Limited Submission Opportunities

The National Science Foundation has canceled the 2025 deadline for the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, with the next anticipated deadline expected in 2026.
Stanford’s internal NSF MRI limited submission competition and the applicant webinar have been canceled. A new internal competition will be announced as the next deadline approaches.

Managing Unit: VPDoR

The Test Bed: Toward a Network of Programmable Cloud Laboratories (PCL Test Bed) program supports the creation of a network of distributed, remotely accessible laboratory facilities designed to advance autonomous experimentation. These facilities, called Programmable Cloud Laboratory Nodes (PCL Nodes), will be connected through shared science questions, computational networking, and common data and AI standards.

The program’s purpose is to accelerate research and strengthen U.S. competitiveness by enabling automated, AI-driven laboratory workflows. These workflows span the full research cycle, from experiment design and preparation to data collection, analysis, and interpretation. While small-scale efforts have shown promise, this initiative seeks to overcome challenges such as infrastructure access, interoperability, and consistent practices for experimental data and AI use.

Proposals must be guided by clear science drivers that are positioned to benefit significantly from PCL capabilities. Relevant areas include materials science, biotechnology, chemistry, and related disciplines. Examples include materials synthesis and characterization, scalable biotechnology workflows, and high-throughput catalyst development.

Managing Unit: VPDoR

The Discovery Science Award typically provides up to $500,000 in funding for groundbreaking research that aligns with our mission. In select cases, proposals demonstrating exceptional potential for impact and scalability may be considered for higher levels of support. To be considered for funding, proposals must meet the following criteria:
- Are focused on pediatric cancer
- Will lead to less toxic, more targeted treatments
- Are clearly communicated in lay terms (accessible to our Board and donor community)
- Demonstrate strong potential to progress toward a clinical trial in 1-3 years

SebastianStrong funds one or more proposals each year that advance meaningful change in pediatric cancer treatment. We are especially interested in research that:
- Focuses on pediatric cancers with low survival rates or high relapse rates
- Has transitional potential within 36 months
- Pursues underfunded or unconventional approaches that could change the status quo

Managing Unit: SCI (Stanford Cancer Institute)

Through its Higher Learning grantmaking area, Mellon makes grants that foster our understanding of American history and culture; develop the interpretive tools and methods scholars use to create meaning; support faculty and students whose work exemplifies a drive toward greater equity in their fields and institutions; and promote pathways for scholars and academic leaders.

Applications are invited for research and/or curricular projects focused on either of the following two areas: Unruly Intelligences and Normalization & Its Discontents.

Managing Unit: VPDoR

The Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists recognizes exceptional research in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemical Sciences.

The award honors individuals whose work is innovative, impactful, and addresses critical challenges. Nominees must demonstrate how their research advances their field and opens new areas of exploration, supported by evidence like peer-reviewed publications and major grants.

Additionally, nominees should highlight their leadership, mentorship, and efforts to promote diversity in STEM, reflecting the program's commitment to inclusivity.

Managing Unit: VPDoR

The FIPSE Special Projects Program provides grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs), combinations of such institutions, and other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies, as the Secretary deems necessary, to support innovative projects concerning one or more areas of national need identified by the Secretary. This competition focuses on supporting four areas of national need:
1) advancing the understanding of and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in postsecondary education,
2) promoting civil discourse on college and university campuses,
3) promoting accreditation reform, and
4) supporting capacity-building for highquality short-term programs.

Managing Unit: VPDoR

The Integrated Data Systems and Services (IDSS) program supports national-scale, operational cyberinfrastructure systems and services that advance open, data-intensive, and AI-driven science and engineering research, innovation, and education. Projects must broadly serve the research and education community across multiple disciplines, enabling diverse users to access, integrate, and connect data with resources such as computing, facilities, instrumentation, and repositories. Proposals that primarily benefit a single discipline, project, or application are not supported.

Managing Unit: VPDoR

Award mechanisms:
-Research Grant Award
-Scholar (Career Development) Award
-International Scholar Award
Funding Priorities:
-New discovery research
-Translational research and early phase clinical trials
-Phase III clinical trials & infrastructure support of participating institutions (primarily the fall grant cycle)
-Education of new pediatric oncology researchers

Managing Unit: SCI (Stanford Cancer Institute)

This solicitation seeks proposals to establish a community-based organization that will be responsible for the foundational visioning, coordination, operations, and development activities in support of an integrated national infrastructure for AI research and education. The resulting award would advance the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) vision for a public-private partnership to accelerate AI innovation and national competitiveness. This NAIRR Operations Center (NAIRR-OC) will be responsible for the following overarching goals and responsibilities:

Organizational leadership: Establishing the operational framework, organizational management, and success metrics for the NAIRR and its successful operations according to the vision, goals, and requirements established by the NSF and other federal partners.
Building NAIRR capabilities and community: Undertaking specific development activities in support of NAIRR stakeholders, including interfacing with partner organizations and resources, deploying a unified web portal, integrating data-focused and other resources into the NAIRR, and conducting outreach and community building activities.
Interfacing with Pilot Operations: Coordinating with existing NAIRR Pilot contributing partners and interfacing with the independently supported teams conducting NAIRR Pilot operational functions, while developing tailored plans to execute such functions via the NAIRR-OC in the future.
NSF anticipates making a single award for this competition. NSF will provide oversight of award activities via the NAIRR Program Management Office (PMO) which may include representatives from partnering agencies. The awardee from this competition may be eligible for expansion of operational responsibilities and duties in a future phase, depending on NAIRR priorities, awardee performance and availability of funds.

Managing Unit: VPDoR

The National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress (LC) to create a national digital resource of historically significant newspapers published between 1690 and 1963, from all the states and U.S. jurisdictions. This searchable database will be permanently maintained at LC and will be freely accessible online (see the Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers website). The accompanying US Newspaper Directory of bibliographic and holdings information on the website directs users to newspaper titles available in all types of formats. During the course of its partnership with NEH, LC will also digitize and contribute to the NDNP database a significant number of newspaper pages drawn from its own collections.

Managing Unit: VPDoR

Creative Forces seeks to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for military service members and veterans exposed to trauma, as well as their families and caregivers, by increasing knowledge of and access to clinical creative arts therapies and community arts engagement. Since 2017, Creative Forces has invested in community arts engagement projects in order to advance understanding of the benefits and impacts for military-connected populations who have been exposed to trauma.

These Creative Forces Community Engagement Grants are intended to support non-clinical arts engagement programs taking place in healthcare, community, or virtual settings. Creative Forces-supported community programs have involved a range of arts activities, including visual, written, and performing arts offered through single events, drop-in programs, and ongoing engagement led by artists in residence, teaching artists, or creative arts therapists.

Managing Unit: VPDoR

These grants support community reading programs designed around a single NEA Big Read book. As our nation moves into its 250th year, the goal of this program is to honor America’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, inspire meaningful conversations, celebrate local creativity, elevate a wide variety of voices and perspectives, and build stronger connections in each community.

Grantees will receive funding for their programming and purchasing books, and tools to support them in working with local partners, developing public relations strategies, and leading meaningful book discussions.

Managing Unit: VPDoR