Limited and External Funding Opportunities

Contact us

• Email LSO@vanderbilt.edu if you are interested in an opportunity not listed below or have questions regarding the LSO submission process.
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Have you been awarded a Limited Submission recognition?

Please let us know at LSO@vanderbilt.edu

Internal review process required to choose institutional nominees

Limited Submission Eligibility Guidelines

The following tags serve as a guide for submission instructions.

 Vanderbilt (VU + VUMC): 

• VU and VUMC submit collaboratively to this LSO. ALL investigators should follow the guidelines posted on this site.

 VUMC :

• VU and VUMC submit separately to this LSO. VUMC investigators should follow the guidelines posted on this site. VU investigators should apply through InfoReady and address any questions to VU-LSO@vanderbilt.edu.

FEATURED OPPORTUNITY

• High-profile or prestigious awards of particular interest to Vanderbilt investigators
• Click on "View Full Internal Call" at end of each LSO description to access PDF with internal submission instructions 

Contact vumcresearchenterprise@vumc.org or subscribe to the Office of Research Weekly Email Update for information on current funding opportunities.

2026 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists – All Categories

Applications due October 7, 2025

 Vanderbilt (VU + VUMC):  This is a joint competition for VU and VUMC investigators. All investigators should follow these instructions.

Vanderbilt (VU + VUMC, collaboratively) may submit one nomination per category for the 2026 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists. These awards recognize the United State’s most promising faculty-rank researchers in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemical Sciences. One Blavatnik National Awards Laureate in each disciplinary category will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds. Indirect costs are not applied to the award.

The eligibility criteria, guidelines for selection, and application materials are consistent across these 3 award categories. The deadline for all three internal competitions is October 7, 2025.

2026 ORAU Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards

Applications due October 13, 2025

 Vanderbilt (VU + VUMC):  This is a joint competition for VU and VUMC investigators. All investigators should follow these instructions.

Vanderbilt (VU & VUMC combined) can nominate up to 2 assistant professors for the 2026 Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards, sponsored by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). The awards provide seed money for research intended to enrich the research and professional growth of young faculty. The award amount is $5,000 for one year (July 1-June 30), which can be used for faculty summer salary, graduate student salary, travel, equipment, or other assistance relevant to the faculty member’s research. ORAU does not allow overhead charges or indirect costs on the ORAU grant or the university match. Applicants are encouraged to develop research collaborations with government, private-sector, and other academic researchers.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The applicant’s institution is required to match the award with at least an additional $5,000. Applicants must work with the appropriate Dean, Department Chair, or Center Director to obtain a commitment to these matching funds.

2026 St. Baldrick’s Foundation Grants

Applications due Sept. 23, 2025

 Vanderbilt (VU + VUMC):  This is a joint competition for VU and VUMC investigators. All investigators should follow these instructions.

Overview

Vanderbilt (VU & VUMC combined) may submit Scholar (Career Development) Award and Research Grant proposals for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation spring grant cycle. Vanderbilt is limited to one submission per award program with the potential for a limited submissions policy exception, noted below. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a nonprofit organization raising funds for childhood cancer research. All projects must have direct applicability and relevance to pediatric cancer.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: 

• Adolescents & young adults
• Survivorship, outcomes, and quality of life
• Supportive care
• Epidemiology and pediatric cancer predispositions
• Precision medicine
• Alternative & complementary therapies

Internal review process NOT required – Submit directly to Sponsor

The VUMC Corporate & Foundation Relations team provides hands-on proposal development assistance for non-federal awards. Contact cfr@vumc.org for more information.

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellowships

Applications due September 15

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Foundation Relations (foundationrelations@vumc.org) before starting an application

Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation Therapeutics Grants

LOIs due September 15

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Sue Reeves, Executive Director of Foundation Relations (sue.reeves@vumc.org) before starting an application

National Scleroderma Foundation New and Established Investigator Grants

Applications due September 15

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Foundation Relations (foundationrelations@vumc.org) before starting an application.

NIGMS National and Regional Resources (R24- Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Applications due September 25

Pershing Square Philanthropies Maximizing Innovation in Neuroscience Discovery

LOIs due September 29

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Sue Reeves, Executive Director of Foundation Relations (sue.reeves@vumc.org) before starting an application.

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards for Medical Scientists (CAMS)

Applications due October 7

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Sue Reeves, Executive Director of Foundation Relations (sue.reeves@vumc.org) before starting an application.