Opportunities
Please reach out to the Sponsored Research Services staff; Robin S. Lewis, Lori Kam, or Rikki Leyva at SRO@santafe.edu for more information or assistance with these or other funding opportunities. We look forward to assisting you!
Federal Agencies
Office of Naval Research:
ONR-sponsored research covers a broad spectrum of science and engineering disciplines. Listed here are the technology areas ONR is pursuing.
Full Proposals will be accepted until: September 30, 2025 2:00 PM EST
National Science Foundation:
Supports computational mathematical research focused on developing and implementing theoretically justified and computationally efficient algorithms.
Application Window: November 16, 2025 - December 1, 2025 & November 16 - December 1, Annually Thereafter
Supports research in mathematical logic and the foundations of mathematics, including proof theory, recursion theory, model theory, set theory and infinitary combinatorics.
Target Date: September 23, 2025 & Fourth Tuesday in September, Annually Thereafter
Supports research at the interface of innovative computational and AI technologies and new strategies/technologies in mathematical reasoning to guide and enhance research in the mathematical sciences, formal methods and AI.
Deadline: February 5, 2026
Supports pilots of high-risk, exploratory research with the potential to significantly advance anthropological knowledge.
Full proposal accepted anytime. Investigators must contact the cognizant NSF Program Director before submitting an HRRBAA proposal. This will facilitate determining whether the proposed work is appropriate for HRRBAA support.
Supports the research in mathematical and physical sciences of pre-tenure faculty at institutions with historically lower levels of NSF funding and their efforts to prepare students for 21st century STEM workforce.
Deadline: April 17 2025 or January 22 2026 & Fourth Thursday in January, Annually Thereafter
Supports research on the origin and evolution of Earth's climate, environments and life, improving our understanding of past processes to predict future global changes and support ecosystem sustainability.
Full proposal accepted anytime
Much can be learned about the climate system using existing historical observations and models of current climate, but those records and models do not reflect the range of climate behavior on multi-decadal to millennial time scales, or capture tipping points, thresholds, and other key features of the climate system. For that, data from geological records or other environmental archives are required.
Target Date: October 20, 2025 & October 20, Annually Thereafter
Air Force Office of Scientific Research:
Complex networks are pervasive in military, commercial, and civilian operations. This basic-research program is focused on developing fundamental mathematical and algorithmic techniques to design, analyze, utilize, and understand complex networks. The program seeks innovative approaches with far-reaching potential, meaning any mathematical and algorithmic approaches ideally should be applicable to broad classes of problems and not tied to a particular application domain. The networks of interest can have arbitrary topologies, can be static or dynamic, and can be subject to uncertain conditions, ranging from a stochastic environment to deliberate adversarial actions affecting both nodes and links.
Proposals are accepted anytime
Foundations
Wellcome Trust:
We support bold and creative discovery research that has the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing.
Science, Technology, Engineering, Computation, and Mathematics
We support research that uses approaches and concepts from any scientific discipline, provided that the research will lead to a shift in understanding or deliver new knowledge and insights into life, health and wellbeing. Research that leads to the development of new methodologies, conceptual frameworks, tools or technologies should be of benefit to health-related research.
The Leaky Foundation:
This program funds multidisciplinary research related to human origins, including dissertation research and exploratory studies. Disciplines supported include but are not limited to archaeology, biological anthropology, paleoanthropology, primate behavioral ecology, genetics, geology, anatomy, morphology, paleobotany, and paleoclimatology.
When to apply
- January 10 for spring cycle
- July 15 for fall cycle
Amount
- Up to $20,000 for PhD candidates
- Up to $30,000 for post-PhD scientists
Who can apply
- Applicants from any country
- PhD candidates
- Post-PhD scientists
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation:
To provide public goods, including fundamental research, conceptual breakthroughs, and technical advances, that strengthen and accelerate U.S. economic progress.
Priorities
- Global Competitiveness and Industrial Strategy
- Mesoeconomics and Regional Economic Development
- Public Works, Transportation, and Social Capital
- Re-Engineering Social Research Surveys
- Economics of Caregiving
- Economic Analysis of Science and Technology
For researchers with specific project ideas, the first step is to send a brief Letter of Inquiry to economics@sloan.org. More details about such letters are posted here.