Stanford's VPDoR $5,000 Propel Grant funds strategic activities to strengthen large, interdisciplinary research proposals in their final preparation stages for external funding.
Funder: Stanford University
Due Dates: Rolling (applications reviewed every two weeks)
Funding Amounts: Up to $5,000 per award for a project period of up to 6 months; total Propel Grant support per project (across Small and Large awards) capped at $50,000.
Summary: Funds strategic, value-added activities to strengthen large, collaborative external funding proposals led by Stanford interdisciplinary teams.
Key Information: For Stanford faculty; School of Medicine applicants must include a co-PI from another Stanford school.
The VPDoR $5,000 Propel Grant FY26, managed by Stanford's Research Development Office, provides targeted funding to support the final stages of preparing large-scale, complex, and collaborative proposals for external funding. The grant is designed to enhance the competitiveness of these proposals through strategic activities that go beyond standard preparation, such as expert reviews, professional grant writing, graphic design, stakeholder workshops, and advanced data analysis. The program prioritizes interdisciplinary teams that address significant societal or research challenges and are ready to submit an external proposal within 12 months.