[Sloan Foundation](https://sloan.org)

Rolling (Letters of Inquiry accepted year-round)

Grants typically up to $750,000 over two years; larger grants possible; major grants (>$250K) approved quarterly.

Supports tools, institutions, and practices that advance open source development and adoption in scientific research.

--- ## Description The Sloan Foundation's Open Source in Science program aims to adapt and extend open source best practices into academic technology development, focusing on the unique workflows and incentives of scientific research. The program does not fund individual open source projects; instead, it supports initiatives that build institutional capacity, improve publication and archiving practices for scientific software, and develop roles and career paths for those building and maintaining research software and hardware. Special emphasis is placed on supporting tools, economic models, and incentives that enable the production, maintenance, and adoption of open source research outputs, especially as technologies like AI evolve. Areas of focus include: - Building institutional support within academia for open source work (e.g., launching Open Source Program Offices) - Improving scholarly communication, citation, and archiving of scientific software - Developing and recognizing roles such as research software engineers, data scientists, and software curators - Exploring optimal models for human-AI collaboration in scientific software practices --- ## Due Dates - Letters of Inquiry: Rolling (accepted year-round; no fixed deadline) - For major grants (>$250K): Proposals are reviewed quarterly after invitation --- ## Funding Amount - Grants are typically up to $750,000 over two years for institutional support initiatives (e.g., launching OSPOs) - Funding may vary depending on project scope; larger grants are possible - Major grants (over $250,000) are reviewed and approved quarterly --- ## Eligibility - Non-profit U.S. research institutions, two- and four-year colleges, institutional systems, consortia, and university-affiliated research centers/labs are eligible - The Foundation does not generally fund individuals (except through its Books program), for-profit institutions, medical research, research in the humanities, or pre-college projects (with limited exceptions) - Only one letter of inquiry per institution is requested for institutional initiatives - Submissions from diverse teams and those led by women, Black, Indigenous, and Latina/o/x individuals are strongly encouraged --- ## Application Process 1. **Read the Program Guidelines:** Review the [program page](https://sloan.org/programs/digital-technology/open-source-in-science) to ensure alignment with program goals. 2. **Letter of Inquiry:** Submit a two-page (or up to five pages for OSPO calls) letter of inquiry by email to [technology@sloan.org](mailto:technology@sloan.org) outlining the project, team, budget estimate, and project duration. - For institutional support (e.g., OSPOs), include vision, management structure, high-level budget, and potential collaborators. 3. **Invitation to Propose:** Promising letters of inquiry will be invited to submit a full proposal. 4. **Full Proposal:** Prepare a detailed proposal according to [Sloan Foundation guidelines](https://sloan.org/grants/apply#tab-letters-of-inquiry). 5. **Review:** Proposals undergo rigorous review, including potential external expert review. 6. **Approval:** Major grants are approved quarterly; responses to letters of inquiry may take up to 8 weeks. --- ## Additional Information - The Foundation encourages projects with high societal impact and methodological rigor, especially those not widely funded elsewhere. - Funding is not available for endowments, fundraising, construction, religious, or political activities. - For OSPO-related grants, only one letter of inquiry per institution is allowed. - Projects should include clear outputs, outcomes, and a management plan. --- ## External Links - [Open Source in Science Program Page](https://sloan.org/programs/digital-technology/open-source-in-science) - [Application Guidelines and Process](https://sloan.org/grants/apply#tab-letters-of-inquiry) - [Sloan Foundation Grantmaking Programs](https://sloan.org/grants/open-calls) - [Sloan Foundation Budget Template](https://sloan.org/storage/app/media/files/application_documents/sloan-budget-template.xlsx) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |------------------------------|------------------------------------------| | General Inquiries | [frontdesk@sloan.org](mailto:frontdesk@sloan.org) | | Program Inquiries / LOIs | [technology@sloan.org](mailto:technology@sloan.org) | | Phone | +1 212-649-1649 | | Online Contact Form | [Contact Page](https://sloan.org/about/contact) |

Open Source in Science

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