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What Ifs…? Fall 2026

Biology and Ecology research grant from The Science Foundation

Last day to apply

Closes today

Up to $10,000
Apply on funder site (opens in a new tab)

About

Provide small grants for curiosity-driven basic science, including biological research, through a simple application centred on a short scientific idea video. The programme welcomes researchers at any career stage at eligible US institutions. Each award provides up to USD 10,000 as a gift to the host institution, without overhead. Applications close on 12 October 2026 at midnight Pacific Time or when the first 200 submissions are received, whichever occurs first. Biomedical, engineering and primarily computer-science proposals are outside this call’s stated remit.

Eligibility

Career stage: Undergraduate · Master’s · PhD · Postdoc · Early independent researcher · Mid-career researcher · Established researcher

Apply directly

Covers: Up to USD 10,000 per project as an institutional gift; no overhead. The programme’s USD 100,000 total funding is not the individual award amount.

Host location: United States

US higher-education institutions and eligible US nonprofit research organisations only.

Eligibility source

Reviewed Sep 29, 2026. Check the funder’s full conditions before applying.

Researchers at any career stage at an accredited US two- or four-year higher-education institution or a US nonprofit non-academic research organisation that can accept the gift. Apply individually; collaborative proposals are excluded. The idea must fit curiosity-driven basic science in the call’s eligible disciplines.

Topics

curiosity-driven basic sciencebiological researchscientific idea videosmall grantseligible US institutionsresearchers at any career stageUSD 10,000host institution

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All funding

Source: science-foundation.org

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