Stanford Doerr Discovery Grants
ForecastedInternal — Stanford University only
Stanford Doerr Discovery Grants support the school’s research community in pursuing high-risk, fundamental inquiry to deepen understanding of Earth, biological and societal life, and engineered systems.
Funder: Stanford University
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2027 (Proposal deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $150,000 per project for two years
Summary: Supports novel, high-risk fundamental research advancing understanding of Earth, biological and societal life, and engineered systems.
Key Information: Leads must be SDSS-appointed faculty or PI-eligible SDSS scientific staff; emeritus faculty and faculty with active Discovery Grants are ineligible.
Description
The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability (SDSS) administers Discovery Grants to support fundamental, inquiry-based research across all topical areas within its community. The program welcomes novel and creative work that deepens understanding of Earth, life in its biological and societal dimensions, and engineered systems. Its emphasis is on blue sky research, including cutting-edge endeavors considered too risky for conventional funding sources.
Discovery Grants prioritize discovery and deeper understanding rather than solutions-oriented research. Funding priority goes to proposals that do not easily fit within the school’s solutions-focused programs, including Woods Environmental Venture Projects (EVP), Precourt Pioneers, the Solution Areas Program, and the Sustainability Accelerator.
