Limited Submissions Opportunities
Foundation Relations (FR) maintains a database of private foundation funding opportunities for UMass Amherst researchers, available on the All Funding Opportunities page. Some of these opportunities limit the number of proposals an institution may submit and require an internal nomination process.
The opportunities listed below represent annually recurring limited submission programs, allowing faculty to anticipate future competitions and prepare in advance. Full details for active competitions—and submission of internal applications—are managed through UMass InfoReady. FR also shares current limited submission opportunities through its weekly newsletter.
Internal Nomination Review
When a limited submission opportunity is announced, interested faculty submit an internal application. Applications are reviewed by a campus committee, which selects the nominee(s) who may proceed with preparing and submitting a proposal to the funder.
The nomination review committee includes: (1) Vice Chancellor for Research & Engagement; (2) Associate Vice Chancellor for Research & Engagement; (3) Vice Provost for Research & Engagement; (4) Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs; and (5) Associate Deans of Research from each applicant’s college.
Recurring Limited Submission Opportunities
| Sponsor | Award Range | Grant Title | Sponsor Deadline | Sponsor's Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William T. Grant Foundation | $350,000 | William T. Grant Scholars Program | Early July | wgrantfoundation.org |
| American Diabetes Association | $1,625,000 | Accelerator Award | Mid-July | professional.diabetes.org/ |
| Brain Research Foundation | $150,000 | Scientific Innovations Award | Late June (LOI) | thebrf.org |
| Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation | Up to $225,000 | Start-up Grant | 08/01 | emallinckrodtfoundation.org |
| Searle Scholars | $300,000 | Searle Scholars Program | Late September | searlescholars.org |
| Mathers Foundation | $700,000 | Research Grant Fall (LOI) | 10/03/2025 | mathersfoundation.org |
| The Pew Charitable Trusts | $300,000 | Pew Biomedical Scholars | Early September | pewtrusts.org |
| Greenwall Foundation | 50% of scholar’s salary plus benefits for three years | Faculty Scholars Program in Bioethics | Mid-September (LOI) | greenwall.org |
| W.M. Keck Foundation | $5,000,000 | Research Program Awards (June Grant Cycle) | 11/01 (Phase 1 Application) | wmkeck.org |
| Carnegie Corporation of New York | $200,000 | Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program | Early November | carnegie.org |
| Warren Alpert Foundation | $400,000 | Distinguished Scholars Fellowship Award | 11/01/2025 | warrenalpertfoundation.org |
| Brain Research Foundation | $80,000 | Seed Grants Program | Mid-November (LOI) | thebrf.org |
| Blavatnik Family Foundation | $250,000 | Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists | Early December | blavatnikawards.org |
| Dreyfus Foundation | $100,000 | Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award | Next January | dreyfus.org |
| W.M. Keck Foundation | Up to $5,000,000 | Research Program Awards (December Grant Cycle) | 05/01 (Phase 1 Application) | wmkeck.org |
| Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) | $450,000 | 2026 New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award | TBA | foundationfar.org |
| Andrew W. Mellon Foundation | TBA | Sawyer Seminars | TBA | mellon.org |
| Andrew W. Mellon Foundation | Up to $300,000 | New Directions Fellowships | TBA | mellon.org |
In the interest of fairness, Foundation Relations does not provide proposal development assistance during the internal nomination process. Applicants are encouraged to work with us after receiving an internal nomination.
If you identify a private foundation limited submission opportunity not listed here, please contact Foundation Relations by completing our online form.
For RFPs from public funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation, please visit the UMass Amherst Office of Research Development’s Limited Submission Awards & Grants page.