Current Funding Opportunities

Current Funding Opportunities

The opportunities below are currently open and have been selected for their relevance to HGSE faculty and principal investigators. They include limited submission, external, and internal funding programs, each listed in order of deadline. This list is not exhaustive and is updated weekly as new calls are announced, so we encourage faculty to check back regularly and to consult the Funding Resources page for independent searches. 

For assistance identifying funding opportunities, assessing fit, or navigating limited submissions, please contact Faina Gould, Director of Research Development and Strategy. For questions regarding budgets, proposal submission, or a specific application, please contact your Research Portfolio Manager. 

Internal Review Deadlines:

Proposals must be routed in GMAS for internal review at least three (3) full business days before the sponsor deadline for pre-proposals and five (5) full business days for full proposals, not counting the deadline day itself. Please contact your Research Portfolio Manager well in advance to plan your proposal timeline. Limited submission opportunities require additional lead time to complete the internal selection process, and proposals that include subawards require additional time for the subrecipient’s institutional review. 

Review internal deadlines

Jump to Section

Limited Submission Opportunities External Funding Opportunities Internal Funding Opportunities

Limited Submission Opportunities

Many sponsors, including federal agencies, foundations, and corporations, restrict the number of applications a university may submit to a given competition. For these limited submission opportunities (LSOs), an internal review determines which Harvard applicants will move forward before the sponsor deadline. LSOs include research grants, large-scale initiatives, fellowships, and awards. If you are considering an LSO, please contact Faina Gould as early as possible.

Application DeadlineFunding Opportunities

ONGOING CALL: You can apply for this opportunity at any time.


Limited* Library of Congress: TPS Regional Grant Program

The TPS Regional program expands access to the Library of Congress' primary sources in K-12 classrooms. Grant recipients can use funding for workshops, professional development, and integrating TPS materials into courses.

  • Funding: up to $25,000, up to 18 months
  • Please reach out to Faina Gould if you’re considering this application
     

 

 

Back to Top

External Funding Opportunities

Application DeadlineFunding Opportunities

Pre-Proposal Deadline: November 18, 2026, 3:00 PM ET


New* Pathways for Health Research Collective (Doris Duke Foundation): Health Solutions Science in Action

Seeks projects that apply evidence-based health solutions science, research addressing the behavioral, social, economic, and environmental drivers of health, at greater-than-pilot scale and rigorously measure improvements in U.S. health outcomes. Projects must build on an existing, well-powered evidence base and bring together knowledge producers and knowledge users.

  • Funding: No award range is stated, and requests should complement leveraged partner resources. A three-year plan is required, and the Stage 1 budget may include up to 10% indirect costs.
  • Eligibility: Lead applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations or state universities, with no limit on applications per organization. Out of scope: pilots, strictly research studies, centers of excellence, and projects relying solely on individual behavior change (such as health education programs).

Timeline: Full-proposal invitations in early February 2027; full proposals due April 2027; earliest start August 1, 2027
 


November 20, 2026, 11:59 PM EST


New* Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation: Transformation of Mental Health Care Program

Supports academic research that builds on promising pilot work to test novel ways to access or deliver mental health care and prevention for children and adolescents at scale, especially for children from low-income families and under-resourced or minoritized communities. Examples include new models of care delivery (such as community mental health workers), approaches adapted for atypical settings (primary care, schools, home), scalable digital tools, and ways to help parents access care.

  • Funding: $100,000 per year for two years ($200,000 total), with indirect costs capped at 10%; up to two awards expected.
  • Eligibility: Academic researchers at U.S. institutions, at any career stage, with enough pilot data on the intervention to justify the project. Early-career applicants are encouraged to partner with a senior investigator. Service projects and requests to expand services without a rigorous research component are not reviewed.
     


Letter of Inquiry Deadline: December 1, 2026, 2:00 PM ET

HGSE Internal Deadline: November 23, 5:00 PM ET (HU-OSP review; submit through GMAS). Please contact your portfolio manager now.


New* Russell Sage Foundation: Margaret Olivia Sage (MOS) Grants

Supports multi- or interdisciplinary teams studying social, economic, and political challenges with generational consequences for the United States. Priority areas are democracy, the societal impacts of artificial intelligence, inequality and affordability, and data infrastructure for social science research.

  • Funding: Up to $750,000 plus 15% indirect costs over three years; one renewal of up to $500,000 for two more years may be considered.
  • Eligibility: All PIs and Co-PIs must have a doctorate; teams must be multi- or interdisciplinary (partnering with a community organization counts).
  • Timeline: Invited proposals due February 22, 2027; funding decisions June 2027; funding starts September 1, 2027.

December 9, 2026


New* NEH: Landmarks of American History and Culture and Summer Institutes

Supports residential professional development programs that bring K-12 teachers or higher education faculty together to deepen their understanding of the humanities. Landmarks workshops focus on American history and culture at historic sites, while Institutes can cover broader humanities topics.

  • Funding: Up to $460,000 per project, with about $7 million available in total.
  • Eligibility: Public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits, and state, local, and tribal governments. K-12 projects must include a K-12 education specialist (for example, a classroom teacher, education faculty member, or curriculum developer).
     

 

Letter of Intent due: October 29, 2026 (optional, via IES PRIMO)

HU-OSP routing: Friday, December 4, 2026. Please contact your portfolio manager as soon as possible.

Application deadline: December 11, 2026, 11:59:59 PM ET

 

IES/NCER: From Seedlings to Scale Grants Program (84.305J)

Funds early-stage, technology-enabled solutions to high-priority education problems, in three phases. For FY2027, IES is accepting Phase One applications under the C-STEP focus area (Coordinating Systems to Translate Evidence into Policy and Practice): AI- and technology-enabled tools that help PreK-12 education systems integrate evidence-based products, processes, and policies. IES cites knowledge networks, dashboards, and modeling platforms as examples.

  • Funding: up to $500,000 for one year, with up to 12 awards and a possible start of June 1, 2027.
  • Eligibility: institutions of higher education and nonprofit or for-profit organizations. IES encourages multidisciplinary teams, including technology developers and small businesses; Harvard may lead or join a team.

Program officer: Akilah Nelson (Akilah.Nelson@ed.gov).

 

 

Letter of Intent due: October 29, 2026 (optional, via IES PRIMO)

HU-OSP routing: Friday, December 4, 2026. Please contact your portfolio manager as soon as possible.

Application deadline: December 11, 2026, 11:59:59 PM ET


IES/NCSER: Transformative Research in Special Education (84.324T)

Funds transformative solutions to intractable problems in special education, in two phases; this competition is Phase 1. For FY2027, the focus is transforming preservice teacher education systems, so they better attract, train, and retain preK-12 general and special education teachers prepared to improve outcomes for students with or at risk for disabilities. Pilot data are not required

  • Funding: Phase 1 up to $1,250,000 per year for up to 3 years ($3,750,000 total), as cooperative agreements, with a possible start of July 1, 2027.
  • Eligibility: institutions of higher education and nonprofit or for-profit organizations; interdisciplinary teams with teacher education expertise are recommended.
  • Outcomes: research must center on preservice teachers and examine teacher outcomes. Phase 1 projects need not measure student outcomes, but applications must include an explicit theory of change linking the solution to those outcomes.
  • Co-design partners and cost sharing: applications must describe a plan for both, with cost sharing of at least 5% of federal funds, in place by the end of Year 1 for continued funding. For instance, for a $3,750,000 award, $187,500 in cash or in-kind contributions must be in place to receive continuation funding for Years 2 and 3. Cost sharing is subject to federal regulations and Harvard’s Cost Sharing Policy, and it takes time to plan. Please contact your portfolio manager as soon as you begin considering this application so we can help you prepare.
  • Program officer: Courtney Pollack (courtney.pollack@ed.gov).
     

Letter of Intent: opens November 3, 2026; closes January 6, 2027, 11:59 PM


New* Mozilla Foundation and Mellon Foundation: Responsible Computing Challenge (U.S. Cohort 3)

Supports faculty-led projects that develop undergraduate curricula and pedagogy bridging computer science and related STEM fields with the humanities and social sciences, weaving responsible and critical computing into the curriculum. The program anticipates awarding grants to ten U.S. universities.

  • Funding: Up to $125,000 per institution over two years.
  • Eligibility: Accredited U.S. institutions of higher education with faculty-led, interdisciplinary teams. Ineligible: standalone ethics courses, projects not primarily serving undergraduates, and outputs without open licensing.
  • HGSE Partnership Note: Proposals must center undergraduate curricula, so HGSE faculty would need to join as pedagogy partners rather than lead.
     

 

Anticipated announcement: December 2026

RFA not yet posted

 

*Anticipated  IES/NCER: Education Research Grants (84.305A) - and IES/NCSER: Education Research Grants (84.324A)

IES’s flagship, highest-volume research grant program. For FY2027, applications are expected to map to four NCER priority areas (Literacy, STEM, Strengthening Systems for Evidence-Based Practice, and Transitions from Secondary Education to the Workforce) instead of the eleven broad topics of prior years; NCSER will use Literacy, STEM, the Special Education Workforce, and Low-Incidence Disabilities. IES expects these priorities to hold through FY2029, so researchers working outside them should plan accordingly. Award amounts and eligibility will be confirmed when the RFA is released.

 

 

Anticipated announcement: December 2026

RFA not yet posted

 

*Anticipated  IES/NCER and IES/NCSER: Research and Development Centers (84.305C/84.324C) and Research Networks (84.305N/84.324N)

Anticipated Centers and Networks competitions for both NCER and NCSER, tied to IES’s vision for Network Hubs as needs-sensors and evidence-synthesizers. Not yet posted - dates and scope are IES’s stated intentions, subject to change.

 

 

Letter of Intent (LOI) Window: January 15–30, 2027 (5:00 PM ET)
 

Invited Stage 1 Proposal Deadline: March 1, 2027


Brady Education Foundation

The Foundation is currently accepting Research Project (RP) proposals and Existing Program Evaluation (EPE) proposals. The Foundation is particularly focused on supporting projects that are consistent with a strength-based perspective and have the potential to inform future educational research, practice, major philanthropic giving, and/or public policy. LOIs are accepted three times a year; the most recent window closed September 30, 2026.

  • Funding: Up to $125,000 per year including indirect costs for studies that collect new data (up to 3 years); under $100,000 for secondary data analyses (1–1.5 years). Indirect costs are capped at 10% of direct costs on projects over $50,000 and are not allowed at $50,000 or less. 
  • Eligibility: Research must take place in the United States. PIs must be at a university, college, or large non-profit research organization, and grants go to non-profit institutions only. 
     


Full Proposal Deadline:

January 20, 2027 (Capacity-Building and Level 1 proposals) 

July 21, 2027 (Level 2 and 3 proposals); 5:00 PM submitting organization’s local time
 


New* NSF: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE: EDU)

Supports novel, evidence-based approaches to STEM teaching and learning for undergraduates, through two tracks: Engaged Student Learning and Institutional and Community Transformation.

  • Funding: Engaged Student Learning: Level 1 up to $400,000; Level 2 up to $750,000 (up to 3 years each); Level 3 up to $2 million (up to 5 years)

Submission Window: February 1 to March 1, 2027 (5:00 PM submitting organization’s local time)


New* NSF: Mid-Career Advancement (MCA)

Gives mid-career researchers protected time, resources, and the means to gain new skills through partnerships, typically at an institution other than their own. Partners from outside the PI’s own subdiscipline are encouraged. Participating directorates include Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) and STEM Education (EDU), as well as Biological Sciences and Geosciences.

  • Funding: Varies by participating program; please check the solicitation.
  • Eligibility: PIs must be at the Associate Professor rank (or equivalent) for at least three years, with research in a participating program’s scope; a departmental letter is required.
  • Process: NSF strongly encourages discussing your proposal with a program officer first (MCA.info@nsf.gov). Please contact your portfolio manager early; full proposals must be routed to HU-OSP at least five full business days before the deadline.
     

ONGOING: letters of inquiry accepted on a rolling basis; there is no deadline


New* ECMC Foundation: Open Letter of Inquiry

Supports efforts to improve postsecondary outcomes so that all students have a better chance at career success, including credit-bearing career and technical education and other two- and four-year credentials, with a focus on underserved populations, evidence-based innovation, and evaluation. Beyond its own initiatives, ECMC funds concepts through its open letter of inquiry.

  • Funding: $50,000 to $1M+
  • Eligibility: Letters of inquiry are submitted through ECMC’s online portal, and the Foundation responds to every submission.
  • HGSE Partnership Note: HGSE faculty could serve as evaluation partners to a postsecondary institution, system, or nonprofit that runs the program.
     

Full Proposal Deadline: Full proposal accepted anytime 


NSF: STEM K-12 (STEM K-12)

Supports research and development to advance STEM teaching and learning in K-12 formal and informal settings, leveraging AI and emerging technologies to build knowledge, create tools and strengthen the U.S. STEM education and workforce.

  • Funding: $25,000 - $750,000, with a typical duration of 1-3 years 
     

Letters of Interest: ONGOING


Grodman Family Foundation: Interventions for Children in Distress

The Grodman Family Foundation supports innovative programs of research, education, clinical care, and program operations that address the needs of children in distress, with a focus on integrated, multidisciplinary interventions that respond to, mitigate, and prevent that distress.

  • Funding: $50,000 to $200,000 per year for one to three years
  • Eligibility: United States 501(c)(3) organizations (projects may be global in scope), with preference given to academic and research-based entities. A Letter of Interest is required, and proposals approved by the Board are invited to submit a full application.
     

ONGOING: welcoming proposals for partnerships via our Letters of Inquiry (LOI) portals year-round
 


Nathan Cummings Foundation: 
Advancing racial, economic, and environmental justice (REEJ)

NCF welcomes Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) on a rolling basis for grants and Program-Related Investments (PRIs) supporting racial, economic, and environmental justice (REEJ). The foundation seeks to partner with innovative, proximate change makers, particularly those working in the U.S. South. Proposals must align with NCF’s REEJ goals.

  • Funding:  grants range from $50,000 – $250,000
     

ONGOING CALL: You can submit your project at any point throughout the year.


International* Fund for Innovation in Development (FID)

FID aims to support promising ideas with high potential for impact against poverty and inequality. Through flexible grant funding, the Fund enables innovators and researchers to test new ideas, build rigorous evidence for effective programs, and scale the highest-impact and most cost-effective solutions conferences.

  • Funding amounts:  Stage 0-Prepare: €50K; Stage 1-Pilot: €200K; Stage 2: Test and Position to Scale- €1,500,000; Stage 3: Transition to Scale- €4,000,000; Innovation and Public Policies - €500K; Evidence and Public Policies - €500K.

ONGOING CALL: You can apply for this opportunity at any time.

TED: The Audacious Project

This project is a collaborative funding initiative catalyzing social impact on a grand scale. Every year we select and nurture a group of big, bold solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges, and with the support of an inspiring group of donors and supporters, come together to get them launched. Housed at TED, the nonprofit with a long track record of surfacing ideas worth spreading, and with support from leading social impact advisor The Bridgespan Group, the funding collective is comprised of several respected organizations and individuals in philanthropy. Please note that TED itself does not provide funding for grantees; its role is curation, ideation, and community development, and funding comes from the Audacious donor collective.
 

ONGOING CALL: Los Angeles and New York City applications are accepted year-round


Eisner Foundation: Grants

Supports organizations offering intergenerational solutions to society’s greatest challenges. Tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations based in Los Angeles County or New York City or doing work that benefits populations in Los Angeles County or New York City are eligible to apply. Grants are available for general operating expenses, project support, capacity-building, and capital projects.

  • Funding: up to $300,000 in total funding for a project period of 12-18 months.
     

ONGOING: Concept papers accepted anytime

Smith Richardson Foundation: Domestic Public Policy Program

The Domestic Public Policy Program funds projects that inform public and policymaker understanding of critical U.S. challenges. Support is given to research and evaluation of current policies and initiatives that infuse innovative ideas into public discourse. Key areas include enhancing school productivity by improving teacher quality and curricula, along with advancing post-secondary education initiatives to equip individuals for success in the modern economy.
 

 

ONGOING: Submit an unsolicited letter of enquiry at any time


Oak Foundation: Grants

Oak Foundation accepts grant applications by invitation only and funds on a rolling basis. Organizations strongly aligned with our priorities may submit an unsolicited letter of enquiry; applications are invited only if alignment and budget allow. Supports innovative projects addressing social justice, human rights, and environmental conservation. Emphasizing gender equality and community participation, it seeks sustainable, replicable solutions through collaboration, targeting root causes of issues while fostering visionary leadership and effective management. 
 

ONGOING: Rolling Deadline

Brutten Family Foundation

Supports projects that align with one or more of their core pillars of the environment, education, and mental health. 
 

 

ONGOING: brief description (300-400 words) inquiries are accepted; there are no deadlines.


Barr Foundation: Education

The majority are initiated by our staff or through a request for proposals (RFP) process. We welcome inquiries from those who feel their work may align with Barr’s Education strategies and who wish to introduce themselves to us. The best approach is to email education@barrfoundation.org with a brief description (300-400 words) of your organization, the funding opportunity you would like us to consider, and the strategy(ies) with which it aligns. Given the high volume of inquiries we receive, it may take a few weeks to hear back.
 

ONGOING CALL: You can apply for this opportunity at any time.

W.K. Kellogg Foundation: Equitable Communities Grants

The Kellogg Foundation is dedicated to fostering enduring change for children by promoting Thriving Children, Working Families, and Equitable Communities. They tackle racism, heal relationships, and reform systems for greater equity. Their key strategies, known as their DNA, involve promoting racial equity, community involvement in problem-solving, and leadership development
 

Back to Top

Internal Funding Opportunities

Application DeadlineFunding Opportunities

November 15, 2026

 

New*Heidelberg | Harvard Cooperation Program: Explorer Seed Fund and Strategic Partnership Grants
Deadline to submit Harvard PI/Collaborator Questionnaire and Guidance Form (required): October 30, 2026, 11:59 PM ET: 

Supports joint Heidelberg University and Harvard projects across all disciplines. Explorer Seed Fund awards support research stays by Harvard researchers at Heidelberg and academic events; Strategic Partnership Grants support larger, long-term institutional collaborations between Heidelberg and Harvard units. All funding is provided by Heidelberg University, with support from the State of Baden-Württemberg, and no funds are paid to or managed through Harvard.

  • Funding: Explorer Seed Fund: up to €100,000 for eligible research stays and fellowship costs, plus up to €20,000 for eligible material and project costs. Strategic Partnership Grants: up to €500,000. Fellowship amounts are subject to 19% VAT.
  • Eligibility: Projects must be jointly led by a Harvard-based lead PI (a faculty appointment with PI rights at a Harvard school, with Harvard as the primary employer) and a Heidelberg professor in a permanent position, who formally submits the application. Faculty at Harvard-affiliated hospitals may join the project team but cannot serve as the Harvard lead PI.
  • Process: Harvard faculty first complete the required questionnaire in the Harvard University Funding Portal, which creates a GMAS record and generates the Harvard eligibility confirmation letter needed for the Heidelberg application. Please contact your portfolio manager early to plan the review timeline, and consult on a draft budget before submitting.
  • Timeline: Projects are expected to start in early 2027 and may run until September 30, 2028.

 


December 7, 2026


New* Harvard University: Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa

Apply (HUFP): https://btly.communityforce.com/4hxWLOx
The Fund supports faculty-led and student-driven research projects that advance key challenges and opportunities facing Africa, including emerging technologies and the Fourth Industrial Revolution; climate change and its effects 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. Eligible activities include research, associated travel costs, and the publication and dissemination of findings, and special consideration is given to multidisciplinary collaboration between Harvard faculty across more than one school and Africa-based academics.

  • Funding: Up to $150,000 in direct costs, with a gift assessment at the school-based rate provided to the awardee’s school.
  • Eligibility: Harvard faculty with Principal Investigator rights whose grants are administered by a Harvard school. Previous awardees may apply for new projects after completion of a prior award cycle.
     

January 15, 2027


Harvard University: Lemann Brazil Research Fund

Apply (HUFP): https://btly.communityforce.com/3RCP5A8
The Fund fosters collaboration between scholars and supports research projects focused on current issues facing Brazil. Proposals are sought on education management and administration; social science and its applications; public administration and policy; technological advances in education; and evidence-based research. Collaborations between Harvard faculty and researchers affiliated with Brazilian institutions in the life sciences, physical sciences and engineering, and basic and applied sciences will also be considered, and projects in any field with potential for significant impact in Brazil related to education, public policy, economics, or human capital development are of particular interest.

  • Funding: Up to $150,000 in direct costs over 1–2 years (5–10 awards anticipated annually); a gift assessment at the school-based rate is provided to the awardee’s school.
  • Eligibility: Harvard faculty with Principal Investigator rights whose grants are administered by a Harvard school. Projects must meet at least one of three criteria (a focus on Brazil; meaningful collaboration with researchers or practitioners affiliated with Brazilian institutions; or work undertaken in Brazil in whole or in part), with priority to those meeting more than one. Previous awardees may apply for new projects after completion of a prior award cycle. Letters of support are not permitted.
     

February 15, 2027


New* Harvard Mind Brain Behavior Interfaculty Initiative: Faculty Fusion Research Grants

Supports collaborative studies that bridge insights between research areas and methodologies, such as porting methods from one discipline into the content area of another. Proposals must be explicitly cross-disciplinary, led by at least two Harvard faculty members from different disciplines, and new collaborations are welcome.

  • Funding: Up to $50,000 for one fiscal year. Funds may support personnel (including fringe benefits), research equipment or supplies, study participant costs, and project meetings, but may not cover PI salary or indirect costs.
  • Eligibility: All Harvard faculty members who currently work or wish to work in MBB-related fields, with at least two principals from different disciplines. The application form and FAQs are on the MBB website, and funding decisions follow about four weeks after submission.
  • HGSE Partnership Note: HGSE faculty could pair with colleagues in FAS, HMS, SEAS, or other schools, for example linking research on learning and development with neuroscience, psychology, or computer science.

February 15, 2027


New* Harvard Mind Brain Behavior Interfaculty Initiative: Postdoctoral Fellowships

Funds a two-year, fully funded postdoctoral position for a researcher examining mind, brain, and behavior issues through interdisciplinary study. Projects must bridge at least two classical fields of study, and each fellow must be sponsored by two Harvard faculty members from different departments or schools.

  • Funding: Two-year fully funded position aligned with Harvard’s fiscal year (July 1, 2027 to June 30, 2029); second-year funding is conditional on satisfactory progress.
  • Eligibility: Applicants hold a Ph.D., M.D., or M.D./Ph.D. in an MBB-related field and generally have no more than one year of postdoctoral experience. Applications are initiated by a primary faculty sponsor with support from a second Harvard faculty sponsor in a different department or school.
     

ONGOING: applications accepted on a rolling basis


New* Harvard Mind Brain Behavior Interfaculty Initiative: Community Connect Grants

Supports events that include or benefit the MBB community, such as a one-time hosted speaker, gathering, or interdisciplinary workshop, or recurring events such as journal clubs and faculty interest groups.

  • Funding: Up to $15,000; funding decisions within three weeks of submission.
     

 

ONGOING: applications accepted on a rolling basis until annual funds are exhausted

 

 

Harvard Data Science Initiative: Faculty Special Projects Fund

Supports one-time data science opportunities for which other funding is not readily available. Past awards have funded datasets, tools, workshops, and data-driven studies across Harvard schools.

  • Funding: Up to $5,000 per award; the total annual budget is $50,000.
     

ONGOING CALL: (Re)engage with China, RA, and Small Grants are accepted on a rolling basis. Annual Conference and Research Grants follow an annual deadline (most recent: January 19, 2026; next date not yet posted).


Harvard China Fund: Faculty Grants

This funding opportunity is for faculty members seeking to visit China to reestablish academic connections and explore collaboration with Chinese institutions and partners. This grant enables scholars to engage with academic counterparts in person, even without a specific research project, fostering connections and promoting intellectual exchange beyond research projects and conferences.

  • Annual Conference and Research Grants: up to $50,000; principal applicants must be full-time faculty with at least 5 years at Harvard
  • Reengage with China Grant up to $20,000 
  • Research Assistant (RA) Grants up to $5,000 for up to six months; Small Grants up to $10,000
     

 

Back to Top