Best Grants for Science Research in Maine

The DanPaul Foundation aims to enhance early childhood development by training teachers and parents, protecting children from abuse, and promoting social responsibility. They provide grants to non-profits for programs that focus on education, health, and welfare of youth. Key initiatives include scholarships, environmental education, and support for underprivileged children. Grant amounts range from a few hundred dollars to $15,000 annually, with a focus on impactful, community-driven projects.

The Semnani Family Foundation, established in 1993, is dedicated to supporting marginalized communities worldwide through health, education, and disaster relief initiatives. Founded by Khosrow and Ghazaleh Semnani, it began by funding an orphanage in Romania. The foundation also operates locally, providing free healthcare through the Maliheh Free Clinic in Utah. Its commitment to human welfare drives impactful partnerships in countries such as Afghanistan, India, and South Africa, focusing on the most vulnerable populations.

Takeda's Corporate Giving program focuses on enhancing community well-being in the U.S. by supporting initiatives in two key areas: Food is Health and Building STEM Foundations. Through employee engagement and partnerships, Takeda aims to provide access to nutritious food and foster STEM education, addressing social disparities and empowering future innovators. This commitment reflects Takeda's mission of better health and a brighter future for all.

The Bank of America Foundation Sponsorship Program aims to enhance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities through partnerships with nonprofit organizations. This initiative focuses on critical areas such as workforce education, basic needs like food and housing, and community development. The Foundation invested $350 million last year and encourages employee volunteerism and giving, supporting nonprofits in various sectors, including arts, culture, and diversity initiatives.

The Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health (R34) aims to support research that enhances health interventions for Native American populations. This includes studying the efficacy of health promotion and disease prevention strategies, culturally informed treatments, and addressing existing health disparities. The initiative encourages community-based solutions that are sustainable and adaptable to various Native American tribes. Key deadlines for grant applications are set for October 2025 and 2026, with additional dates for AIDS-related proposals.

About Northeast SARE

The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program offers grants and education to farmers, educators, service providers, researchers and others to address key issues affecting the sustainability of agriculture throughout our region.

The program serves Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The program is administered by Northeast SARE's host institution, the University of Vermont.

Farming Community Grant Program

The Northeast SARE Farming Community Grant applies social science research and education projects that strengthen farming and food systems at the community level.

These projects explore innovative approaches to improving the health and sustainability of agricultural communities in the Northeast. This program supports projects that are grounded in community partnerships and informed by the lived experiences of farmers. It encourages collaboration among farmers, service providers, researchers, and nonprofit organizations to co-create solutions that are responsive to local needs and scalable across the region.

This program encourages innovative solutions to challenges in farming and food systems in the Northeast USA, including but not limited to the areas of: Marketing and business; Crop production; Raising livestock; Aquaculture; Economic and social sustainability; Ecological knowledge; Projects related to climate and/or bioenergy work that provide direct or indirect benefits to farmers,ranchers, and private foresters; and more.

Technical Assistance Program

Applicants and grantees of the Farming Community Grant Program are eligible for Technical Assistance (TA) provided by Northeast SARE’s Technical Assistance Providers.

Funding: This grant is reimbursement based; you must spend money to receive the grant funds.

The Clinical Cancer Research Grant by the Rising Tide Foundation aims to revolutionize cancer research by ensuring patient involvement at every stage. This grant supports innovative clinical trials that prioritize patient needs and promise measurable impact within a short timeframe. By collaborating with other organizations, it seeks to enhance treatment options and quality of life for patients, especially in underserved areas. Focused on outcomes, early detection, and strategic partnerships, this funding initiative is crucial for advancing cancer treatment and research.

The Spark Good: Strengthening Community Local Grants program by the Wal-Mart Foundation empowers local organizations through grants ranging from $250 to $5000. This initiative aims to enhance community welfare by supporting diverse projects, including animal shelters and educational programs. Eligible organizations must have a verified Spark Good account, ensuring funds are allocated effectively to meet local needs and foster community development. Together, we can create lasting impacts through small yet significant actions.

The BSF Research Grants program supports collaborative research between U.S. and Israeli scientists, focusing on basic science projects. Annually, approximately 400 applications are submitted, with around 100 grants awarded. To foster collaboration, joint publications are essential for evaluation. Applications are accepted once per year in mid-November, with results announced the following July. Since its inception in 1972, the BSF has funded over 5,400 high-quality research initiatives, distributing more than $700 million.

Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network

The RDCRN was established by Congress under the Rare Diseases Act in 2002. The network is an initiative of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), led by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences through is Division of Rare Diseases Research Innovation (formerly the Office of Rare Diseases Research). It is funded by collaborating NIH institutes, centers, and offices.

Now in its fifth funding cycle, RDCRN supports 20 rare disease research groups (consortia) that partner with 127 affiliated patient advocacy groups. In total, 180 diseases are currently being studied at 273 active clinical sites, both in the United States and internationally.

Pilot Grant in Pediatric Fungal Disease

Goal

Invites applications for one-year pilot projects that establish feasibility, refine the analytic design, or generate preliminary data to support future studies addressing critical knowledge gaps or improving patient-centered outcomes for pediatric invasive fungal diseases.

Objectives

• Establish feasibility of proposed pediatric IFD studies
• Refine study design or analytic approaches
• Generate preliminary data to strengthen future large-scale research
• Expand and support a diverse investigator community in pediatric IFD research
• Encourage multi-site collaboration and incorporation of patient/caregiver perspectives

Award Description

Awards will provide up to $30,000 (inclusive of direct and indirect costs) for a one-year period. Applicants are encouraged to pursue co-sponsorship with institutional partners, research networks, industry collaborators, or other stakeholders to expand available resources. To receive the award, investigators must submit their full study protocol for approval by the RDCRN. Award recipients will be offered a project management team that meets quarterly to help ensure that progress is consistent with timelines and benchmarks. Funded investigators will also be required to submit quarterly progress reports and an end-of-project report to be reviewed by the Pilot Project Committee.

The Amateur Radio Digital Communications Grants support projects that enhance digital communication and promote amateur radio. The California-based ARDC foundation funds initiatives focusing on education, research, and the growth of amateur radio, including scholarships and community engagement programs. Eligible applicants include U.S. nonprofits, educational institutions, and international charities. Emphasizing open access, funded projects must make their outcomes available to the public, fostering innovation in communication technology.

Ameriprise Community Grants focus on supporting nonprofits that enhance community vitality and meet basic needs. With over 120 years of commitment to philanthropy, Ameriprise Financial engages employees in volunteerism and grantmaking. Key giving areas include hunger relief, housing stability, and community development. Priority is given to organizations with active volunteer engagement from Ameriprise advisors and employees, creating a meaningful impact on financial independence and community resilience.

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund's Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants aim to foster innovative collaborations among diverse fields to address climate change's effects on health. With $1M dedicated from Fall 2023 to Summer 2026, grants range from $2,500 to $50,000. This initiative encourages partnerships between biomedical scientists, public health experts, and community organizations, promoting sustainable health systems and effective climate communication. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis, emphasizing creative solutions to pressing health challenges.

The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation grants aim to enhance oral health care access and education in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The Foundation supports initiatives that focus on improving awareness of good oral health, preventive care, and accessibility of dental services. Grants typically cover one year and prioritize projects that serve disadvantaged populations. The Foundation encourages applications from 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations that align with its oral health mission.

The McGraw Foundation offers annual grants to not-for-profit organizations, primarily in the greater Chicago area, focusing on education, conservation, and human services. Grant amounts typically range from $2,000 to $10,000, with larger grants available for particularly impactful projects. While supporting diverse initiatives, the Foundation does not fund individuals or specific events. Organizations must be tax-exempt under IRS regulations to qualify for funding. The Foundation encourages innovative approaches and partnerships in grant applications.

The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium and NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center invite proposals to explore the interactions between fishing communities and offshore wind development in the U.S. Northeast. This initiative aims to enhance understanding of community resilience and economies, while fostering collaborative research that informs decision-making. Proposals should utilize qualitative and quantitative methods and involve at least one Co-PI from the six states of the NESGC, with a requirement for a 25% non-federal match.

Solar Radiation Management Program

The Simons Foundation’s Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) division invites applications for a new Solar Radiation Management program (SRM). The foundation strongly encourages applications from scientists in the global south and from investigators who may not have worked in SRM but have expertise that could bring new perspectives and skills to this field.

Please note that in the event of budgetary or other considerations, The Simons Foundation, Inc. reserves the right to refer an application to The Simons Foundation International, Ltd. (SFI) for consideration and funding, in which case SFI’s grant policies would apply.

Basis for Awards

The Simons Foundation has launched an international collaborative research program designed to fill fundamental scientific knowledge gaps relevant to Solar Radiation Management. SRM is an emerging collection of approaches, including stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), marine cloud brightening (MCB) and cirrus cloud thinning (CCT), designed to modify the Earth’s radiative balance and cool the planet. Although reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations is the only long-term strategy to mitigate climate change and other impacts, SRM might be able to ameliorate some of the negative impacts this century. However, SRM also may pose significant environmental and societal risks, including stratospheric warming, ozone depletion and changes in rainfall, thereby affecting water resources and agriculture. At present, not enough is known about SRM systems and their potential impacts to allow informed decision-making. This call aims to help fill key fundamental knowledge gaps in the science of SRM.

Priority areas for this call include:

• Environmentally benign materials discovery for SAI and CCT.
• Laboratory physicochemical characterization of SAI and CCT materials and their interactions with light, clouds, atmospheric trace gases and with themselves or ambient aerosols, with the aim to improve microphysical inputs to existing climate models.
• Approaches to minimize cirrus cloud formation, including from aircraft emissions.
• Assessments of near-field (<100 km) atmospheric turbulence and its impact on SAI and CCT interventions, primarily through modeling.
• Integration of improved representations of aerosols and turbulence into global-scale modeling, and characterization of global and regional impacts of novel materials for SAI and CCT.

Areas not within the scope of this program include social science research and in-situ field experiments involving aerosol release.

Proposals can be from individual investigators or small teams; the latter are not required to be from the same institution but must be organized via a main institution and subcontract institution(s). 

Proposals will be judged on scientific quality, potential for impact, potential for collaboration, extent of training graduate students and postdocs, and broadening participation domestically and globally.

As a part of the program obligations, awardees will be invited and expected to attend an annual meeting held at and paid directly by the Simons Foundation.

Funding

Proposal budgets should not exceed $500,000 per year, including indirect costs (limited to 20 percent modified total direct costs), for a period of three years. 

The UFAW Small Research Grants support research aimed at improving animal welfare across various species, including those affected by human activity. Grants of up to £5,000 are available for projects that focus on scientific advancements in animal welfare, addressing challenges faced by farm, zoo, and companion animals, among others. The initiative encourages innovative research that promotes the well-being of animals while ensuring that animal welfare is the central focus of all funded projects.

The Nature Awards for Inspiring Women in Science, particularly in the Science Outreach category, honors initiatives that empower girls and young women in STEM fields. With a focus on engagement and retention, the awards aim to celebrate projects that encourage participation in natural sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine. Winners will receive significant cash prizes and opportunities for mentorship, creating pathways for future generations of women in science.

Offshore Wind Science and Research RFP

Massachusetts remains committed to offshore wind as a key energy source to provide critically needed energy, spur economic development, and create good-paying jobs. MassCEC recognizes that offshore wind development occurs in a dynamic ocean environment that supports existing marine industries of economic and cultural importance, is inhabited by critically endangered wildlife, and is itself undergoing climate-induced changes. These variables, among others, present a wide range of technical, logistical, and analytical research opportunities related to the offshore wind industry, particularly now that several projects have or soon will reach commercial operation. Focused science and research activities, and the organizational capacity to conduct that science and research, are needed in the near- and long-term to inform, optimize, and catalyze industry growth.   

The 2026 RFP will fund up to $2.5 million for projects aligned with priority research areas identified by MassCEC. While a broad array of research projects will be eligible to apply, this round of funding has also specified topic areas of interest within each of the following categories:

• Fisheries: Understanding Effects in Southern New England Lease Areas
• Wildlife and Habitat
• Regional Transmission Planning
• Gulf of Maine Regional Monitoring
• Communicating Existing Science and Research

MassCEC has allocated up to $2.5 Million Dollars ($2,500,000) in funding for awards and commitments under the Solicitation. We expect that awards will range from approximately $50,000 to $500,000. An application proposing higher amounts of MassCEC funding must present a compelling case for the funding need and potential outcomes toward achieving the Objectives.

The Mark Foundation Emerging Leader Award supports innovative cancer research led by early career investigators. Aimed at high-impact, high-risk projects, this grant is available to those employed by U.S. or Canadian non-profit academic institutions. Eligible applicants must be within three to eight years of starting their independent faculty research appointment. This award emphasizes multi-year independent funding and is not intended as the main funding source for the laboratory, ensuring that diverse research efforts are encouraged.

The Translational Bridge Award, offered by the Lupus Research Alliance, provides up to $450,000 over two years to support projects that bridge the gap between post-discovery and pre-commercial development. This funding aims to accelerate the translation of promising lupus research into clinical evaluation and viable products. Applicants must have a doctoral degree and prior LRA funding experience. The program fosters innovation and aims to improve care for lupus patients by facilitating milestone-driven research and commercialization efforts.

About 

The National Sea Grant College Program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1966 and works to create and maintain a healthy coastal environment and economy. The Sea Grant network consists of a federal/university partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and 34 programs in every coastal and Great Lakes state, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium is a regional collaboration that includes 8 Sea Grant programs in 7 Northeast states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium collaborates on regional initiatives in research, education, extension, and communications—leveraging local expertise to create regional benefits and accomplishments.

American Lobster Initiative (ALI) Collaborative Research

The Sea Grant American Lobster Initiative is pleased to announce funding to support new collaborative research projects that closely align with emerging lobster industry and management needs. This request for proposals (RFP) adds to the substantial breadth of previous ALI-funded research by prioritizing projects that create “actionable science” (outputs and findings of the scientific process are useful to and usable by end-user communities) through the co-creation of information and/or products. 

To reach this goal, the ALI seeks to support collaborative research practices, the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and resources/capacities amongst the many people who comprise the American lobster industry. Projects must be developed and led by collaborative research teams that include at least one fishing industry representative, such as a commercial fisherman or a representative from a commercial fishing business, including cooperatives, dealers and processors. This call emphasizes research conducted with and for the industry, offering an exciting opportunity to support and elevate industry-research-management partnerships to address current ecological, regulatory, and socio-economic challenges faced by the American lobster fishery.

The Sea Grant American Lobster Initiative invites proposals for collaborative research projects to be funded from December 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028. Projects can be up to two years in duration, with a recommended duration of no less than 18 months. 

This opportunity is designed to support collaborative research conducted by those affiliated with the American lobster industry (including shoreside supply chain businesses), and any public or private higher education institution, municipal, state, federal, or tribal entity, research laboratory, or other community or non-profit institution. This opportunity is not open to single investigator proposals.

A total of $400,000 is available to support up to 8 two-year project awards. Project budgets cannot exceed $100,000 (including all direct and indirect costs), and must include non-federal cost share is required for this competition. See full RFP for guidance.

The Heising-Simons Foundation invites proposals for funding science-related events such as workshops and conferences in fields like astronomy and climate change. The program aims to support basic research, foster connections among stakeholders, and enhance the communication of scientific findings. Events play a crucial role in building community, facilitating networking, and offering mentorship opportunities to underrepresented groups in science, ultimately advancing scientific discourse and collaboration.

The Gupta Family Foundation Grant aims to empower disadvantaged individuals by providing financial support to organizations that foster self-reliance. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, the foundation offers grants ranging from $5,000 to over $250,000, prioritizing smaller organizations with a strong commitment to their missions. Eligibility typically includes US-based IRS 501(c)(3) entities, with operations extending to countries like India and Kenya. The foundation emphasizes mission alignment and effective resource allocation to ensure maximum impact.

The Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust, established in 1988, focuses on enhancing community connections through arts, culture, and environmental initiatives in Maine. The Trust supports projects that foster creative expression, promote historic preservation, and encourage environmental stewardship. Grant applicants can seek up to $20,000 for operating support or specific projects that align with these priorities. The Foundation emphasizes equitable access and community representation in its funding decisions.