Find a Grant Opportunity

Grants Development

Grants Development

Below you will find resources for both internal and external funding opportunities, if you can’t find a funding source to meet your goals, reach out to the Grants Office and we will work with you to identify some potential funders, and to develop a funding strategy. 

General Tips

  1. Begin your search for prospective grants early (6 months > lead is recommended).
  2. Reach out and work with Grants Development as soon as possible.
  3. Make sure your purpose and goals match closely with the priorities of the Sponsor.
  4. Confirm your eligibility to apply for the program.

Internal Funding Opportunities

Faculty Research Enhancement Funds (FREF)

FREF funds help UMN Morris faculty members support their research-related activities. The funds are an effort to offset some of the challenges of isolation that can be associated with our rural location. They are specifically meant to support faculty scholarly activity.

FREF Funds are Awarded in Four Categories

  1. Large Scale Research and Creative Projects; up to $5,000
  2. Project-Based Faculty Research Support; up to $1,000 or up to $2,000 for publishing subventions
  3. Travel Differential Support; up to $400
  4. International Travel Support. Up to $1,200

Grant-in-Aid

The Grant-in-Aid of Research, Artistry, and Scholarship program (GIA) supports the University's strategic plan MPact 2025 and academic excellence through the promotion of research, scholarly and artistic activities of faculty throughout the University. The awards, in most cases, are not meant to provide sole support for research activities. Requests that fall over the average amount requested may be declined so that more small projects can be funded. 

Grant-in-Aid Funds are Awarded in Seven Categories

  1. Bridge funding - (ongoing research efforts with a lapse in external funding)
  2. Fields with limited external funding
  3. Multicultural research
  4. New Assistant Professors 
  5. New Research Direction 
  6. Shared Equipment
  7. Special Requests for Established Investigator’s Pilot Projects

Imagine Fund Grant Programs

The Imagine Fund is an initiative of the Executive Vice President and Provost, established in 2007 through a generous gift from the McKnight Foundation to provide competitive financial support for research and scholarship in the arts, humanities, and design at the University of Minnesota. The creation of the Imagine Fund was driven by a strategic commitment to increase the impact and visibility of faculty work centered in arts, humanities, and design.

The Imagine Fund includes three award programs.

  • Faculty Annual Research Grants
  • Special Events Grants
  • the Imagine Fund Arts, Humanities, and Design Chair Award.

Explore Additional Internal Funding Opportunities

Search for Grant Funding

Pivot

Pivot (formally COS Funding) is an external search database resource which contains thousands of funding opportunities. It is the most complete funding database available and boasts an updated search page to make searches even easier.

Explore Pivot

It is recommended that University of Minnesota Morris faculty and staff create a login account to access advanced features of the Pivot database.

Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPIN)

World's Largest Database of Sponsored Funding Opportunities

Explore Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPIN)

Foundation Directory Online

Find grantmakers, companies, grants or IRS 990 tax returns for U.S. organizations. Profiles of grantmakers mission, analysis of expenses and revenue and other information. The Foundation Directory includes the publication Philanthropy News, current RFPs for grants, and literature on nonprofits from various research institutes.

Explore Foundation Directory Online

Grants.gov

Grants.gov is a powerful federal government funding opportunities search engine. Grants.gov requires registration and login through a linked Login.gov account. 

Explore grants.gov for more federal listings

Selected Federal Agencies