If you\u2019re an early career researcher (ECR) trying to secure funding, your best options are federal agencies like NIH, foundations and trusts like Sloan, and research societies, as well as seed funding and university-provided grants. We\u2019ll look at each of these in this article, and also provide tips for the grant application process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Federal funding for early career researchers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Foundations supporting early career researchers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Specialized societies and foundations supporting early career researchers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Seed funding for early career researchers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n University funding for early career researchers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n How can PhD graduates in the US secure funding?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The key agencies that support ECRs are<\/p>\n\n\n\n The NIH Career Development Awards (K series) provide ECRs salary and research support for 3 to 5 years, helping them transition from students to independent investigators. The most popular of these are the Pathway to Independence Award (K99\/R00), Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08), and Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Development Award (K23).<\/p>\n\n\n\n NSF\u2019s CAREER Program supports teacher-researchers, i.e., untenured early career faculty. It\u2019s considered one of the most prestigious NSF awards and provides a federal grant of minimum $400,000 over five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DOE\u2019s Early Career Research Program, the largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the US, is intended for untenured, tenure-track assistant or associate professors at a US academic institution who are within 10 years of having earned a doctorate degree. The fields covered include, among others, advanced scientific computing research, basic energy sciences, high energy physics, and nuclear physics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DOD provides substantial funding to ECRs whose research shows exceptional promise for defense-related technologies. Grants are awarded main through the Young Investigator Program managed by the Army Research Office, Office of Naval Research, and Air Force Office of Scientific Research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Sloan research fellowships are two-year $75,000 fellowships provided annually to ECRs in fundamental research. The amount can be used for staffing, professional travel, lab expenses, equipment, or summer salary support. Fellows are required to submit an annual substantive report of their research as well as a financial report of how they have spent their funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program supports postdoctoral researchers seeking facility roles. This program has recently joined with the Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program. Hanna Gray Fellows receive up to 2 years of postdoctoral support and up to 10 years of faculty support as Freeman Hrabowski Scholars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Burroughs Wellcome Fund supports ECRs in the biomedical sciences. The most popular of these are the Career Awards for Medical Scientists, which provides $700,000 over five years to physicians who commit to an academic career, and Career Awards at the Scientific Interface, which provides postdoctoral fellows with $560,000 over five years to bridge advanced postdoctoral training and the first three years of faculty service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Funding is also available from societies and foundations with specific goals or target populations. Some examples are<\/p>\n\n\n\n This society offers several grants for ECRs who focus on specific diseases, such as the Respiratory Health Equity Research Award ($100,000 per year for two years), Research Grant in Sarcoidosis ($50,000 for 1 year), and the Alveolar Capillary Dysplasia Research Grant ($50,000 for 1 year).<\/p>\n\n\n\n AHA offers postdoctoral fellowships to enhance the training of postdoctoral members who want to combine a career in both academic research (cardiovascular, cerebrovascular or brain health research) and clinical service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of APS\u2019 awards are specifically for ECRs, such as the Irwin Oppenheim Award (meant for an ECR who gets published in the journal Physical Review<\/em>), the Thomas H. Stix Award (for ECRs who have made outstanding contributions to plasma physics), the Stuart Jay Freedman Award (for ECRs in experimental nuclear physics), and the Francis M. Pipkin Award (for ECRs in precision measurement and fundamental constants).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The American Epilepsy Society offers Junior Investigator Awards of up to\u202f$50,000 for one year to support the direct costs of research. The award also comes with free membership and registration to the AES Annual Meeting for one year. ECRs in basic, translational, and clinical epilepsy research are eligible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seed funding is early-stage financing for a research project. The amount is small but it can cover the basic startup costs. As an ECR, it could be a good idea to secure seed funding for a pilot project and then use the results of that project to secure a bigger, more competitive grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two main sources of seed funding for ECRs are<\/p>\n\n\n\n A number of universities provide grants or seed funding to their own PhDs. Some examples are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a> 1. Federal funding for early career researchers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
National Institutes of Health (NIH)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
National Science Foundation (NSF)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Department of Energy (DOE)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Department of Defense (DOD)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a> 2. Foundations supporting early career researchers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Howard Hughes Medical Institute<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Burroughs Wellcome Fund<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a> 3. Specialized societies and foundations supporting early career researchers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
American Thoracic Society<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
American Heart Association (AHA)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
American Physical Society (APS)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
American Epilepsy Society<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a> 4. Seed funding for early career researchers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is seed funding for research?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What are the sources of seed funding for early career researchers?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a> 5. University funding for early career researchers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n