Science & Research Grant Programs
STEM research, basic science, innovation, and technology development programs.
Category overview. The Science & Research category groups 44 active federal assistance programs from the SAM.gov Assistance Listings catalog. These programs run across 5 distinct federal agencies, with the heaviest concentration at National Science Foundation (20 programs), U.S. Department of Energy (16 programs), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (6 programs). Every listing feeds into the Grants.gov announcement system, where agencies publish their Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) with specific deadlines, forms, and evaluation criteria. Categories exist to help applicants find relevant programs quickly, but each program has its own authorizing legislation and rules.
Funding scale. SAM.gov publishes funding range data for 44 of the 44 science & research programs. The largest listed award ceiling in this category is $20.0 million, and the median ceiling across programs with published ranges is $3.0 million. Published award ranges reflect the envelope across all awards a program may issue in a year, not the amount any single applicant should expect. Appropriations, applicant pool size, and scoring all shape the final allocation. First-time applicants are wise to read several historical award announcements in a category to calibrate realistic project budgets.
Who applies. Across the 44 science & research programs, the most frequently listed eligibility categories are educational institution (39 programs), for profit small business (13 programs), nonprofit (6 programs). Every applicant must hold an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID (UEI), regardless of entity type. Nonprofits should keep their IRS determination letter on file; state and local governments route submissions through an authorizing official; tribal organizations apply under set-aside rules; educational institutions typically work through an institutional pre-award office. The PlainGrants science & research listings link directly to each program's CFDA page, where you can check current eligibility, funding range, open Grants.gov opportunities, and the administering agency.
44 active science & research programs:
Accelerating Research Translation
Strengthens translational research capacity at emerging research institutions to move ideas to practice.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $2M
ADVANCE Institutional Transformation
Grants to increase participation and advancement of women in academic STEM careers.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $3M
Aeronautics Research
Research to advance aviation technology, safety, and operations for the benefit of the nation.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $3M
Aerospace Education Services
Education programs in aerospace science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Eligible: educational institution · nonprofit
Up to $1M
Antarctic Research Grants
Supports scientific research in Antarctica including glaciology, geology, biology, and atmospheric sciences.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $2M
Basic Energy Sciences
Fundamental research in materials and chemical sciences to advance energy technologies.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $5M
Biological Sciences
Research in cellular, molecular, organismal, and ecological biology.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $2M
Biomedical Research Grants
Fundamental biomedical research at universities and research hospitals to understand disease mechanisms.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $5M
Computer and Information Science and Engineering
Grants for research in computing, information, and communications systems and applications.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $3M
Conservation Research and Development
Applied research on energy conservation technologies for buildings, industry, and transportation.
Eligible: educational institution · nonprofit
Up to $2M
Convergence Accelerators
Accelerates convergence research addressing critical national challenges through use-inspired research programs.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $5M
Critical Materials Research and Development
Research to reduce reliance on critical materials including rare earths in energy technologies.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $5M
Division of Ocean Sciences
Research on ocean systems, biogeochemistry, marine biology, and physical oceanography.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $2M
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Research
Research and development of energy efficient technologies and renewable energy systems.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $5M
Energy Storage Technologies
Development of advanced battery and energy storage technologies for grid and transportation applications.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $10M
Engineering Grants
Research grants in engineering disciplines including chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $3M
Environmental Cleanup
Grants to support regulatory oversight of DOE environmental cleanup activities at former nuclear sites.
Eligible: state local gov · tribal gov
Up to $20M
Exploration Systems Research and Development
R&D supporting NASA's exploration systems including advanced propulsion, life support, and habitation.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $2M
Fossil Energy Research and Development
Research to advance clean fossil energy technologies including carbon capture and advanced coal.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $5M
Geosciences
Research grants in atmospheric, earth, ocean, and polar sciences.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $2M
Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies
Research and development of hydrogen production, storage, and fuel cell technologies.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $5M
Integrative Organismal Systems
Research on organism physiology, behavior, development, and interactions with their environment.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $1M
International Science and Engineering Research
Grants supporting international research collaborations and exchanges for U.S. scientists and students.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $1M
Major Research Instrumentation Program
Grants to acquire shared instrumentation to enhance research and training capacity.
Eligible: educational institution · nonprofit
Up to $4M
Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Grants for research in astronomy, chemistry, materials science, mathematics, and physics.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $2M
NASA University Research Initiative
Competitive grants to universities for fundamental research advancing NASA mission areas.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $5M
NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Phase I and II SBIR grants for small businesses to conduct transformational R&D with commercial potential.
Eligible: for profit small business
Up to $2M
NSF Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)
Phase I and II STTR grants for small businesses partnering with research institutions on R&D projects.
Eligible: for profit small business
Up to $2M
Nuclear Energy Research and Development
Research on advanced nuclear energy systems, reactor design, and fuel cycles.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $5M
Nuclear Physics and Fusion Energy Sciences
Basic research in nuclear physics and fusion energy sciences for future energy technologies.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $3M
Office of Biological and Environmental Research
Research on biological and environmental science to support DOE missions in energy and environmental stewardship.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $5M
Office of Science Financial Assistance Program
Grants supporting fundamental research in all areas of physical, biological, and computational sciences.
Eligible: educational institution · nonprofit
Up to $5M
Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials
Collaborative research and education partnerships between minority-serving institutions and research centers.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $6M
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
Supplements research grants to involve undergraduates in meaningful research activities.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $500K
Research Opportunity Awards
Grants to enable researchers at primarily undergraduate institutions to conduct research.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $500K
Sea Grant Support
Grants to university-based Sea Grant programs for marine and Great Lakes research, education, and outreach.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $5M
Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Research on human behavior, social institutions, language, economics, and decision-making.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $2M
Space Science Research
Fundamental research in space science including astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary, and Earth science.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $5M
State Energy Program
Provides financial and technical assistance to states for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.
Eligible: state local gov
Up to $10M
STEM Education Grants
Grants to improve STEM education for all students from K-12 through graduate levels.
Eligible: educational institution · nonprofit
Up to $3M
Technology Transfer Research
Research and technology transfer to apply NASA technologies to terrestrial applications and industries.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $2M
Transportation Technologies R&D
Research on advanced vehicle technologies, alternative fuels, and transportation system efficiency.
Eligible: educational institution · for profit small business
Up to $3M
University Coal Research
Research grants to universities for advanced coal technology and clean energy development.
Eligible: educational institution
Up to $1M
Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons
Reduces energy costs for low-income households by improving energy efficiency of their homes.
Eligible: state local gov · nonprofit
Up to $20M
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
| Publisher | Kiznis Studio |
| Sources | Public official public datasets |