Grants and Funding
Furthering Scholarly Research and Creativity
We’re committed to advancing the scholarly and creative pursuits of our faculty and students. Those embarking on new projects can turn to F&M’s Office of Sponsored Research for support navigating and facilitating sponsored funding opportunities from internal sources as well as federal, state, and non-profit organizations.
F&M’s Office of Sponsored Research provides comprehensive funding support for faculty research. We offer guidance at all stages of the lifecycle of a grant, including proposal development, budget development, targeted editing and feedback, submission requirements and procedures, supporting award setup and closeout, and assistance with post-award compliance and management.
There are three primary areas of funding for research activities at F&M: internal sources, external federal or state sponsors, and external corporate and foundation sponsors. The Office of Sponsored Research will help you determine which of these sources are the best fit for your project.
Internal Funding
Internal funding is designed to assist with seeding a project in its early stages. This funding is available to faculty and students through F&M’s Committee on Grants and is administered through the Provost’s Office. The Committee on Grants also administers our hallmark Summer Research Scholars program.
Summer Research Scholars
A centerpiece of faculty and student joint research at F&M is the Summer Research Scholars program, funded in part by an endowment created by an alumnus, William Hackman of the Class of 1939, and his wife, Lucille. The program involves 80 to 100 students working side-by-side each summer with more than 50 faculty members across campus in innovative projects that span the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences and the arts.
The 5- to 10-week period of intense research allows for focused attention on a problem and sometimes results in co-authorship of a publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Some students have had as many as six co-authored publications from their F&M research, and their faculty sponsors gain the substantial benefits of a bright young collaborator and the beneficial personal experience of close mentorship. Faculty members must apply for funding on behalf of the students with whom they wish to conduct research.
External Funding
External funding can come from federal or state sponsors, or corporate and non-profit organizations. F&M faculty are active, productive researchers with a strong history of success competing for external grant support. They most often receive prestigious awards from federal and state agencies that support innovative research programs offering opportunities for student collaboration.
Recent sponsors of F&M faculty include:
- American Chemical Society
- NASA
- National Endowment for the Humanities
- National Institutes of Health
- National Science Foundation
- Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
- Pennsylvania Department of Health
In Fall 2023, a total of $1,145,060 in grant opportunities was awarded to faculty
across various departments, with many award announcements still pending. Faculty and
staff have been recognized both nationally and globally for their contributions to
a range of academic fields.Faculty Awarded $1 Million in Recent Grants