Funding Opportunities
We can help you find funding!
Here you can explore various funding opportunities we learn about from Stanford organizations, industry, and government that may be of interest to our Stanford Researchers. See below for details on each opportunity. This page is updated periodically, so check back often!
In addition to the research funding opportunities below, check out OTL's High Impact Technology (HIT) Fund, which holds calls for applications annually.
Don't see anything of interest right now?
Check the Stanford Seed Funding website, the Stanford Research Development Office's GrantForward, and VPDoR's Propel Grants for additional funding opportunities sponsored by Stanford-associated entities. Stanford Medicine's Research Management Group also has a list of Searchable Funding Databases.
Need additional help with seeking funding?
Stanford University's Corporate and Foundation Relations office provides additional resources, such as a vetted Requests for Proposals page (similar to this Funding Opps. page curated by OTL) and information about Applying for Funding and Clearance Restricted Foundations (foundations that require Stanford approval before applying to them for funding). The Department of Research (DoR) also has guidance on Proposal Preparation and Submission, and recently hosted an event called Navigating New Funding Routes: Beyond Federal Sources (visit the event page for a recording of the event and additional resources, some of which require SUNet login).
If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to otl-connect@stanford.edu - we'll connect you with the appropriate person in our office (OTL) or at Stanford more broadly. Thank you!
Funding Opportunities:
The SPARK 2027 Pilot Grant Call for Proposals is now open!
SPARK Translational Research Program Pilot Grants - Request for Proposals
Program overview:
The Stanford SPARK program supports the discovery and development of novel therapeutics and diagnostics that address unmet medical needs. SPARK offers funding, education regarding the multi-disciplinary product development process, and project-specific mentorship to enable faculty and trainees to advance promising research discoveries to the clinic and/or commercial sector. Much of the mentorship and education is provided by volunteer advisors from the local biotechnology ecosystem. Education and mentorship are available across the entire spectrum of drug and diagnostic development including the following areas: intellectual property and patent law; assay development; optimization of therapeutic chemical structures; preclinical pharmacology and proof of concept studies; preclinical safety and pharmacokinetics; regulatory science and regulatory agency expectations; clinical study design and conduct; and commercialization/start-up company funding and incorporation. Approximately 55% of projects that complete SPARK advance to commercial partnerships and/or clinical trials.
For more information on SPARK, please visit here.
Deadline:
Friday, September 25th, 6 p.m. via: seedfunding.stanford.edu
Questions?
Contact: Gretchen Ehrenkaufer at gehrenk@stanford.edu
Amount of Funding:
Typical grants range from $25,000 to $50,000 per year and depend on the individual proposal. Awards will be granted for the period from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027.
Eligibility:
- Stanford faculty with UTL, MCL, NTLR and CE faculty* appointments
- Instructors and Clinical Instructors are also eligible with PI waiver
- Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars (clinical and non-clinical) are required to include a PI eligible faculty member as co-PI on the application.
Areas of interest:
Any clinical indication with an unmet need will be considered. SPARK encourages applications related to global health or addressing needs of diverse populations, as well as projects in pediatric indications submitted by members of MCHRI.
Project selection:
Proposals will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of Stanford faculty and industry experts. Based on the compiled rankings, finalists will be invited to present an oral pitch to the review panel in early December, 2026. The number of proposals selected for awards will be dependent on available funding and awardees will be notified before the end of December, 2026. Selected awardees are expected to attend weekly Wednesday evening SPARK meetings and present project updates each quarter. In addition, awardees are required to meet with their project manager on a monthly basis.
The Stanford SPARK program must be cited in all publications and presentations that describe work supported by SPARK. In addition, we require acknowledgement of SPARK funding in relevant disclosures to Stanford OTL.
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following three criteria:
- scope and/or severity of unmet medical need
- novelty of approach
- feasibility of the path to clinic
Program Mission:
The Stanford SPARK Program is a partnership between university and industry advisors to:
- educate faculty, fellows and graduate students on the translational research process
- help advance novel therapeutics and diagnostics to the clinic or commercial sector
promote efficient, cost-effective and innovative approaches to drug discovery and development
Deadline: Friday, September 25th, 6 p.m. Pacific
Questions? Contact: Gretchen Ehrenkaufer at gehrenk@stanford.edu
Merck KGaA | MilliporeSigma | SigmaAldrich Corp. | EMD Serono
Grants of up to 500,000 € per year for up to 3 years have been made available. In 2026, grants are available in the areas further specified below.
- In-vitro models and assays to identify novel therapies for neuroinflammatory diseases - one grant of up to 250,000 EUR per year for up to 2 years.
- Artificial intelligence in cell culture media and process development - one grant of up to 150,000 EUR per year for up to 3 years.
- Innovative approaches to economical remediation of contaminated high volume materials - one grant of up to 150,000 EUR per year for up to 2 years.
- Condensate-based high-sensitivity cell-free screening assays for the modulation of protein-protein interactions - one grant of up to 100,000 EUR per year for up to 3 years.
- Advancing molecule synthesis and discovery - up to 3 grants each comprising a 1-year full Synthia® Retrosynthesis Software license, training, and extensive interaction with our scientists.
Submission deadline for the 2026 Research Grants is 31 August 2026.
The Research Grants program is open to scientists in all career stages who are affiliated with any research-based institution, university or company.
Check back often for opportunities! Or, do you have a funding opportunity for Stanford researchers you'd like to post on this page, distribute amongst Stanford Faculty, and/or post on our social media channels? Reach out to the OTL Business Development and Marketing Team at otl-connect@stanford.edu to tell us about it. Thank you!