-opportunities/infectious-diseases/investigators-in-the-pathogenesis-of-infectious-disease/ |
| Cancer Research Institute Lloyd J. Old STAR Program $1.25M over 5 years Deadline in January |
Supports investigators who have made notable contributions to immunotherapy. Applicant must be either a tenure-track assistant professor (minimum of three years) or associate professor (maximum of three years). https://www.cancerresearch.org/scientists/fellowships-grants/lloyd-j-old-star-program |
| Children’s Cancer Research Fund Emerging Scientist Award $100K over 1 year Deadline in May |
Supports research on the causes of childhood cancers, their treatment, and long-term treatment impacts. Applicant must be within the first seven years of their initial independent full faculty appointment at the start of the award. https://childrenscancer.org/esa/ |
| Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award [cancer] Up to $800K over 4 years Proposal deadline in July Finalist interviews by invitation |
Supports early-career researchers pursuing high-risk/high-reward ideas who lack sufficient preliminary data needed to obtain traditional funding. Applicants must be assistant professors within the first three years of their initial appointment. https://www.damonrunyon.org/for-scientists/application-guidelines/innovation |
| Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Award in Neuroscience $225K over 3 years Proposal deadline February |
Supports early-career research that may lead to a better understanding of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Applicants must be assistant professors within four years of completing their postdoctoral training. https://klingenstein.org/esther-a-joseph-klingenstein-fund/neuroscience/ |
| Sontag Foundation Distinguished Scientist Award (brain research) $600K over 4 years Deadline in March |
Supports research that shows potential to generate new knowledge relating to causes, cure or treatment of primary brain tumors or brain cancer. Applicants must have received their first independent faculty appointment no earlier than March 1, 2014. http://www.sontagfoundation.org/all-grants/brain-cancer/dsa-application-info-requirements/ |
| Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program $200K over 3 years LOI Deadline in November Full proposal by invitation |
Supports research related to tobacco-related diseases, environmental exposure, toxicity, neuroscience of addiction, and related topics. Applicants must be no more than five years from completion of doctoral/postdoctoral training and must have PI-status. http://www.trdrp.org/funding-opportunities/award-mechanisms/new-investigator-award.html |