Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Scholarship
Harvard's Dean’s Competitive Fund supports innovative, high-impact research and infrastructure projects across all disciplines through seed, bridge, and equipment funding for FAS/SEAS faculty.
Funder: Harvard University
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2026 (Full application, Fall cycle) | March 2027 (Full application, Spring cycle)
Funding Amounts: Up to $125,000 per project; typical project duration is one year, with flexibility for longer timelines if needed.
Summary: Supports Harvard FAS/SEAS faculty with seed, bridge, and infrastructure funding for innovative research and essential resources.
Description
The Dean’s Competitive Fund for Promising Scholarship is a targeted internal program at Harvard University designed to catalyze bold, imaginative work across all disciplines. It offers three main funding categories:
- Seed Funding: For launching new, high-potential research directions not yet ready for traditional grant support.
- Bridge Funding: For continuing promising projects that have not secured external funding.
- Enabling Infrastructure: For small grants to purchase or upgrade essential equipment, create databases, organize museum exhibits, or procure resources that benefit the Harvard community.
The program aims to support projects that demonstrate critical need, offer large potential gains, and require support unavailable from traditional sources.
