Major Federal Funding

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs offers many funding selections, however, many external funding opportunities are provided by the federal government.

The federal government provides many options for external funding for research projects, research-based training programs, and other educational endeavors. All federal grant opportunities must be posted on Grants.gov - a resource for finding federal funding as well as a portal for submitting grant applications (for agencies only). You can read more information about Grants.gov by visiting the ORSP "Grants.gov" page under the "Funding" tab.

Note: all federal grant applications are handled by the ORSP, you can contact us by dialing x2061.

However, each federal funding agency has its website - including tips for preparing your application, links to grant opportunities, and guides about what types of research they are likely to fund.

List of Federal Funding Agencies

The National Science Foundation (NSF) - The NSF has programs in the basic sciences, engineering, social sciences, and education.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) - The NIH comprises different institutes, including the National Cancer Institute; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the the National Institute for Childhood and Human Development; and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE ) - The U.S. Department of Energy supports a number of grant, loan, and financing programs.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) - (including the Army, Navy, and Air Force). Funds both basic physical sciences and social sciences and some biomedical programs.
The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) - The USDOE funds basic research in education and training programs and services for schools and children. Generally speaking, most USDOE programs restrict funding to local school districts; we encourage faculty with active school-based partnerships to pursue funding in these areas.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Every year, the EPA awards more than $4 billion in funding for grants and other assistance agreements.
National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) - NASA leads the nation on a great journey of discovery, seeking new knowledge and understanding of our planet Earth, our Sun and solar system, and the universe out to its farthest reaches and back to its earliest moments of existence.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) - The Department of Justice offers funding opportunities to support law enforcement and public safety activities in state, local, and tribal jurisdictions.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - NOAA-funded projects educate and inspire people to use Earth systems science to improve ecosystems and increase resilience to environmental hazards.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) - This massive federal department houses such agencies as the Centers for Disease Control, the Administration on Aging, and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as the National Institutes of Health.
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - DARPA seeks to fund scientific investigations spanning physics, engineering, biology, medicine, computer science, chemistry, mathematics, material sciences, social sciences, neurotechnology, and more.
AmeriCorps - AmeriCorps provides individuals with the power and funding to improve communities.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) - The DOT provides grants to help build up and maintain a fast, safe, efficient, accessible, and convenient transportation system for the American people.
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) - The NEA awards matching grants to nonprofit organizations, and literature fellowships for published creative writers and translators.