Open federal grants for colleges and universities
468 open opportunities as of Oct 16, 2026.
Independent platform. Not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Data from public federal sources.
Colleges and universities are eligible for a large share of federal research and education funding. Notices list public and state institutions and private institutions separately, and many research programs also have rules about the lead investigator and the sponsored programs office that submits the application.
The list below shows every open opportunity in our database whose official notice lists colleges and universities as an eligible applicant type. Each listing links to a summary page and to the official notice.
Being in an eligible group is only the first check. Read the eligibility section of each notice for location, program focus, cost sharing and other conditions before you start an application.
Open opportunities
Limited Competition: Basic Instrumentation Grant (BIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-24-326
Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-24-265
Enhancing Mechanistic Research on Precision Probiotic Therapies (R33 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-210
Enhancing Mechanistic Research on Precision Probiotic Therapies (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-211
NEA Arts and Artifacts Domestic Indemnity Program 2, FY2027 (6/27)
National Endowment for the Arts · 2027FCAHDOM02
NIGMS National and Regional Resources (R24 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-416
BRAIN Initiative: Brain Behavior Quantification and Synchronization- Next Generation Sensor Technology Development (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-MH-26-140
BRAIN Initiative: Reagent Resources for Brain Cell Type-Specific Access to Broaden Distribution of Enabling Technologies for Neuroscience (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-MH-26-120
Early-Stage Dissemination and Implementation Research in Communication Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-DC-26-001
Preclinical Proof of Concept Studies for Rare Diseases (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-TR-25-002
Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7 Parent Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PA-24-254
NHLBI Career Transition Award for Intramural Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Trainees (K22 Clinical Trial Required)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-24-211
NHLBI Career Transition Award for Intramural Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Trainees (K22 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-24-209
Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER)
U.S. National Science Foundation · 22-586
Cutting-Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-101
Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Biologic-based Drug Discovery and Development for Disorders of the Nervous System (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-24-293
Innovative Traffic Safety Enforcement (ITSE) Grant Program
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration · NHTSA-693JJ926R000024-FY26
D-START: Data Science Track Award for Research Transition (D/START) (R03-Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAS-25-236
Advancement and Innovation in Measurement of Language Development and Predictors (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-112
Advancement and Innovation in Measurement of Language Development and Predictors (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-113
Frequently asked questions
Does being listed as eligible mean my organization qualifies?
No. The applicant type is only the first filter. Most notices add more conditions, such as location, program focus, matching funds or prior experience. Read the eligibility section of the official notice before you apply.
Is GovGrantsUSA a government website?
No. GovGrantsUSA is an independent platform operated by VRLY Ventures LLC. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Opportunity details are summarized from public federal sources such as Grants.gov.
Does it cost anything to apply for a federal grant?
Searching for and applying to federal grants on Grants.gov is free. Be wary of anyone who asks for a fee to "release" a grant or guarantees an award.
How current is this information?
Listings are refreshed from public federal data every day, and each page shows when it was last updated. Agencies can change or cancel a notice at any time, so always confirm details in the official notice.
What do I need before I can apply?
Most applicants through Grants.gov need an active SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity ID (UEI), a Login.gov account and a Grants.gov account linked to their organization. Registration can take several weeks, so start early.