The Office of Campus Research Development (OCRD) can help with proposal development and grant writing (and their services are free for Duke faculty, staff, postdocs, and students)! Visit their new site to learn more. Duke University faculty, postdocs, and students also have access to a number of unique opportunities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; learn more about those research and funding opportunities here.
Internal Opportunities
(Open to Duke researchers only)
Planning Grants Available to Support Collaborative Proposals for External Funding – The Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) is pleased to announce a planning-grant program to support planning and development of competitive, large-scale collaborative proposals for significant external funding. Planning grant proposals are accepted on a rolling basis via email to cfreel@duke.edu and are reviewed by the Vice Provost for Research and school leaders.
Federal Funding Opportunities
NSF Spectrum Innovation Initiative: National Radio Dynamic Zones (SII-NRDZ) – This program includes two types of projects. SII-NRDZ research studies are traditional NSF grants for investigation of spectrum sharing solutions and risk analysis techniques, or for investigation of applications and sites for radio dynamic zone field trials. SII-NRDZ Engineering and Execution Lead awards are cooperative agreements for work to mature results of the research studies into robust implementations and to lead the planned extended field trials. The full proposal deadline is June 20, 2022.
DOE Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator (CECA) – Designed to bolster early-stage technologies, CECA aims to identify the most urgent security gaps in the modern electrical grid and expedites disruptive solutions to market. The program solicits participants based on high-priority security threats. Cohorts go through an accelerator period of 3 to 12 months, sharing ideas and threat intelligence before validating solutions in the lab. The deadline for application submissions for Cohort I is July 6, 2022.
DOI Desalination and Water Purification Research Program Pitch to Pilot – This FOA aims to develop new technologies or processes for reducing the costs, energy requirements, as well as environmental impacts of treating impaired and unusable water to standards necessary for an identified beneficial use, among others. The deadline for the Phase I Technical Proposal is July 12, 2022.
U.S. Mission to India’s “All Hands on Deck: Youth Participation for Green Technology” Exhibit – The U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for a cooperative agreement to plan, develop, and implement a touring exhibit with the environmental theme of renewable/green technologies, targeting youth audiences, including a supplemental programming plan and companion virtual museum. The application deadline is July 15, 2022.
DOE Energyshed: Exploring Place-Based Generation – The goal of this funding opportunity is to develop the tools and processes needed to help broad sets of stakeholders participate in the development of locally-based energy generation in their communities. Since each qualifying institutions may submit only one application, interested applicants from within Duke should contact dukeiln@duke.edu as soon as possible. The application deadline is August 1, 2022.
DOE Hydrogen Shot Incubator Prize – This $2.6 million prize will support the DOE Hydrogen Program’s efforts to identify, develop, and test disruptive technologies that reduce the cost of clean hydrogen production and meet the DOE Hydrogen Shot goal of $1 per kilogram of clean hydrogen. To learn more about how to participate, register for the DOE informational webinar on July 7, 2022. Submissions will be accepted until August 17, 2022.
NAS Gulf Research Program: Early Career Research Fellowships – These fellowships support emerging scientific leaders as they take risks on research ideas not yet tested, pursue unique collaborations, and build a network of colleagues who share their interest in improving offshore energy system safety and the well-being of coastal communities and ecosystems. Apply for the Offshore Energy Safety Track by August 24, 2022.
NSF Dynamics, Control and Systems Diagnostics Program – This program promotes the fundamental science and engineering of dynamic systems to advance solutions to urgent societal problems. Such problems include mitigating the impacts of climate change; responding to epidemics, cyber-attacks, extreme weather, and other natural and man-made events; promoting efficient and equitable production and distribution of resources, and; developing resilient infrastructure, among others. Full proposals are accepted anytime.
USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Grants – The goal of this program is to invest in agricultural production research, education, and extension projects for more sustainable, productive and economically viable plant and animal production systems. Priority areas include bioenergy, natural resources, and environment. Deadlines vary. See the official RFP for details.
NSF Critical Aspects of Sustainability Program (CAS) – CAS supports basic research through core disciplinary programs aimed at improving the sustainability of resources for future generations while maintaining or improving current products in order to offer technologically-advanced, economically competitive, environmentally-benign and useful materials to a global society. Programs have different deadlines; consult the website for specific due dates.
NSF ADVANCE Program Grants – These grants support the implementation of evidence-based systemic change strategies that promote gender, racial, and ethnic equity for STEM faculty in academic workplaces. The solicitation includes four funding tracks: Institutional Transformation, Adaptation, Partnership, and Catalyst. Deadlines vary. Interested applicants from within Duke should contact dukeiln@duke.edu as soon as possible.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory – Applications for Higher Education Research Experiences (HERE), High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) Rapid Access, and CNMS Rapid Access User Proposal are accepted year-round with selections made on a rolling basis.
National Science Foundation (Multiple Opportunities) – NSF announces multiple energy-related grants focused on Particulate and Multiphase Processes; Fluid Dynamics; Combustion and Fire Systems; Process Systems, Reaction Engineering and Molecular Thermodynamics; Electrochemical Systems; and Catalysis. NSF will accept proposals for these funds at any time throughout the year.
Non-Federal Funding Opportunities
Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation Energy Grants (BIRD Energy) – This program develops innovation through U.S.-Israeli cooperation on a range of energy technologies, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, natural gas, and energy-water technologies. Strong project proposals will specify cooperation between a company and a university/research institution (one from the U.S. and one from Israel). The maximum conditional grant is $1 million. To apply, submit an executive summary by June 30, 2022.
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Seed Grants – The Burroughs Wellcome Fund aims to stimulate the growth of new connections between scholars who might together change the course of climate change’s impact on human health. Over the next two years, the Fund will dedicate $1 million to supporting small, early-stage grants of $2,500-$50,000 toward achieving this goal. Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis through August 30, 2023.
Postdoctoral Funding Opportunities
Opportunities coming soon!
Graduate Student Funding Opportunities
Ditto!