Rankings · Opportunities
Most Active Grant Programs
Grant programs ranked by number of opportunities posted, the programs with the most active funding notices.
- 316
- #1 · Engineering Grants
- 50
- entries ranked
The verdict
Engineering Grants leads with 316, ahead of Mathematical and Physical Sciences (212).
- 316
- #1 · Engineering Grants
- 50
- entries ranked by opportunities
- 1.5×
- the #1 vs #2 gap
What this ranking tells you
Active programs, those posting the most opportunities, are where the grant-seeking action is. Programs topping this list regularly post new funding notices, giving applicants multiple chances to apply throughout the year. High-volume programs often have standardized application processes, making subsequent applications easier once you understand the first one. For organizations building a sustainable funding strategy, targeting active programs with recurring deadlines is more effective than chasing one-time opportunities.
Top 10 by opportunities
The shape of the ranking at a glance.
| # | Name | Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering Grants National Science Foundation | 316 |
| 2 | Mathematical and Physical Sciences National Science Foundation | 212 |
| 3 | Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences National Science Foundation | 212 |
| 4 | Geosciences National Science Foundation | 211 |
| 5 | Mental Health Research Grants National Institutes of Health | 191 |
| 6 | Drug Abuse Research Programs National Institutes of Health | 173 |
| 7 | Biological Sciences National Science Foundation | 165 |
| 8 | Alcohol Research Center Grants National Institutes of Health | 154 |
| 9 | Computer and Information Science and Engineering National Science Foundation | 150 |
| 10 | STEM Education Grants National Science Foundation | 136 |
| 11 | Research on Healthcare Costs, Quality and Outcomes U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | 121 |
| 12 | Oral Health Prevention and Education Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | 100 |
| 13 | Heart and Vascular Disease Research National Institutes of Health | 97 |
| 14 | Nursing Research National Institutes of Health | 90 |
| 15 | Biological Response to Environmental Health Hazards National Institutes of Health | 87 |
| 16 | Research and Training in Sleep Medicine National Institutes of Health | 86 |
| 17 | Cancer Research Grants National Institutes of Health | 83 |
| 18 | Discovery Research for Cancer Diagnostics National Institutes of Health | 77 |
| 19 | Lung Disease Research National Institutes of Health | 76 |
| 20 | National Center on Sleep Disorders Research National Institutes of Health | 67 |
| 21 | International Science and Engineering Research National Science Foundation | 66 |
| 22 | Cancer Control Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | 64 |
| 23 | Diabetes, Endocrine, and Metabolic Disease Research National Institutes of Health | 59 |
| 24 | NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) National Science Foundation | 50 |
| 25 | Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation Research National Institutes of Health | 50 |
| 26 | Cancer Treatment Research National Institutes of Health | 45 |
| 27 | Minority Health and Health Disparities Research National Institutes of Health | 44 |
| 28 | NSF Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) National Science Foundation | 43 |
| 29 | Medical Library Assistance National Institutes of Health | 41 |
| 30 | Food and Drug Administration Research U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | 37 |
| 31 | Antarctic Research Grants National Science Foundation | 31 |
| 32 | USAID International Development Grants U.S. Department of State | 30 |
| 33 | Conservation Research and Development U.S. Department of Energy | 29 |
| 34 | Mental Health National Research Service Awards National Institutes of Health | 19 |
| 35 | Aerospace Education Services National Aeronautics and Space Administration | 18 |
| 36 | Migratory Bird Conservation Grant U.S. Department of the Interior | 16 |
| 37 | Agriculture and Food Research Initiative U.S. Department of Agriculture | 12 |
| 38 | Basic Energy Sciences U.S. Department of Energy | 10 |
| 39 | Energy Storage Technologies U.S. Department of Energy | 10 |
| 40 | Economic Adjustment Assistance U.S. Department of Commerce | 9 |
| 41 | Wetlands Protection Development Grants U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | 9 |
| 42 | Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms U.S. Department of Commerce | 8 |
| 43 | Health Care Facilities Cooperation U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | 8 |
| 44 | Economic Development Technical Assistance Program U.S. Department of Commerce | 7 |
| 45 | Technology Transfer Research National Aeronautics and Space Administration | 7 |
| 46 | Exploration Systems Research and Development National Aeronautics and Space Administration | 7 |
| 47 | Aeronautics Research National Aeronautics and Space Administration | 7 |
| 48 | Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative U.S. Department of Justice | 6 |
| 49 | NASA University Research Initiative National Aeronautics and Space Administration | 6 |
| 50 | Investments for Public Works and Economic Development U.S. Department of Commerce | 5 |
Source: SAM.gov + Grants.gov. See our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some programs have so many opportunities?
Programs post separate opportunities for different funding rounds, geographic regions, or topic areas. NSF Engineering, for example, posts separate notices for each engineering subdiscipline. Each is a distinct competition with its own deadline, reviewers, and award criteria.
Is it easier to get funded by active programs?
Not necessarily easier, but you get more chances. Active programs provide regular application windows, so a rejection in one round does not mean waiting a year. You can refine your application and resubmit. Over time, applicants who persistently target active programs have higher cumulative success rates.
Explore More Rankings
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
According to the U.S. General Services Administration, the SAM.gov Assistance Listings catalog tracked 80,922 federal grant opportunities across 504 assistance programs and 25 federal agencies as of July 2026. See our methodology for how this data is sourced and verified.
Every figure on PlainGrants is rendered directly from SAM.gov Assistance Listings data, no number is typed in by an editor. This ranking draws directly on SAM.gov Assistance Listings data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
| Publisher | PlainGrants |
| Sources | the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov |