Find Funding
Advancing your research and programs with grant funding
Where to Next? Bring Your Ideas to Life.
Our research and scholarly activities begin with an idea. But then what? How do you take your idea to the next level and secure funding to support your pursuit? Exploring funding databases can help you pair an idea with an opportunity.
This page offers several options for searching for funding opportunities, including SPIN, which is WCU’s database for funding opportunities worldwide.
If you would like additional support exploring funding opportunities or have found an opportunity to pursue connect with The Office of Research Administration’s Pre-Award Team:
Samantha Ellithorpe
Pre-Award Manager
Manages, supports, and provides service for all research administration initiatives.
Email: sellithorpe@wcu.edu
Phone: 828.227.3180
Matt Salerno
Research Services Coordinator
Provides support and service for all research administration initiatives.
Email: msalerno@wcu.edu
Phone: 828.227.2577
Contact Us
Featured Funding Databases
SPIN is a robust funding opportunity database, containing over 40,000 opportunities from more than 10,000 sponsors that is available to all WCU faculty, staff, and students. With SPIN, users can save searches and opportunities, share opportunities with colleagues, and choose to receive email alerts when records are added or changed.
Here are some suggestions to get the most benefit from SPIN:
- Take an active role in designing your SPIN funding searches. A SPIN funding search based on keywords that are too broad can generate numerous funding options, some of which may not be suitable for your funding needs. Searches can be refined by using specific keywords, sorting by the sponsor/agency type, specifying the geographical location, and selecting a funding level that best matches your project and needs.
- Using search terms and keywords that are too specific can also yield disappointing results. The InfoEd Keyword Search contains a curated list of search terms that categorize funding opportunities based on the topic.
If you need additional help or would like to set up a training session for your department, please contact Samantha Ellithorpe at sellithorpe@wcu.edu or 828.227.3180.
Accessing SPIN
- Go to myWCU
- Select Research Administration (InfoEd) under My Apps
- In InfoEd, select SPIN located in the left-hand sidebar.
Connect and subscribe to Grants.gov to receive daily email notifications of new federal funding opportunities. Grants.gov allows you to subscribe to all new funding opportunities, saved searches, or to specific opportunities that you want to track.
This website provides listings of internships, experiential learning opportunities, academic fellowships and scholarships funded by government and private sector organizations. Visitors to the site may view available opportunities by selecting the Opportunity Catalog.
The RTI University Scholars Program is designed to drive growth, foster collaboration, build scientific stature, and develop opportunities for externally funded joint projects.
Submitting Expressions of Interest to the RTI University Scholars Program
The RTI University Scholars Program invites Expressions of Interest for the 2025-2026 academic year from tenured or research-track faculty members at the Associate Professor level or higher with a commitment to collaboration and a research project related to RTI practice areas. Expressions of Interests are due by January 23, 2025.
In 2024 – 2025 the RTI University Scholars Program prioritized projects related to climate change, environmental justice, energy, data modernization and data science, global health security, pandemic preparedness, agriculture, food security and nutrition.
The Foundation Center (Candid) is a funding resource service for U.S-based nonprofit and grantmaking organizations. Users can sign up to receive an RFP Bulletin, a weekly newsletter of recently announced Requests for Proposals from private, corporate, and government funding sources.
Internal Funding Opportunities
Each year Western Carolina University presents internal awards to recognize the outstanding work being done by our faculty. The university community is invited to attend the annual Faculty Scholarship Celebration.
Please visit the site below for full application instructions, and contact the Office of Research Administration for assistance with the application process.
Receive Tailored Funding Opportunities
Please help us identify areas of interest as it relates to your Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities (RSCA). We will utilize your responses to tailor funding searches, programming, and networking support through our campus
Funding Opportunities for Students
At WCU, we believe in empowering students to pursue bold, innovative research, and we know that external funding can be a vital part of that journey. Whether your students are working on your dissertation, conducting fieldwork, developing a creative project, or searching for research fellowship opportunities, securing outside support can open doors to new possibilities.
Funding Opportunities by Field of Study
Arts and Humanities
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Science Foundation | NSF Dynamic Language Infrastructure - NEH Documenting Endangered Languages | Rolling | $450,000 |
| Mellon Foundation | Arts and Culture Grants | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
Archaeology and Anthropology
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archaeological Institute of America | Site Preservation Grant | November 1, 2025 | Up to $15,000 |
| Wenner Gren | Conference and Workshop Grant | June 1 and December 1 | $20,000 |
| National Science Foundation | NSF Dynamic Language Infrastructure - NEH Documenting Endangered Languages | Rolling | $450,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Archaeology Program Senior Research Awards | July 1, Annually | No Stated Limit |
| Archaeological Institute of America | Publication Subvention Program | March 1, Annually | Up to $5,000 |
Artificial Intelligence
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Science Foundation | Artificial Intelligence, Formal Methods, and Mathematical Reasoning | Rolling until February 5, 2026 | $500,000 to $1,200,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science (SCH) | October 3, Annually | $1,200,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Mathematical Foundations of Artificial Intelligence | Rolling until October 9, 2026 | $500,000 to $1,500,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Collaborations in Artificial Intelligence and Geosciences (CAIG) | Rolling until February 4, 2026 | No Stated Limit |
| National Institutes of Health | Examining the Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Healthcare Safety (R18) | Rolling until May 26, 2027 | $500,000 to $1,000,000 |
Business and Economic Development
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nasdaq Foundation | Quarterly Grant Program | January, May, August, and October Each Year | Up to $75,000 |
| U.S. Bank Foundation | Community Possible Grant Program | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| FINRA Investor Education Foundation | General Grant Program | Rolling | $50,000 to $100,000 |
Biological and Life Sciences
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Biotechnology Center | Biotechnology Event Sponsorships | Rolling | Up to $3,000 |
| North Carolina Biotechnology Center | Biotechnology Meeting Grants | Rolling | Up to $10,000 |
| Project Apis m. | Project Apis m. | Rolling | $5,000 to $200,000 |
| National Science Foundation | International Research Experiences for Students | Fourth Monday in October, Annually | $150,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Biosensing | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| North Carolina Biotechnology Center | Flash Grants | December 3, 2025 and March 25, 2026 | Up to $37,500 |
| North Carolina Biotechnology Center | Translation Research Grant | January 28, 2026 | Up to $144,000 |
| American Floral Endowment | Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation Research Fund | April 1, Annually | $10,000 to $25,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Emerging Mathematics in Biology | March 2, 2026 | No Stated Limit |
Chemistry and Physics
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Science Foundation | Innovations in Graduate Education Program | March 25, Annually | $300,000 to $1,000,000 |
| National Science Foundation | International Research Experiences for Students | Fourth Monday in October, Annually | $150,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Mechanics of Materials and Structures (MOMS) | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | Science and Technology Studies | August 3, Annually | $75,000 to $1,000,000 |
| Herman Frasch Foundation | Chemical Research Grant | November 5, 2026 | $50,000 per year for 5 years |
| American Chemical Society | Petroleum Research Fund | September 5, 2026 | $70,000 per year for 3 years |
Criminology and Criminal Justice
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| William T. Grant Foundation | Research Grants on Reducing Inequality | January 7, 2026 | $100,000 - $600,000 |
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | FBI Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) Research Opportunity | Rolling | To Be Determined by CIRG Officials |
| Arnold Ventures | Research on Safety and the Criminal Justice System | Rolling | $500,000 |
Engineering
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Science Foundation | NSF STEM K-12 | Rolling | Up to $750,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) | Rolling | $500,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Communications, Circuits, and Sensing-Systems (CCSS) | Rolling | $500,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Biosensing | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | Energy, Power, Control, and Networks (EPCN) | Rolling | $500,000 |
| National Institute of Standards and Technology | Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs | March 5, 2026 | $5,000 to $2,500,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Mechanics of Materials and Structures (MOMS) | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | International Research Experiences for Students | Fourth Monday in October, Annually | $150,000 |
English Studies and Literature
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Endowment for the Humanities | National Digital Newspaper Program | January 15, 2026 | Up to $325,000 |
Environment and Climate Change
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Science Foundation | Life and Environments Through Time | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| Natural Hazards Center | Quick Response Proposal | Rolling | $10,000 to $50,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Water, Landscape, and Critical Zone Processes (WaLCZ) | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | Humans, Disasters, and the Built Environment | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | Environmental Sustainability | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences Program | First Friday in August, Annually and Third Friday in January, Annually | $50,000 to $500,000 |
| US Department of Agriculture | Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) | June 6, 2026 | $2.5 Million |
Geosciences
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Science Foundation | Geosciences Open Science Ecosystem | Track 1: February Track 2: November | $500,000 to $1,000,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Sedimentary Geology and Paleobiology | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | Collaborations in Artificial Intelligence and Geosciences (CAIG) | Rolling until February 4, 2026 | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | Education and Broadening Participation in Earth Sciences | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
Health and Wellness
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Hazards Center | Special Call for Health Outcomes and Climate-Related Disaster Research Teaching and Leadership | Rolling | $50,000 |
| Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Exploring Equitable Futures | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| National Institutes of Health | Examining the Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Healthcare Safety (R18) | Rolling until May 26, 2027 | $500,000 to $1,000,000 |
| World Diabetes Foundation | Diabetes-Related Project Funding | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| WITH Foundation | Healthcare for Adults with Developmental Disabilities Grant | Rolling | $150,000 - $250,000 |
History
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Endowment for the Humanities | National Digital Newspaper Program | January 15, 2026 | Up to $325,000 |
| Science History Institue Museum & Library | Othmer Library Travel Grant | Rolling | Up to $2,000 |
International Studies & World Languages
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Foundation | Arts and Cultural ExchangeSupport Program for Translation and Publication on Japan | December 2, 2025 | No Stated Limit |
Mathematics and Computer Science
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simons Foundation | Travel Support for Mathematicians | January 29, 2026 | Up to $8,400 |
| National Science Foundation | NSF STEM K-12 | Rolling | Up to $750,000 |
| National Science Foundation | International Research Experiences for Students | Fourth Monday in October, Annually | $150,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Computing in Undergraduate Education | March 25, annually | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | Artificial Intelligence, Formal Methods, and Mathematical Reasoning | Rolling until February 5, 2026 | $500,000 to $1,200,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Science and Technology Studies | August 3, Annually | $75,000 to $1,000,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences | January 22, 2026 | Up to $250,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Mathematical Foundations of Artificial Intelligence | Rolling until October 9, 2026 | $500,000 to $1,500,000 |
| National Science Foundation | Emerging Mathematics in Biology | March 2, 2026 | No Stated Limit |
Military and Veterans
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Science Foundation | Veterans Research Supplement (VRS) Program | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
Philosophy and Religion
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Philosophical Society | Franklin Research Grants | December 1, 2025 | Up to $6,500 |
Political Science
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| William T. Grant Foundation | Research Grants on Reducing Inequality | January 7, 2026 | $100,000 - $600,000 |
| Stand Together Trust | Foreign Policy Grants | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | Security and Preparedness | August 15, Annually | No Stated Limit |
| National Science Foundation | Accountable Institutions and Behavior | August 15, Annually | No Stated Limit |
Psychology
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| William T. Grant Foundation | Research Grants on Reducing Inequality | January 7, 2026 | $100,000 - $600,000 |
| American Psychological Foundation | Direct Action Visionary GrantsDirect Action Visionary Grants | January 30, 2026 | Up to $60,000 |
Teaching and Education
| Sponsor | Program | Deadline | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| William T. Grant Foundation | Research Grants on Reducing Inequality | January 7, 2026 | $100,000 - $600,000 |
| Brady Education Foundation | Research Project or Program Evaluation | February 15, 2026 | Up to $125,000 |
| National Science Foundation | NSF STEM K-12 | Rolling | Up to $750,000 |
| Belk Foundation | Teaching and Leadership | Rolling | $200,000 |
| Herst Foundation | Transformational Partnerships Fund | Rolling | $100,000 |
| ECMC Foundation | ECMC Foundation Grants | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| Charles Stewart Mott Foundation | Project Support Grants | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| SECU Foundation | Education Grants | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
| Brady Education Foundation | Research Project Proposals & Existing Program Evaluation Proposals | Rolling | No Stated Limit |
Grant Approval Forms – Required Prior to Proposal Routing and Submissions
Before we can route and submit your proposal, the appropriate grant approval form must be completed for your college: