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: Small Grant Program for NIDDK K01/K08/K23/K25 Recipients (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-091
Academic-Industrial Partnerships for Translation of Technologies for Diagnosis and Treatment (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-337
Interventions to Address Disparities in Liver Diseases and Liver Cancer (R01 - Clinical Trials Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-299
Exploratory/Developmental Bioengineering Research Grants (EBRG) (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-321
NIDCD Research Dissertation Fellowship for Au.D. Audiologists (F32)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-250
NEI Clinical Research Study Planning Grant Program (R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-358
Exploratory/Developmental Bioengineering Research Grants (EBRG) (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-346
Innovative Mental Health Services Research Not Involving Clinical Trials (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-283
NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Required)
National Institutes of Health · PA-25-305
Innovative Pilot Mental Health Services Research Not Involving Clinical Trials (R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-284
Academic-Industrial Partnerships for Translation of Technologies for Diagnosis and Treatment (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-338
The Role of Work in Health Disparities in the U.S. (R01 Clinical Trials Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-292
Utilizing Invasive Recording and Stimulating Opportunities in Humans to Advance Neural Circuitry Understanding of Mental Health Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-290
NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PA-25-304
NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Required)
National Institutes of Health · PA-25-306
Advancing Healthcare for Older Adults from Populations that Experience Health Disparities (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-24-273
Neuromodulation/Neurostimulation Device Development for Mental Health Applications (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-287
Pilot Effectiveness Trials for Post-Acute Interventions and Services to Optimize Longer-term Outcomes (R01 Clinical Trial Required)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-206
NCMRR Early Career Research Award (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-124
Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) (R38 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-HL-26-012
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.