MAES Research Grant Program
Forecasted
The MAES Research Grant Program funds innovative, early-stage agricultural research at the University of Maryland to address national priorities and support future external grant applications.
Funder: Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2026 (proposal submission deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to $30,000 per award; project duration up to 18 months.
Summary: Seed grant program supporting foundational research in agriculture and related fields to advance national priorities and position researchers for future external funding.
Description
The MAES Research Grant Program, administered by the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Maryland, provides seed funding for innovative research projects that align with high-priority areas identified by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). The program is designed to help faculty generate preliminary data and develop research directions that will strengthen future applications for competitive external funding.
Research funded through this program is expected to address critical topics such as plant and animal health, food safety, bioenergy, environmental sustainability, water management, climate change adaptation, rural communities, and childhood obesity prevention. Projects should clearly align with NIFA-AFRI priorities and/or the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) Strategic Initiatives.
The program is highly competitive and emphasizes research quality, relevance to federal priorities, and the potential for the project to lead to further external grant success.
