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Finding Funding Opportunities

On this page find search databases, resources, and lists of funding opportunities applicable to postdocs. When searching funding databases, conduct multiple searches and use broad keywords. Include searches focused on research impact and target population, as well as your geographic region and demographics. Think creatively about using federal, foundation, industry, and institutional sources for research projects, conference travel, publishing, and training support during your postdoctoral experience.

Tips

    Keep a personal spreadsheet of opportunities and due dates (template tracking sheet)

   ✔ Use databases to identify funding opportunities, but refer to the sponsor website for the most accurate information.

   ✔ Talk to mentors and peers for applicable funding opportunities

Funding Databases

Pivot 

Pivot is a database of over $71 billion in public and private funding opportunities for research, travel, fellowships, conferences, and much more. Create an account using your UC San Diego email, claim your profile, save broad searches, and set up email alerts.

 

Graduate and Postdoctoral Extramural Support Database

GRAPES is a searchable database of a wide range of graduate and postdoctoral funding opportunities maintained by UCLA. This can also be filtered by citizenship status.

 

Lists of Postdoc Funding Opportunities

Foundation Opportunities

UC San Diego Foundation Relations Office maintains a list of foundation funding opportunities for postdocs updated annually.

Federal and Foundation Fellowships

A downloadable repository of over 300 federal and private funding opportunities for postdoctoral scholars maintained and periodically updated by Johns Hopkins University.

Biomedical Opportunities

Albert Einstein College of Medicine maintains a list of postdoctoral funding opportunities in the biomedical sciences.

Biological Sciences

Find funding opportunitiesion for postdocs in biological sciences using this list curated by UC Berkeley.

Humanities

Find funding opportunities for postdocs in the humanities using this list crated by UC Berkeley.

Diversity-minded Opportunities

Minority Postdoc maintains a list of diversity-minded funding opportunities for current and future postdocs.

Global Health Opportunities

Fogarty International Center curates a directory of non-NIH postdoc funding opportunities in international biomedical and behavior research. 

Federal Agency Opportunities

National Institutes of Health

National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports individual fellowships (F series) and career development (K series) in biomedical, behavioral, social, and clinical research. Be sure to explore the priorities of the different NIH Institutes and Centers.

National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation (NSF) funds special programs for postdocs in most fields of science and engineering.  

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) supports postdocs whose research is in the quality, effectiveness, accessibility, and cost effectiveness of health care through the F32 mechanism.

Funding Listservs

Sign up for listservs and alerts distributed by funding agencies in your field to stay up-to-date on new initiatives, priorities, and funding opportunities. Some example listservs are below.

UC San Diego Postdoc Weekly Post Listserv: https://postdoc.ucsd.edu/about/postdoc-listserve.html  

UC San Diego Funding List: https://groups.google.com/a/ucsd.edu/g/funding-announcements-g

NIH Weekly Table of Contents: grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/listserv.htm

NSF Updates: service.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNSF/subscriber/new?topic_id=USNSF_25

Philanthropic News Digest: philanthropynewsdigest.org/rfps 

Internal Funding Opportunities

President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program: ppfp.ucop.edu/info/index.html

Chancellor’s Research Excellence Scholarships: https://blink.ucsd.edu/research/about-us/awards-funding/

Chancellor's Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award: postdoc.ucsd.edu/award-opportunities/postdoctoral-scholar-award.html