Start-Up Research Grants
The BSF Start-Up Grant funds early-career U.S.-Israel scientific teams for two years to generate preliminary research data and foster future collaborative projects.
Funder: United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): November 2026 (Full application, projected)
Funding Amounts: $90,000 over 24 months per junior PI; no PI salary allowed; supports personnel, supplies, travel, and small equipment.
Summary: Two-year grants for early-career U.S.-Israel collaborative researchers to gather preliminary results and compete for future standard grants.
Key Information: At least one PI must have received their terminal degree within the past 10 years; only one Start-Up Grant allowed per PI.
Description
The Start-Up Grant Program, offered by the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF), is designed to support newly appointed researchers at the beginning of their independent research careers. The program specifically targets early-career investigators who may not yet have initial results to support a standard research grant application. Grants are awarded for two years and are intended to help grantees gather preliminary data, strengthening their candidacy for future standard BSF research competitions. Projects must demonstrate scientific excellence, strong collaboration between Israeli and American scientists, and alignment with BSF’s annually supported research areas. The program is integrated within the regular BSF Research Grants framework and follows the same submission and evaluation process, but Start-Up applications generally enjoy a higher success rate.
