Updated September 6, 2026

Early Career Research Grants for New Faculty

Open research grants for early career faculty, new investigators, and first-time PIs. A live list of federal and foundation funding, updated as deadlines change.

The first major grant is the hardest one to win, and 2026 has made it harder. NIH support for early stage investigators fell meaningfully over the last two funding years, success rates at several institutes have dropped, and many universities have tightened startup packages and bridge funding at the same time. New faculty are competing for fewer federal awards exactly when their careers depend on landing one.

The good news is that a wide range of funders reserve programs specifically for researchers in their first years of independence. Federal mechanisms like the NSF CAREER program and the NIH career development series continue to run on their regular cycles, and many foundations offer early career awards that draw far smaller applicant pools than the big federal competitions. Several private funders have also expanded their payouts in 2026 to help cover federal gaps, which makes this an unusually good moment to look beyond the agencies you already know.

This collection gathers open funding opportunities available to early career researchers: new faculty, first-time PIs, and scientists transitioning to independence. Eligibility windows matter here more than anywhere else, since most early career programs cap the number of years since your terminal degree or first faculty appointment. Check each listing's eligibility details before you plan a submission.