External Funding Sources

Mason Resources

• SPIN (Sponsored Programs Information Network)
  • An online accessed data base of federal, non-federal and corporate funding opportunities designed to assist faculty and staff in the identification of external sources of support for research, education and development projects. 
  • Available to all Mason faculty, staff and students from a Mason authenticated login.
  • Click on Sign In at upper right of page, next to George Mason University.  Then click on Need to create a new profile, fill out profile information, and click on Save.  Your request will be sent to GMU's SPIN administrator, and you'll receive a password link and user information.
  • Once logged in, click on the Search menu to search for grants and to set up optional email alerts.
• Foundation Directory Online
  • A research tool to help find foundations that award grants and are most likely to fund projects.  
  • Available through Mason Libraries' subscription from a Mason authenticated login.  Click on Foundation Directory Online from this page.  Tutorial videos and On-Demand Training can be found here. 
  • Register for a personal login to search on RFPs or to sign up for alerts through the Foundation Directory's Philanthropy Digest page.  
• CHSS Pre-Award Support
  • The CHSS Pre-Award Team releases quarterly funding opportunities via our Listserv. Subscribe here to get funding opportunities delivered to your email, as well as other important research news and updates.
  • Or meet one-on-one with one of our team members to discuss your research and see if we can find funding opportunities that are right for you via our Finding Funding Opportunities Meeting.

State and Local Resources

• Commonwealth of Virginia's webpage
  • The Commonwealth provides a variety of funding opportunities for localities, organizations, and individuals.

Federal Funding Resources 

For information of public interest, including notices, proposed/final rules, meeting notices and grants/funding Requests for Proposals (RFPs).

• Grants.gov
  • A website for federal agencies to post discretionary funding opportunities and for grantees to find and apply to them.
• Federal Register 
  • The official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations (such as grants) , as well as executive orders and other presidential documents

Funding Information & Opportunities 

Limited Submissions

Limited submissions are those opportunities where the agency limits the number of proposals from a single institution. See Research Development Services for types of support, as well as a listing of Limited Submissions Grants Programs Deadlines and instructions on how to apply for limited submissions. 

National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.

Click here for current funding opportunities.

National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense.

NSF is divided into the following seven directorates that support science and engineering research and education:

• Biological Sciences
• Computer and Information Science and Engineering
• Engineering
• Geosciences
• Mathematical and Physical Sciences
• Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences
• Education and Human Resources 

Each is headed by an assistant director and each is further subdivided into divisions like materials research, ocean sciences and behavioral and cognitive sciences. Within NSF's Office of the Director, the Office of Integrative Activities also supports research and researchers. 

Click here for current funding opportunities.

Helpful Resources from the Fall 2024 Virtual Grants Conference

The conference was designed to give new faculty, researchers, and administrators key insights into a wide range of current issues at NSF. NSF program officers provided up-to-date information about specific funding opportunities and answered attendee questions.

Videos from the conference can be found here.

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency created in 1965. It is one of the largest funders of humanities programs in the United States. NEH grants typically go to cultural institutions, such as museums, archives, libraries, colleges, universities, public television, and radio stations, and to individual scholars.

Click here for current funding opportunities.

American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS)

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is a private, nonprofit scholarly organization in the humanities and social sciences that advances scholarship in the field. ACLS supports the creation and circulation of knowledge that advances the understanding of humanity and human endeavors. 

Click here for current funding opportunities. 

Spencer Foundation

The Spencer Foundation is a nonprofit organization which supports research that investigates the ways in which education can be improved globally. Their goals are to invest in education research that is transformative, methodologically rigorous, and helps create a better society, as well as strengthening the impact of education research for improving educational practices. 

Click here for current funding opportunities.

Research Development Services

Research Development (RD) provides support to faculty, students and staff in identifying and seeking funding to increase George Mason’s funded research base.

Click here for additional funding opportunities.