How to Secure Research Funding?

Align proposals with the funding body’s priorities and goals by clearly define the research objectives, methodology, and expected impact. Highlighting collaboration opportunities and interdisciplinary approaches apart from adhering to submission deadlines and formatting guidelines would be beneficial. Seek mentorship or partnerships with experienced researchers to strengthen applications.

1. Research Funding in the United States

Prominent Funding Bodies:

• National Science Foundation (NSF): Focuses on science, engineering, and education.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): Funds health-related and biomedical research.
• Department of Energy (DOE): Supports research in energy and physical sciences.
• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA): Funds innovative and defense-related projects.
• Private Foundations: Examples include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Procedure:

• Submit a proposal detailing objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.
• Proposals are reviewed by a blind peer review panel for scientific merit.
• Funding decisions are based on innovation, impact, and feasibility.

Eligibility:

• Open to universities, research institutions, non-profits, and small businesses.
• Eligibility varies; for instance, NSF focuses on researchers in academic institutions, while NIH requires projects with a clear health-related impact.

2. Research Funding in Europe

Prominent Funding Bodies:

• Horizon Europe (European Union): Largest EU research and innovation program.
• European Research Council (ERC): Funds pioneering research across disciplines.
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA): Supports researcher mobility and training.
• National Research Agencies: Examples include Germany’s DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) and the UK’s UKRI (UK Research and Innovation).

Procedure:

• Submit proposals via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal or specific national portals.
• Proposals undergo evaluation based on excellence, impact, and implementation.

Eligibility:

• Open to academic institutions, research centers, and industry collaborators.
• Early-career researchers and experienced scientists are eligible under specific programs.
• ERC grants focus on individual researchers with groundbreaking ideas.

3. Research Funding in Asia

Prominent Funding Bodies:

• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS): Funds research across disciplines.
• National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC): Supports basic and applied research.
• Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR): Focuses on social science research in India.
• Singapore’s A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research): Funds biomedical and physical sciences.

Procedure:

• Researchers submit proposals through respective funding agency portals.
• Peer review panels assess proposals based on innovation and societal impact.

Eligibility:

• Open to universities, research institutions, and sometimes private companies.
• Some grants are limited to nationals or require international collaboration.

4. Research Funding in Africa

Prominent Funding Bodies:

• African Academy of Sciences (AAS): Manages the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA).
• National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa: Supports local and international research projects.
• Welcome Trust Africa: Funds health and development-related research.
• International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada: Supports research partnerships in Africa.

Procedure:

• Proposals are submitted to funding agencies or partnerships.
• Emphasis is placed on addressing regional challenges, such as health and sustainability.

Eligibility:

• Open to African researchers and institutions.
• Collaboration with international researchers often strengthens applications.

5. Research Funding in Australia

Prominent Funding Bodies:

• Australian Research Council (ARC): Focuses on discovery and linkage programs.
• National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC): Funds health-related research.
• Cooperative Research Centre (CRC): Encourages collaboration between industry and researchers.
• CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation): Funds applied research and innovation.

Procedure:

• Submit proposals through respective agency portals.
• Proposals are evaluated based on quality, collaboration potential, and impact.

Eligibility:

• Open to Australian universities, research institutions, and industries.
• Specific grants may require partnerships with industry or international collaborators.

By utilising global funding opportunities and comprehending specific procedures and eligibility criteria, researchers can advance innovative projects and promote impactful outcomes.

‘Funding in Japan needs a rethink’

"The reluctance of Japanese funding agencies to award grants to cross-disciplinary research risks eroding the country’s global standing in science and its economy, says a group of Japanese scientists. They argue that agencies should fund curiosity-driven, interdisciplinary research with long-term goals and understand that ‘unsuccessful’ projects can still generate valuable knowledge. To facilitate this shift, grant panels must be more diverse, in scientific discipline, gender and other metrics, and funds should be awarded on a flexible, multi-year basis. “Nothing is stopping Japan from adopting a bolder funding model,” the group writes. “Innovative projects and outcomes should soon follow.”..."

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00394-8

The US government averted a shutdown late last week after lawmakers agreed to a spending plan that probably locks in modest cuts to science funding this year. It’s not clear whether the Trump administration will actually spend the money laid out in the agreement: it has ignored previous spending laws passed by Congress by freezing and terminating federal grants...

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00827-4

Funding competition sabotages science

Competition in the form of research proposals can seem like a reasonable, fair and efficient process to determine which scientists and projects to allocate funding to. In fact, the way funding competitions are structured is inefficient, unfair, and promotes conformism, argue authors. Allocating funding through lottery processes could lead to better science than the current model...

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2025/06/09/funding-competition-sabotages-science/

Why grant success begets future funding

"A study including data from more than 100,000 grant applications has revealed some of the underlying causes of the ‘Matthew effect’ — a phenomenon describing how scientists that secure funding grants early in their career are more likely to do so again later.

Mathematical modelling of data from funding programmes in four countries suggested that those who had early grant success applied more often for future grants than those who didn’t, which explained the difference between the two groups. A new model of funding that rewards “promising but previously unsuccessful applicants” could level the playing field, says social scientist and study co-author Vincent Traag."

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01952-w

Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ win in EU budget proposals

The plan gives big increases for research and exchanges...

The European research and higher education communities were celebrating significant wins in the hard-fought battle to get the European Commission to propose increases in both the draft budgets for the next Horizon Europe research and innovation Framework Programme and the Erasmus+ student mobility scheme.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20250718185439298

New US$12 billion research fund, as researchers go unpaid

India’s cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, earlier this month approved a new Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme with funds set aside for this purpose of approximately US$12 billion. “Aimed at enhancing private sector participation in cutting-edge research, the scheme will offer long-term, low- or nil-interest loans to support transformative projects, especially in sunrise and strategic sectors. “Key goals include scaling up private R&D, funding high-TRL (Technology Readiness Levels) innovations, supporting the acquisition of critical technologies, and establishing a Deep-Tech Fund of Fund,” the official statement said...

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20250716152033949

Research funding bodies are organizations—public, private, or non-profit—that allocate financial resources to support scientific, academic, or technological research projects; examples include the National Science Foundation (NSF), European Research Council (ERC), and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, often providing grants based on peer-reviewed proposals.