The RDO provides diverse avenues for researchers to access internal and external funding. This encompasses internal seed grants fueling novel research, streamlined management of limited submissions to funding agencies, and tools such as Pivot to pinpoint potential funding sources.
Internal Funding Opportunities
Research Administrators can add their unit's Internal Funding Opportunities into Pivot, allowing users to find both internal funding and external funding opportunities, all in the same tool. View the open internal opportunities below. Please email vpr-rdo@uiowa.edu to inquire about posting internal funding.
Pivot Curated Searches
The list below includes links to sponsor-specific funding opportunities within the Pivot-RP database. These lists update automatically as new opportunities are added or archived. Note: By default, only this week's results are shown. To see more opportunities, click “All” under the gray box near the top of the screen.
Curated Searches by Federal Agency:
- Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
- Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Department of Defense (DOD)
- Department of Energy (DOE)
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
- National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
Saving Searches
Complete the steps below to save your searches and receive a weekly email of funding opportunities.
- Click the link(s) above.
Note: By default, only this week's results are shown. To see more opportunities, click “All” under the gray box. - Click "sign in to save your query" (light grey box near the top)
- In the pop up Click "Access via my Institution Login"
- Find and select "University of Iowa."
- Log in using your HawkID and password.
- Near the top of the page (light grey box), click "Save Search."
- Name your search (e.g., "NIH").
- Ensure the box is checked to receive weekly email updates.
- Click "Save."
Learn More About Pivot
Join us for an upcoming Pivot session to learn how Pivot can save you time and effort in identifying the right funding opportunities for your research lines as well as identifying collaborators with the relevant expertise.
Upcoming Limited Submission Opportunities
Funding Focus is a weekly email alerting faculty and staff researchers and scholars about limited submission funding opportunities available to the University of Iowa. See the most recent issue of this email, view past issues, or access all current limited submissions via InfoReady below.
Note: for past issues of Funding Focus, limited submission opportunities may have reached their internal submission deadline.
Featured Limited Submission Opportunities
NEA Grants for Arts Projects (July Cycle)
Description: Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) provides funding for public engagement with the arts and arts education, for the integration of the arts with strategies promoting the health and well-being of people and communities, and for the improvement of overall capacity and capabilities within the arts sector. Applications are welcomed from first-time and returning applicants; from organizations serving rural, urban, suburban, and tribal communities of all sizes; and from organizations with small, medium, or large operating budgets.
Limitation: one application per institution
Internal Submission Deadline: Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Sponsor Application Deadline: Thursday, July 9, 2026
NSF: Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program: Instrument Acquisition or Development
Description: The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program serves to increase access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and research training in our Nation's institutions of higher education and not-for-profit scientific/engineering research organizations. An MRI award supports the acquisition of a multi-user research instrument that is commercially available through direct purchase from a vendor, or for the personnel costs and equipment that are required for the development of an instrument with new capabilities, thereby advancing instrumentation capabilities and enhancing expertise for instrument design and fabrication at academic institutions.
Limitation: four applications per institution. See InfoReady for details
Internal Submission Deadline: Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Sponsor Application Deadline: Monday, November 16, 2026
G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation: Mathers Grant Program (Fall Cycle)
Description: Through this solicitation, NSF seeks to foster a network of S-STEM stakeholders and further develop the infrastructure needed to generate and disseminate new knowledge, successful practices and effective design principles arising from NSF S-STEM projects nationwide. The ultimate vision of the legislation governing the S-STEM parent program (and of the current S-STEM-Net solicitation) is that all Americans, regardless of economic status, should be able to contribute to the American innovation economy if they so desire.
Limitation: three applications per institution
Internal Submission Deadline: Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Sponsor LOI Deadline: Friday, July 31, 2026
Sponsor Application Deadline: Friday, September 18, 2026