Writing Winning Proposals
to
Government Agency Funding Opportunities
Government agencies, particularly federal ones, provide the majority of sponsored research funds for USC investigators. The central database of federal research grants is Grants.gov. A second federal site, FedBizOpps, also provides a comprehensive listing of RFPs for larger research projects and initiatives, as well as RFPs for a range of other services and goods by investigators. Both of these sites offer customizable email notification services of upcoming solicitations.
Most federal agencies also maintain their own sponsored research web portals which list sponsored competitions, provide guidelines and documentation, and often offer their own email alert services. In the near future, federal agencies will be transferring many of their funding opportunities listings and application procedures to the Grants.gov website. However, researchers seeking funding from the National Science Foundation or the National Institutes of Health should continue to use those agencies’ own websites as well.
The State of California also provides numerous sponsored research opportunities, particularly in the areas of health, science, and technology. A partial catalog of state programs is listed farther down on this page.
Federal Agency Sponsored Research Databases
- Grants.gov
A central clearinghouse of information for finding grant opportunities and applying for funding from federal government sources.- Email alert: Federal Grants Notification Service
- Fedbizopps
A specialized site for organizations seeking federal government markets for their services or products. - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Central site for National Institutes of Health grant opportunities at the Office of Extramural Research portal.- NIH RePORTER
The Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools provides access to reports, data, and analyses of NIH research activities, including information on NIH expenditures and the results of NIH supported research. - NIH Commons
- To register for an NIH ID at USC, please contact your DCG Administrator.
- Electronic Submission of NIH Grant Applications Information
- Email alert: NIH Weekly Bulletin
- NIH RePORTER
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
Central site for information about National Science Foundation sponsorship programs.- NSF Fastlane
- To register for an NSF Fastlane ID at USC, please contact your DCG Administrator.
- NSF Responsible Conduct of Research Training
- Email alert: MY NSF custom news service
Other Federal Agency Sponsored Research Sites
- Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)
- Agency For International Development, Education and Universities Department
- Department Of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
- Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, Funding and Procurement
- Department Of Commerce, Grant Opportunities
- Department Of Defense (DoD) Innovation
- Guide to DOD Research Funding FY2013
- Guide to Research Funding Presentation 2011, Part 1
- Guide to Research Funding Presentation 2011, Part 2
- Army Research Office
- Army Single Face to Industry (ASFI)
- Army Research, Development & Engineering Command (RDECOM)
- Air Force Office Of Scientific Research
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
- Office Of Naval Research
- Department of the Navy: Research, Development, and Acquisition
- Department Of Education, Grants and Contracts
- Department Of Energy, Grants and Contracts
- Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Research Grant Announcements
- Department Of Health And Human Services, Grants and Funding
- Department Of Homeland Security, Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Department Of Housing And Urban Development, Grants and Contracts
- Department Of Justice, National Institute of Justice Funding Opportunities
- Fish And Wildlife Service, Grants-at-a-Glance
- NASA Research Opportunities
- National Endowment For The Arts, Grants Division
- National Endowment For The Humanities, Grant Opportunities
- National Institute Of Standards And Technology, Funding Opportunities
- National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration, Grants Office
- Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration, Grant Opportunities
- Department Of Transportation, Business Services
- U.S. Geological Survey, Contracts and Grants
- Armed Forces Communications- Electronics Association (AFCEA)
- Association of Old Crows (AOC)
- Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA)
- Intelligence Community Acquisition Research Center (IC ARC)
- National Aeronautics And Space Agency, Research Solicitations
- National Defense Industrial Organization (NDIA)
- National Security Agency (NSA) Mathematical Sciences Program
Intelligence
State of California Sponsored Research Opportunities
Energy, Environment, and Transportation
- California Air Resources Board
- California Department of Transportation
- California Energy Commission
- PATH-Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways
- Research, Development, and Demonstration: Public Interest in Energy Research
Health and Medicine
- California Breast Cancer Research Program
- California Institute for Regenerative Medicine
- Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program
- Universitywide Aids Research Program