Customize Your Path

Select all of the following that apply to you and your research project to tailor the topics and resources displayed. Your selections will persist every time you access the site on the same device, until you change or reset the selections.
Your role:
Project inclusions:
Project sponsor or funding:
(seeking funding from or have already secured funding from)
Project managed by:

Customize Your Experience.

Utilize the "Customize Your Path" feature to refine the information displayed in myRESEARCHpath based on your role, project inclusions, sponsor or funding, and management center.

Stage
Generate Idea
Topic

Explore, understand, and find funding

Need assistance with research funding?

Utilize this page to explore tools and resources to assist in identifying funding opportunities that align with specific project ideas and eligibility. 

Things to consider when seeking funding opportunities:

The funding opportunity should match the activity, field, and eligibility of the investigator

The investigator should ensure that they and their idea are a match for the sponsor and/or mechanism!

  • Consider if the proposed idea matches the funding opportunity’s intent
  • Ensure that investigator eligibility for both the sponsor and the institution are met. Some opportunities are limited to applicants at certain stages of their career, or to those who match other criteria. Duke also has eligibility criteria for principal investigator status. In certain circumstances, Duke personnel not eligible for PI status as defined by the policy may request PI status for a grant or project.
The amount of funding available from the opportunity and the duration of the funding

Amount and duration of funding should match expected needs – much larger or longer, and it’s likely to be difficult to grow an idea or team to match; much smaller or shorter could necessitate scaling back an idea significantly.

Deadlines and timelines

Is there enough time to prepare a clear, compelling, and complete application?

While pressure can be energizing, opportunities should be chosen that work given investigator's other obligations – both at home and at work – and others’ necessary contributions (such as the grant manager).

Also, internal deadlines for review and submission (prior to the funder’s submission date) should be taken into account. Both the Office of Research Support and the Office of Research Administration require that the full application is ready for review 5 days prior to the funder's deadline. 

The investigator should collaborate with their grant manager to ensure that other internal activities are completed so that this timeline can be kept.

SBIR and STTR programs

Federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are available to fund innovative research and development projects at small businesses.  Some of these funds may be subcontracted into Duke.  The Office of Research Support (ORS) for Provost area/campus schools and Office of Research Contracts (ORC) for School of Medicine provides guidance on funding, eligibility, and conflict of interest concerns for researchers working with companies applying to SBIR and STTR programs.

Funding opportunity search tools

The following self-service tools are available to explore various types of research funding.

Assistance with a funding opportunity search

Research development professionals are available to assist in the search for applicable funding opportunities, or to answer questions if an opportunity of interest is identified. The filters below can be used to identify the best contacts: