Non-Federal Limited Deadlines

Research Funding

The G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation

For innovative proposals in the life sciences which have a published proof of concept and may not be fundable at the federal level.  

Areas of interest include:
immunology
microbiome
structural biology
cellular physiology
cancer biology
genetics
genomics
microbiology and infectious diseases
stem cell biology
neuroscience

Dartmouth may nominate three candidates.

To apply for this opportunity, email the following to LimitedFunding@Dartmouth.edu by September 2:
one-page document summarizing experimental aims, proof of concept, collaborators, and funding request
current CV
use "Mathers research grant" as the email subject line

Deadlines:

September 2: internal application
September 19: online registration by selected nominees and Corporate and Foundation Relations representative
October 3: letter of inquiry
December 12: invited full proposals
There are spring and fall application cycles.

Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists

New York Academy of Sciences

For research by tenured or tenure-track faculty born in or after 1984, in these three categories:
Life Sciences
Physical Sciences & Engineering
Chemistry

One award will be made in each category. Age-limit exceptions considered in exceptional circumstances. The Academy strongly encourages the nomination of women and members of other historically underrepresented groups in science and engineering.

Dartmouth may nominate one person in each category. To apply for this opportunity, email the following to limitedfunding@dartmouth.edu:
one-page document addressing the quality, impact, novelty, and promise of your work (see evaluation criteria on the web site for more details), description of your past and current research, and its impact on the field
current CV
Use "Blavatnik" as the email subject line

Important Dates:

Sept. 16, 2025 - internal application deadline
Dec. 03, 2025- deadline for invited full proposal

Seed Grant Program

Brain Research Foundation

For new, unfunded research projects in neuroscience that will likely lead to funding from the National Institutes of Health or other outside sources. Must be full-time Assistant or Associate Professor working in the field of brain function. This includes molecular and clinical neuroscience as well as studies of neural, sensory, motor, cognitive, behavioral and emotional functioning in health and disease. Assistant professors must propose a new research project. Associate professors must propose a new research direction. Proposed projects cannot have received funding from other sources. This grant cannot be used as bridge funding.

Dartmouth (including Geisel) may submit one letter of inquiry for this program.

To apply for this opportunity, email the following to limitedfunding@dartmouth.edu: one-page description of your project idea, addressing the newness of the project or research direction; total amount of your funding request; current CV. Use "Brain Research Foundation - Seed Grant" as the email subject line.

Important Dates:

September 16: internal application deadline
October 23: external letter of intent deadline
March 5, 2026: invited full proposal deadline

Pediatric Cancer Research

St. Baldrick’s Foundation

or pediatric oncology research projects which are hypothesis-driven. May be laboratory, clinical or epidemiological in nature.

There are three programs on this cycle:

Scholars (early career, up to $110,000 per year for at least three years)
International Scholars (up to $110,000 per year for at least three years)
Research Grant ($100,000 per year for two years)

Dartmouth may submit one unrestricted letter of inquiry for each of the three programs on this deadline.

A fourth application may be submitted if focused on one of the following areas:

• Brain tumors – all types, including rare forms, especially atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT), diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG)/diffuse midline glioma (DMG), and glioblastoma (GBM)
• Burkitt lymphoma – all types, especially sporadic
• Rhabdoid tumors 

To apply for this opportunity, email the following to limitedfunding@dartmouth.edu by the internal deadline:
one-page description of your project idea
current CV
Include "St. Baldrick's" and the program to which you are applying (Scholars, International Scholars, or Research Grant) in the email subject line.

Important Dates:

September 30, 2025 - internal application deadline

December 8 deadline is for a letter of inquiry.

Invited full proposals will be due Feb. 27, 2026.

New Directions Fellowship

Mellon Foundation 

Three-year fellowships for exceptional faculty in the humanities and humanistic social sciences whose research interests call for formal training in a different discipline. The proposed study must be a new area of intellectual inquiry and not just an enhancement to go further in the primary field. Language study, technical training, or skills acquisition such as GIS mapping do not, by themselves, constitute a new direction. Must have received doctorate between 2013 and 2019.

Dartmouth may nominate one candidate.

To apply for this opportunity, email the following to limitedfunding@dartmouth.edu by the internal deadline of October 20:

• • one-page description of your proposed training in a new area
  •         explain the overall significance of the research being undertaken and how the new direction will assist in the development of the field
  •         include an estimated amount for your funding request
  • current CV

Use "Mellon New Directions" as the email subject line.

Medical Research

W.M. Keck Foundation

For high-risk, high-reward medical research projects which would not otherwise receive support from traditional funding agencies, and which have the capacity to spur ground-breaking new territory in the field or open entirely new pathways of work. For fundamental/basic science. Collaboration with investigators from other universities is viewed favorably. Not for projects that would be funded by governmental agencies.

Dartmouth Corporate and Foundation Relations may submit up to four concept papers. To apply for this opportunity, email the following to limitedfunding@dartmouth.edu:

• one-page concept paper using the Foundation’s guidelines
• Attach to the concept paper examples of feedback from federal agencies indicating your project is: out of scope/too high risk/overly ambitious for federal funding.
• total amount of your funding request
• current CV
• use “Keck Foundation — Medical" as the email subject line

Important Deadlines:

There are two annual deadlines for submitting an *internal* application to be selected as a Dartmouth nominee: May 7 and November 7.

Science & Engineering Research

W.M. Keck Foundation

For high-risk, high-reward science and engineering research projects which would not otherwise receive support from traditional funding agencies, and which have the capacity to spur ground-breaking new territory in the field or open entirely new pathways of work. For fundamental/basic science. Collaboration with investigators from other universities is viewed favorably. Not relevant for projects that would be funded by governmental agencies.

Dartmouth Corporate and Foundation Relations may submit up to four concept papers. To apply for this opportunity, email the following to limitedfunding@dartmouth.edu:

• one-page concept paper using the Foundation’s guidelines
• Attach to the concept paper examples of feedback from federal agencies indicating your project is: out of scope/too high risk/overly ambitious for federal funding.
• total amount of your funding request
• current CV
• use “Keck Foundation — Science and Engineering" as the email subject line

Important Deadlines:

There are two annual deadlines for submitting an *internal* application to be selected as a Dartmouth nominee: May 7 and November 7.

Project Support

Laerdal Foundation

For practically oriented research projects that can help prevent needless deaths from sudden cardiac arrest, trauma, and during birth. There are two annual deadlines in April and October.
Areas of interest:
Saving lives of newborn and mothers during and immediately after delivery in low resource settings.
Better reporting of data, as basis for improved care: Utstein Formula for Survival;
Promising hypothesis relating to updating of ILCOR guidelines for Emergency Cardiac Care and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation;
International/multicenter collaborations for improved education;
Implementation of the Global Resuscitation Alliance;
Projects at or in collaboration with the SAFER simulation center in Stavanger, Norway;
Applications that relate to factors 2 and 3 of the Utstein Formula for Survival – improved efficiency of education or implementation – are particularly welcome.

Dartmouth may submit two proposals.

To be considered for this opportunity, email the following to LimitedFunding@dartmouth.edu by the internal deadline of November 19:
one-page description of your project, with your funding request
current CV
Use "Laerdal Foundation" as the email subject line.

Important Dates:

Internal Application Deadline: 11/19/2025

Sponsor Deadline 4/1/2026

Clinical Investigator Award

Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

For independent young physician-scientists to conduct cancer-oriented research that demonstrates a high level of innovation and creativity. Applicant must commit a minimum of 80% of their time on this research. Requires a mentor in the field of clinical translational cancer research, cancer prevention, or epidemiology. One applicant per mentor. No other physician-scientist mentored career development award from a private source (non-federal government) may be held concurrently, but federal awards are allowed. Award includes payment of up to $100,000 in medical school debt. Must be assistant professor within first four years of initial full faculty appointment.

Three (3) nominations per institution, including its affiliated schools, will be accepted.

To apply for this opportunity, email the following to limitedfunding@dartmouth.edu by the internal deadline:
one-page description of your project idea
Current CV
Use "Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator" as the subject line

Important Dates:

Internal Application Deadline: 11/21/2025

Sponsor Deadline 1/20/2026

Recordings at Risk

Council on Library and Information Resources

For the preservation of rare and unique audio, audiovisual, and other time-based media of high scholarly value through digital reformatting. Eligible media include but are not limited to: magnetic audio and video tape, grooved discs, wax cylinders, wire recordings, and film (with or without sound). Projects will be evaluated on potential scholarly public significance, urgency, viability of long-term preservation plans, and approach to accessibility. 

Collections proposed for preservation must be owned and held by Dartmouth. All work must occur between September 1, 2026, and August 31, 2027. Applicants must create descriptive and technical metadata for all digitized content, and must dedicate this metadata to the public domain.

Dartmouth may submit one proposal.

To apply for this opportunity, email the following to LimitedFunding@dartmouth.edu by the internal deadline:
one-page description of your proposed project, including your funding request
Current CV
Use "Recordings at Risk" as the subject line

Important Dates:

Internal Application Deadline: 12/02/2025

Sponsor Deadline 2/24/2026

Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award

Sponsored by: Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

External deadline: Jan 20, 2026

Amount: $600,000

The Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award supports young physician-scientists conducting innovative, patient-oriented cancer research. It provides financial support, research cost assistance, and debt relief to eligible applicants. The applicant must hold an independent Assistant Professor position or equivalent at a U.S. institution and is expected to demonstrate significant support from the home institution through a comprehensive start-up package, ample laboratory space, and…

***Internal deadline: Dec 9, 2025***

To apply for this opportunity, email the following to LimitedFunding@dartmouth.edu by the internal deadline:

• one-page description of your research proposal; include the amount of your funding request
• current CV
• use the title of this RFP as the subject line

Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts - Grants to Individuals

Sponsored by: Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts

Deadline: Feb 25, 2026

Amount: Up to $30,000

These grants assist organizations with the production-related expenses that are necessary to take a project from conceptualization to realization and public presentation. These projects include, but are not limited to, exhibitions, installations; film/video/new media web initiatives; public programs; and publications.

***Internal deadline: Dec 16, 2025***

To apply for this opportunity, email the following to LimitedFunding@dartmouth.edu by the internal deadline:

• one-page description of your research proposal; include the amount of your funding request
• current CV
• use the title of this RFP as the subject line