Funding Strategy for Early Career Faculty: Foundations and Corporations

Haotian Wang, pictured, received a Packard Fellowship and an NSF Career Award for research into converting CO2 into pure liquid fuels. Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University
Haotian Wang, pictured, received a Packard Fellowship and an NSF Career 
Award for research into converting CO2 into pure liquid fuels. 
Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University

private foundation limited submission opportunities

 

Many funders have established dedicated programs that recognize the importance of supporting those in the early stage of their research careers. This page from the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (OCFR) provides strategy tips, advice from your peers, and a robust list of early career funding opportunities from private foundations and corporations.

 

Strategy Tips

Develop your impact message

Foundations want to fund projects that will make an impact on the communities they care about. As you develop your strategy, hone your own message that makes this impact clear and exciting. These early-career opportunities are intended to support future leaders; your message should ensure sponsors that you will be among them. Successful faculty, including many at Rice, leverage these early opportunities to lay the foundation for their career trajectory.

Answer questions like:

  • How will your project address existing needs or gaps?
  • What will be different once your project is complete?
  • What are you doing that is unique in relation to your peers?
  • What are your long-term career aspirations, and how does this opportunity fit into your plans? 

 

Check eligibility

With each early career award opportunity, be sure to carefully evaluate its eligibility requirements, as the definition of early career can vary from one sponsor organization to the next. Take note of the date range the sponsor expects in terms of professional start date, tenure status, and positions held. Also note the specific areas of support, experience, and discipline. Often, there are exceptions to these rigid requirements in case of maternity leave, etc.

There are also a number of early career opportunities that limit the number of proposals from one institution. In those cases, OCFR will manage these calls through the Limited Submission process. In these cases, you are required first to apply internally. Check rice.infoready4.com for the latest posted opportunities.

Learn from a peer

Rice bioengineer Kevin McHugh sat down with OCFR to discuss his approach to fundraising strategy, including how to pursue grants as an early career researcher.

Click here to watch the interview with Dr. McHugh

Delve into early career resources

We have compiled a broad array of early career opportunities for you to review as you develop your message and strategy.

Click here to visit our early career opportunities page

Connect

Members of the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations and the Office of Research Development (federal and state government opportunities) are more than happy to work with you to work on your early career strategy.

Email ocfr@rice.edu to start the conversation, and a team member will respond to set up a conversation.

Additionally, for those who appreciate a streamlined approach, we also offer a dedicated request form to make your inquiry a breeze.