Funding Databases and Directories
We suggest the following databases to help you search for funding opportunities. Top recommended resources are highlighted. Browse all resources or use the filters to view only the resources that are most likely to be relevant to you.
InfoEd Global SPIN Plus
InfoEd Global SPIN Plus contains over 40,000 funding opportunities from more than 10,000 sponsors worldwide. Users can access SPIN anonymously from any campus computer or a computer connected to the campus network. UNC-affiliated users can also create profiles using a valid UNC email address.
AboutUsers can set search preferences, save searches, and set funding alerts by creating profiles.
National Institutes of Health
Funding resources from the National Institutes of Health.
View DirectoryFunding Opportunities
- Parent Announcements (For Unsolicited or Investigator-Initiated Applications)
- NIH Common Fund
- Bioinformatics Funding Opportunities
- Bioengineering Funding Opportunities
Policies and Procedures
- Guide for Grants and Contracts
- Grants.gov Application and Electronic Submission Information
- Forms and Applications
- Grants Policy and Guidance
- International Compilation of Human Subject Research Protections
Career Development
- K Kiosk (Information about NIH Career Development Awards)
- Resources for New Investigators
- Women in Biomedical Careers
Proposal Development
- Planning Your Application
- Video on Peer Review at NIH
- Peer Review Process
- Center for Scientific Review Resources for Applicants
- Center for Scientific Review Roster of Reviewers
Awards Made Information
- Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT)
- NIH RePORTER
- Success Rates
- Estimates of Funding for Various Research, Condition and Disease Categories
NIH Training Grants and Fellowships
- NIH Centers and Institutes offering Training and/or Funding
- Career Development Awards (K Series)
- Research Training Opportunities – Extramural Training Mechanisms
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Research Training Grants and Fellowships
International Training Grants and Funding
- Human Frontier Science Program: Research Grants and Fellowships
- John E. Fogarty International Center: Training Grants, Research Grants and Fellowships
Research Training and Career Development Programs for Undergraduates
Research Training and Career Development Programs for Graduate and Medical Students
Research Training and Career Development Programs for Postdoctorate and Faculty
Research and Training for Minorities
National Science Foundation
Funding resources from the National Science Foundation.
View Directory- NSF Home
- Organizational & Staff Directory
- National Science Foundation Updates (customized e-mail bulletins)
Funding Opportunities
Policies and Procedures
- Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide
- Graduate Research Fellowship Program Administrative Guide for Fellows and Coordinating Officials
- Grants.gov Application Guide
Application Process
- Fastlane Homepage
- Fastlane Login
- Proposal Preparation
- Prospective New Awardee Guide
- Merit Review Process
Awards and Budget Information
- Awards Made
- Budget Internet Information System (funding and award statistics)
Reports and Publications
Postdoctoral Fellow and Graduate Student Resources
Department of Health and Human Services
Funding resources from the Department of Health and Human Services and its subsidiaries.
View Directory- General DHHS Funding Resources
- Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
- Administration for Community Living (ACL)
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Grants for Individuals, Compiled by Michigan State University Libraries
This site (previously categorized on the Funding Information Portal as “Funding Guides”) lists grants and scholarships by category. The bottom of each category page includes a list of additional databases and links to resources that provide guidance on searching for and applying for grants. While some opportunities are targeted towards Michigan residents, the site may help you identify opportunities in your area of interest.
List of Subject Areas:By Academic Level
- Precollege Funding
- Undergraduate Funding
- Graduate Funding
- Postdoctorate Funding
- Early Career Funding
By Population Group
By Subject
- Agriculture/Forestry/Horticulture
- Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine
- Anthropology
- Area Studies
- Arts
- Athletics
- Business
- Chemistry
- Communications
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- Engineering
- Environmental Studies
- Film
- Food Science, Hospitality
- History
- Humanities
- Internships
- Journalism
- Landscape Architecture & Turfgrass Management
- Law
- Library & Information Science
- Linguistics
- Mathematics
- Medicine
- Medicine: Emergency Medical Assistance
- Medicine: Loan Repayment Programs
- Music
- Nursing
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism, & Nonprofit Management
- Philosophy
- Photography
- Physical Therapy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religion
- Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Social Services
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Travel & Study Abroad
- Women’s Studies
- Writing
- Youth Community Service
Additional Choices
Commercial Scholarship Databases
Many free databases exist for scholarship searches. Although less inclusive than COS Pivot, they may offer some additional opportunities. Most incorporate some combination of keyword searches and profile matches based on information Users provide.
Commercial Scholarship Databases ListNationally Coveted College Scholarships, Graduate Fellowships & Postdoctoral Awards
- Search for scholarships, fellowships or summer jobs/internships by discipline or population group.
- No registration required.
Education Planner, by American Education Services (AES)
- Use your profile to find information on financial aid, grants and scholarships, work-study programs, and educational loans.
- Registration required.
SallieMae: Scholarships for College
- Use your profile to find scholarships, loans, and information on financing your education.
- Registration required.
- Search for scholarships and financial aid via keyword or your profile.
- Registration required.
Scholarships.com: Find money for college
- Find information on scholarships, as well as individual college and university tuition and financial aid information via keyword searches or your profile.
- Registration required.
- Search for graduate scholarships through keywords and other pre-set categories, including subject area.
- No registration required.
- Search for scholarships through year of study and GPA, which can be modified through keyword searches. Also includes information on tuition and student loans.
- No registration required
Chronicle of Higher Education: Gazette
- Click on the most recent “Deadline” link for a list of upcoming fellowships and scholarships. Do an in-text search (Ctrl + F) of keywords within the list to find relevant awards.
- No registration required
USASpending.gov
USASpending.gov, established in accordance with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, contains all federal government contract, grant, and other award data. Documentation for using the site can be found on the FAQ page.
Foundation Center Resources
The Foundation Center indexes nearly 100,000 U.S. private foundations and corporate grantmakers and over 2 million recent grants. Resources include a database of funding sources and aggregated statistics. This resource’s primary strength is the large amount of tax information it provides about the donors in its index. It is generally more useful for individuals seeking funding for nonprofits or large research grants rather than individual scholarships.
List of ResourcesGo to Foundation Directory Online
- Search for grantmakers by name, location, or employee identification number to find 990 forms and other information.
- Because of licensing restrictions, the Funding Information Portal can only provide access to the free version of the Foundation Center’s database. Students and staff who want to access the full database, which unlocks all content and search fields, should make an appointment at the Office of Research Development.
- This feature allows users to view aggregated data on grant recipients and funding organizations in the United States and abroad since 2012.
- Use the controls on the left side of the screen to filter grants by subject area, population, and region.
Funding Databases for International Study and Research
The following commercial databases list grants and scholarships that could be useful for international students studying at UNC, students planning to study abroad, or researchers planning to work outside of the United States. Registration is not required. Expand below to view the whole list:
List of International DatabasesInternational Education Financial Aid
- Search for funding opportunities for international students studying in the US and for US citizens studying abroad by award type, location, and field of study.
Institute of International Education: Funding for U.S. Study
- Search for funding opportunities for international students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty to study and research in the US by region, area of study, location in the US, and name of program.
Institute of International Education: Study Abroad Funding
- Search for funding opportunities for students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty to study and research abroad by country, subject, or personal affiliation.
Graduate and Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) Database
Database of graduate and postdoctoral funding opportunities compiled by the University of California at Los Angeles. Contains fellowships, internships, research grants, prizes/awards, and travel funding. Users can search by discipline, funding type, and academic level.