Funding and research opportunities

Biology to Prevention Award, a joint initiative between the American Cancer Society and Cancer Research U.K., funds collaborative research projects between U.S. and U.K. teams. It supports multidisciplinary partnerships for up to five years, with each organization funding its respective country’s research costs. U.S. teams can receive up to $500,000 per year (typically for up to five years). The submission deadline is June 11. For more information, view the recorded webinar. 

WashU Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) is announcing its the 20th annual Clinical and Translational Research Funding Program (CTRFP). The program provides ICTS members with the opportunity to apply for funds to translate scientific discoveries into improvements in human health for a one-year project in clinical/translational or community-engaged research. Letters of Intent are due June 22. 

The Greenwall Foundation’s Making a Difference in Real World Bioethics Dilemmas supports research to help resolve important emerging or unanswered bioethics problems in clinical, biomedical, or public health decision-making, policy, or practice. Projects should focus on innovative bioethics research that will have a real-world, practical impact. The submission deadline is June 22. 

Gilead Sciences’ HIV Research Grant supports any innovative research that addresses an unmet need or closes scientific knowledge gaps in the field of HIV. The award for $180,000 is intended for early-stage investigators and is focused on clinical research and implementation science. To apply, submit a one-page specific aims by June 25.

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund’s Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants support small, early-stage projects that explore how climate change affects human health, and foster collaboration across disciplines. Awards range from $2,500 to $50,000. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis through July 2026.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has released a Limited Competition: Small Grant Program (R03, RFA-HL-27-004) to facilitate the transition for K awardees to research independence. The opportunity targets current or recently completed NHLBI K01, K08, K23, and K25 awardees to expand their current research objectives or to branch out to a new study emerging from their K award research. Current awardees may apply for this R03 support starting in the third year of their K award Project Period. The first due date is July 9, and the program will run until October 2028.

Wellcome’s Mental Health Award is accepting applications for trials of physical activity- or circadian-based interventions for anxiety, depression and psychosis in young people. Wellcome expects to make five to 10 awards of $1 million to $4 million each to support projects that are three to four years in duration and aimed at young people aged 10-18 in the UK and/or Africa. Letters of intent are due July 14. Contact Denise Ukena in Foundation Relations for more information. 

Greenwall’s Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics is a career development award limited to one WashU nominee. Internal selection applications are due July 15. Please contact Denise Ukena in Foundation Relations for more information or if you are interested in submitting.

The William T. Grant Foundation announced two research grants with letters of intent due July 29. Please contact Denise Ukena in Foundation Relations for more information or if you are interested in submitting.

• Research Grants on Reducing Inequality funds studies that examine programs, policies, or practices to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people ages 5 to 25 in the U.S. among dimensions of race, economic standing, sexual or gender minority status, language minority status, or immigrant status.
• Research Grants on Improving the Use of Research Evidence supports research on strategies focused on improving the use, usefulness, and impact of evidence in ways that benefit young people ages 5 to 25 in the U.S. For funding above $600,000, the foundation is interested in experiments where schools, child welfare agencies, or justice settings are randomly assigned. 

WashU’s Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (ICTS) is excited to announce the Clinical and Translational Research Funding Program (CTRFP). The program provides ICTS members with the opportunity to apply for funds that translate scientific discoveries into human health improvements. Eligible projects will be clinically relevant, conducted in adult human subjects, and meet the priorities of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Letters of Intent were due June 6 and the application due date is September 14.

The Wellcome Prize for Mental Health Science is a new global competition supporting research teams developing innovative interventions for anxiety, depression and psychosis, with a $1 million grand prize and three $250,000 finalist awards to help accelerate real-world adoption and policy impact. The prize aims to spotlight scalable, evidence-based mental health solutions and raise global investment and visibility for mental health science. Applications are due September 18.

The NIH 2026 Stadtman Investigator Program supports exceptional early-career scientists with the potential to become independent research leaders. The program offers successful applicants tenure-track investigator positions within NIH institutes and centers. Participants receive substantial institutional support, including funding, personnel, and access to NIH’s extensive research infrastructure, enabling them to pursue innovative biomedical research with the potential to advance human health. Applications open August 1 and close September 30.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Research Grant Program supports innovative studies aimed at understanding and preventing suicide. For 2024–2026, priority areas include research on ethnic and racial diversity, understudied high-risk populations, and survivors of suicide loss. Grants are open to investigators across disciplines, and fund both basic and applied research that includes a suicide outcome measure. Seven categories of grants are available, with awards up to $500,000 per year for three years, with a two-year funding window for most mechanisms. For more information on criteria and the application processes, visit this page on suicide prevention research grants.

Weiss Asset Management Foundation invites applications for evidence-based programs and research aimed at reducing human suffering in low- and middle-income countries. The foundation prioritizes highly cost-effective, scalable solutions, particularly in underfunded areas. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

The WashU Office of Technology Management (OTM) is accepting applications for the GAP Fund, which provides critical early-stage funding to help bridge the gap between academic research and market-ready innovation. The program supports promising non-drug technologies developed at WashU with strong commercial or societal potential. Funding can be used to advance prototypes, validate feasibility, or gather data to attract outside investment or industry partners. Applications may be submitted at any time.

The WashU Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) Precision Health Innovation Awards provide up to $25,000 for research on rare diseases. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and are designed for independent faculty launching early-stage projects.

The ICTS also has the ICTS Just-In-Time Core Usage Funding Program, which provides rapid, flexible funding to support access to affiliated research cores. This program helps researchers advance medical knowledge and improve human health through collaborative, timely use of shared resources. Applications are due by 5 p.m. CT on the 10th of each month.

The Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) Fund is a global grant program funding innovations that improve the lives of people experiencing poverty across three innovation development stages. Stage 1 (pilot): up to $200K. Stage 2 (testing and positioning for scale): up to $500,000. Stage 3 (transitioning to scale): up to $1.5 million. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Contact Denise Ukena in Foundation Relations with any questions or interests.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse aims to fund pilot and feasibility studies in preparation for substance use and HIV prevention intervention and services research trials. Projects should focus on substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery. Preliminary data isn’t required, but a clear theory of change is necessary. This highlighted opportunity will likely be posted in July, with an application due date of October 2026.  

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders will reissue a funding opportunity for early-stage dissemination and implementation research in areas such as hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language. This initiative aims to facilitate the adoption of evidence-based innovations in clinical practice and everyday life. The grant offers up to $1 million in funding.

Applications are being accepted for the Systems Science for Social Impact (SSSI) Summer Training Institute, which will be August 3–7. The institute offers participants a hands-on introduction to systems science methods that enhance the impact of health and social science research. Led by experienced systems science scholars, this in-depth training institute features five systems science tracks: Intro to Systems, Agent-based Modeling, Group Model Building, Social Network Analysis, and System Dynamics. Participants will revise the major concepts of their chosen tracks, learn analytic best practices, and apply the methods to real-world data. 

The workshops are designed for faculty, advanced graduate students, recent graduates, and professionals from public health, social work, and social sciences.

Applications are open, and candidates will be accepted on monthly basis through July 24. For more information, see here. If you have questions, please email [email protected].

Join WashU-ACCERT’s three-part seminar series, Successful Grant Writing: Tips and Tools of the Trade, designed to strengthen grant-writing skills from idea development to collaboration. Registration is required. Contact [email protected] with questions. 

• Session 1 (noon to 1 p.m. April 3) provides an overview of successful grant writing, including articulating big ideas, building a portfolio, identifying funders, and working with program officers.
• Session 2 (noon to 1 p.m. May 8) focuses on writing effective aims.
• Session 3 (noon to 1 p.m. June 26) covers building and engaging teams, networks, and collaborations, and prioritizing opportunities.

This affinity group convenes those who want to explore AI approaches in health research. Group members will share and discuss ideas for projects and collaborations, best practices, resources needed to successfully implement this work, and strategies to get funded. For more information and to join, contact [email protected].

This group will help SPH researchers understand recent changes to NIH’s international research funding mechanism and plan for a PF5 submission. Open to all faculty. Those who are actively preparing a proposal for the May deadline will be given time to share case studies and receive feedback. For more information, contact [email protected].