ACS Petroleum Research Fund
ACS Petroleum Research Fund supports faculty and students through new directions in fundamental petroleum-related research, generating preliminary results and developing future scientists and engineers.
Funder: American Chemical Society
Due Dates: October 9, 2026 (ND, DNI, UR, UNI) | March 12, 2027 (Spring deadline) | October 8, 2027 (Fall deadline)
Funding Amounts: $55,000–$125,000 over two or three years, depending on program
Summary: Seed funding for new directions in fundamental petroleum-related research and advanced scientific education at nonprofit institutions.
Key Information: Proposed research must be a new direction, not applied research or an extension of existing work.
Description
The American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF) supports fundamental research directly related to petroleum and fossil fuels while developing the next generation of scientists and engineers. Grants provide seed money for new research directions, including proof-of-concept studies that generate preliminary results for seeking continuation funding elsewhere. Supported disciplines include chemistry, earth sciences, chemical and petroleum engineering, polymers, and materials science.
The petroleum field includes petroleum, natural gas, coal, shale, tar sands, and similar materials. Eligible topics include the properties and reactivity of petroleum-derived materials, catalytic studies of petroleum-derived substrates, and methane and carbon dioxide upgrading or utilization. Commercial development or optimization of petroleum products and processes, applied research, and methods development are outside the fund’s scope.
