Funding Opportunities

External funding can be found in numerous ways, through databases, on a sponsor’s website, or even by invitation. To get started, here are a few commonly used resources:

• Duke’s Research Funding Database: Duke’s Office of Research Support provides this extensive, on-line database of funding opportunities as a resource for the entire Duke University research community. The database is searchable by discipline, eligibility, sponsor, and more.
   
• Grants.gov: Grants.gov allows organizations to electronically find and apply for more than $400 billion in Federal grants from 26 federal grant-making agencies (including NIH, DoD, DARPA, etc.).
   
• Pivot: Formerly known as Community of Science, Pivot is one of the most comprehensive searchable funding opportunities databases available, with approximately 40,000 opportunities that are private, federal and international in nature. Pivot allows researchers to search funding opportunities, save results, set automated funding alerts, and identify potential collaborators. PIVOT maintains a database of grants, fellowships, and other funding information from public and private, domestic and international sources. This valuable tool can also help make connections within Duke University with its database of Duke faculty and postdocs.
   
• Foundation Directory Online: Foundation Directory Online is the most comprehensive search tool available for locating the funding interests of foundations on local, regional, national, and international levels, as well as past foundation grants and grantees. The Foundation Center publishes the free electronic newsletter, Foundation Center's RFP Bulletin. Access for this database is through Duke Libraries. (Duke NetID required)   

Find program announcements, deadlines, and guidance on the application and review process for some of DOM’s most common sponsors:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH Office of Extramural Research is the largest funder of biomedical research in the world. Their grants and funding page includes extensive information about NIH grants, as well as a place to search NIH funding programs. NIH also has an advanced search page, which offers a wide range of search options.
   
• Department of Defense (DOD): The DOD is home to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP), which supports biomedical research in agency-designated strategic areas. The CDMRP page lists current areas of interest and available funding opportunities.
   
• National Science Foundation (NSF): NSF is an independent federal agency that funds approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted at America's colleges and universities.
   
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): HRSA makes awards to organizations to improve and grow health care services for underserved people.
   
• Agency for Health-Care Research and Quality (AHRQ): AHRQ has funding announcements for supporting research to improve the quality, effectiveness, accessibility, and cost effectiveness of health care.
   
• Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI):  PCORI is an independent, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that supports research that provides evidence-based information to address questions and concerns that help patients and their health care providers make more informed decisions.
   
• Susan G. Komen: This website lists funding opportunities specific to achieving the mission of ending breast cancer.