Find Funding
Introduction
The Office of Research Development is dedicated to helping University of Illinois Chicago researchers find and secure research funding by providing customized support for locating internal and external funding opportunities, awards and prizes.
We proactively connect researchers with funding opportunities that align with their research interests. Here's how that's typically done:
- Funding Newsletters – we compile and distribute weekly newsletters featuring a curated list of funding opportunities.
- Targeted Emails – we disseminate opportunities that match the expertise of our researchers.
- Custom Funding Searches – we use various databases to perform targeted funding searches. Researchers can request personalized searches based on keywords, research areas, career stage or collaborative interests.
- Grants Calendars – we share calendars of upcoming deadlines, curated by Hanover Research.
Platforms, Tools & Services
newsletters
- RD News contains highlighted funding opportunities at campus, system and local and national and international levels, along with awards and prizes, Research Newswire, sponsor engagement opportunities and research events.
- Limited Competitions publicizes opportunities limited by the number of applicants. For Limited Competitions you must submit an internal letter of intent or concept paper to be authorized to submit a full proposal.
pivot
Pivot-RP is a search tool that provides access to a comprehensive global database of funding opportunities, facilitates collaborator discovery and offers insights to help research organizations secure more funding. Investigators can search for funding across all research areas, including federal, private sector, domestic and international awards, suitable for all career stages. Administrators can create searches for groups of investigators.
To find additional funding opportunities in Pivot, use your UIC login or create an account if you don’t have one. Pivot is available to anyone with a UIC netid.
The Office of Research Development curates lists of funding opportunities for UIC investigators. Use the links below to view the Pivot lists that interest you.
- Funding Opportunity List – All
- Funding Opportunity List – Architecture, Art, Business, Design, Humanities, Law and Social Sciences
- Funding Opportunity List – Health Sciences
- Funding Opportunity List – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
- Funding Opportunity List – Multidisciplinary
The linked lists show all currently open funding opportunities. If you’d like list updates to be automatically sent to your inbox, follow the instructions below to subscribe to weekly digests.
- Log in to Pivot-RP. (Choose the “Use login from my institution” option and use your UIC netid login.)
- Select the “Groups” link in the “My Profile & Groups” section.
- Select the “join group” option for any/all opportunity categories (all 5 listed above) that interest you.
grants.gov
Grants.gov is the single point of access for searching competitive funding opportunities offered by federal grant-making agencies. There is an extensive search feature and the ability to download the package that contains the instructions and forms needed to apply for that grant.
grantforward
Formerly known as IRIS, this database contains over 8,000 federal and 6,000 foundation opportunities. Click through the links below for tutorials on how to set up an account and begin your search.
calendar
- Early Career Research April 2025
- Education & Human Development Oct 2024
- Arts and Humanities Feb 2025
- Non-Federal Research Feb 2025
- Centers Mar 2025
- Sponsored Programs Jan 2025
listserves
Many funding agencies communicate news and opportunities in their programs via email, rss and X (formerly Twitter). Investigators can subscribe for alerts for upcoming announcements and deadlines. For example, subscribe to NIH “Table of Contents” and the National Science Foundation Update, or visit Grants.gov to search for your favorite programs and subscribe at their websites.
Explore Funding Opportunities
funding
UIC offers seed funding, pilot grants, fellowships and other internal opportunities through colleges, centers and institutes. These are ideal for launching new research or building toward larger external grants.
Some of these are listed below:
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) – Clinical and Translational Science (CATS) Affiliate Scholars Program
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) – Pilot Grants
- Center for Health Equity in Cognitive Aging (CHECA) Scientist Program
- Chancellor’s Translational Research Initiative
- Community Health Advocacy (CHA)
- Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) Research and Development Science Team Seed Grants
- Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy (IRRPP) Faculty Fellowships
funding
The Office of Research Development also helps researchers discover and pursue funding from federal agencies, foundations and international organizations. We provide curated lists, personalized search support and strategic connections.
Illinois
- Chicago Biomedical Consortium Hub for Innovative Technology and Entrepreneurship in the Sciences (CBC-HITES) – Windy City Innovation Award
- Chicago Biomedical Consortium Hub for Innovative Technology and Entrepreneurship in the Sciences (CBC-HITES) – CHI-Town Commercialization Award
- Chicago Chronic Condition Equity Network (C3EN): Joyce Chapman Community Grant Program
- Illinois Arts Council (IAC) Creative Catalyst Grant
- Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) – Sustaining Illinois Seed Grants
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program (IISG)
National and international - access through Pivot
Industry Funders
- Halo Science is a Chicago-based marketplace for matching industry research opportunities with university investigators. Browse current opportunities.
- Matter offers funding and support services to help entrepreneurs validate the clinical, technical and business elements of their products.
limited competitions
Some sponsors limit the number of applications UIC can submit. The Office of Research Development coordinates the internal selection process to ensure fair and timely review. Researchers must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) or concept paper to be considered.
For a complete list of limited competition opportunities, please visit our Funding Opportunity Portal. More information about Limited Competitions can be found on our website.
awards and prizes
The Office of Research Development promotes awards and fellowships for researchers at all career stages. We also support nominations and proposal development. See current opportunities.
Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations
The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) is dedicated to building meaningful partnerships that drive innovation, support research and enhance educational opportunities. CFR acts as a bridge between UIC and corporate and foundation communities, fostering collaborations that benefit society.
CFR aims to create lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with corporations and foundations, supporting faculty and staff in identifying partners, developing proposals and managing relationships.
CFR can help researchers:
- Determine whether a project is suitable for foundation or corporate funding.
- Identify potential foundation or corporate funders.
- Develop a strategy for approaching identified foundations and corporate funders.
- Facilitate conversations with foundation and corporate representatives.
- Develop letters of inquiry, proposals and other application materials.
- Provide required institutional information and supporting materials (such as board lists, IRS determination letters and institutional background information).
For more information, please contact Kevin Beck, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Corporate and Foundation Relations at ksbeck@uic.edu. Meet the team.
Lewis-Burke Associates
Lewis-Burke Associates LLC (Lewis-Burke) is a leading government relations firm based in Washington, D.C. specializing in advocating for the public policy interests of institutions of higher education and other research and education organizations. Lewis-Burke works closely with the Office of Research Development to identify opportunities, support faculty and develop strategies to position UIC for future federal opportunities. The types of services provided by Lewis-Burke include:
- Strategy development
- Intelligence on new and emerging federal priorities
- Engagement with federal agency staff and policy makers
- Support for early career faculty
- Advice on research portfolio diversification
- Analyses of federal funding trends to better understand agency priorities, the political landscape, and other potential research players
- In-depth analysis of new funding opportunities
- Analysis and guidance on new regulations and policies.
If you would like assistance from Lewis-Burke in identifying opportunities for federal funding or help in making connections with agency program staff, please contact RDS@uic.edu.
Hanover Research
Hanover Research offers comprehensive research and advisory services, including market research, data analysis, surveys and qualitative research. These services enable clients to make informed decisions, identify opportunities and enhance their effectiveness.
Hanover’s insights assist in strengthening their academic portfolios, maximizing enrollment and retention, managing costs, improving brand perception and engaging alumni. They collaborate with the Office of Research Development to address campus needs for proposal review requests (fee-for-service), conduct webinars on specific topics, share grant calendars to keep abreast of upcoming funding opportunities and provide a weekly funding opportunities digest.
Workshops and Webinars
The Office of Research Development frequently hosts virtual sessions focused on funding strategies, sponsor spotlights and navigating specific opportunities. These sessions are designed to be informative and interactive, helping researchers stay up to date on trends and resources. Recordings and slide decks from past webinars are available on our Multimedia page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
answer
PI eligibility at UIC depends on your appointment type and institutional policies. For more information, please refer to the Principal Investigator Eligibility and Approval Procedures.
answer
A great place to start is the UI Collaboratory, a platform that helps connect researchers across disciplines. You can also contact us at rds@uic.edu to schedule a meeting with Research Development staff to explore customized strategies for finding collaborators.
answer
F&A costs, sometimes referred to as indirect costs, are expenses incurred for common or joint objectives that cannot be easily identified with a specific project. Learn more on the F&A Costs page.
answer
You can find your designated OSP contact by unit on the Proposal Submission Contacts page.
answer
Proposal submission procedures are outlined on the Submit Proposal page. Make sure to consult with your unit’s business manager or research administrator and follow internal guidelines.
answer
While we do not write proposals, we assist with funding opportunity identification, proposal strategy, sponsor engagement planning and connecting investigators with campus resources such as editors or mock review services. Fee-for-service proposal development and review services are available through the Grant Management Office.
answer
Welcome! We recommend starting with a one-on-one consultation with Research Development staff to discuss your research goals. We can help identify relevant funding opportunities and guide you through the support resources available to you.
answer
UIC offers a variety of internal funding opportunities, including seed grants, pilot programs, fellowships and translational research initiatives. Visit the “Internal Funding Opportunities” section on this page for current listings.
answer
Subscribe to the weekly Research Development Newsletters and Pivot-RP funding digests.
answer
Recordings and slides from past workshops are available in our Multimedia library.