[American Chemical Society](https://www.acs.org)

May 1, 2026: Full proposal submission deadline

$80,000 for a 12-month project; no overhead/indirect costs allowed

Funds research on sustainable functional materials using natural polymers, emphasizing green chemistry and engineering solutions.

All resulting intellectual property must be dedicated to the public, royalty-free.

--- ## Description This grant supports research that advances the sustainable development of functional materials using natural polymers through green chemistry and engineering. Initiated by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute Natural Polymers Consortium in partnership with industry, the program seeks to address key challenges in sourcing, processing, and improving the performance of natural polymers. The aim is to foster academic-industry collaborations that accelerate real-world, sustainable materials innovation. All research outcomes are expected to be publicly disseminated, with any resulting intellectual property dedicated to the public, royalty-free. --- ## Due Dates - May 1, 2026: Full proposal submission deadline (proposals due by 11:59 p.m. EDT) --- ## Funding Amount - One award of $80,000 for a 12-month research project - No institutional overhead (indirect) costs allowed - Supports salary and benefits for trainees (students, postdocs), laboratory supplies, and instrument use charges - Does **not** support PI/co-PI salary supplements, travel, equipment purchase/repair, administrative support, or contractors --- ## Eligibility - Open to Principal Investigators (PIs) affiliated with any U.S. or international university or comparable research institution - Researchers employed by startups or small businesses are also eligible - Proposals must be institutionally approved; if no grants office exists, a letter of institutional agreement is required - Applicants may hold only one ACS GCI NPC research grant at a time --- ## Application Process - Submit a single PDF proposal via the [ACS Green Chemistry Institute Application Portal](https://gci.acs.org/) - Required components: - Institutional information and grant officer contact (or signed acknowledgement letter) - PI details (contact info, research group website) - Proposal (3 pages): research plan, methodology, preliminary PMI-LCA, industry impact, funding leverage, trainee capabilities, facilities, milestones, IP limitations, references - Budget and timeline (1 page): allocation of $80,000, no overhead - CVs (2 pages per team member) - Proposals must be received by the deadline; late submissions will not be considered - Notification of award by September 15, 2026; funding disbursed in FY2026; research expected to start by January 1, 2027 --- ## Additional Information - Progress reports are required quarterly, with monthly teleconferences - Final comprehensive report due one month after project completion - Publications resulting from the grant must acknowledge ACS GCI NPC support and be targeted for peer-reviewed journals - All patents or IP resulting from the research must be dedicated to the public, royalty-free - Seed grant: PIs are encouraged to use this as a foundation for further funding --- ## External Links - [ACS GCI Natural Polymers Consortium Research Grant Program Page](https://www.acs.org/funding/grants/natural-polymers-consortium-research-grant.html) - [Application Portal](https://gci.acs.org/) - [Natural Polymers Consortium Overview](https://www.acs.org/green-chemistry-sustainability/industry-roundtables/natural-polymers.html) - [ACS Funding Opportunities](https://www.acs.org/funding.html) --- ## Contact Information | Contact | Email | Phone | |-----------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------| | ACS Green Chemistry Institute | [gciroundtables@acs.org](mailto:gciroundtables@acs.org) | +1 202-872-6102
+1 800-227-5558 | | General ACS Inquiries | [help@services.acs.org](mailto:help@services.acs.org) | +1 800-227-5558 | | Application Portal Support | [gci@acs.org](mailto:gci@acs.org) | |

ACS GCI Natural Polymers Consortium Research Grant

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