An exciting new suite of internal funding opportunities is available from Brown’s Division of Research — and at the center of it all is the expanded 2026 Division of Research Seed Program, our flagship support for transformative ideas.
Thanks to the generous gifts from donors, the Research Seed Program now includes three distinct tracks supporting research resiliency, the development of bold ideas for the future, and our traditional seed funding opportunity.
The generous donations not only increase funds for seed ideas but also expand our efforts to sustain an innovative and resilient research environment at Brown.
The new program includes the following three tracks:
- Track 1 — The Research Resilience Award (RRA) supports the continuity and adaptability of faculty research areas facing disruptions from federal actions. RRAs provide a safety net for researchers to continue their most promising work, as well as the opportunity to pursue new directions to generate the preliminary data necessary to secure new, sustained external funding. Awards provide up to $75,000 for 12 months.
- Track 2 — The Research Innovation Award (RIA) is a multi-phase award designed to foster and strengthen interdisciplinary collaborative research teams and increase their readiness for pursuing large-scale, complex research projects. The awards provide $250,000 for 24 months in two phases: Phase I planning grants are provided up to $50,000, and invited Phase II participants may apply for an additional $200,000.
- Track 3 — The Research Seed Award (RSA) is our traditional seed funding opportunity. We continue to offer this award to help faculty develop more competitive research proposals by supporting the generation of preliminary data, pursuing new directions or collaborations in research, and other endeavors. Awards provide up to $50,000 for single-investigator projects and up to $75,000 for multi-PI proposals.
These expanded seed awards demonstrate Brown’s continuing support for ambitious ideas and programs. They provide critical early support for testing ideas, gathering pilot data, team building, and preparing successful external proposals. Additionally, Track I provides support for research disrupted by the federal government.
For more information, including deadlines and eligibility requirements for each track, please visit the 2026 Division of Research Seed Program web page.
Alongside the Division of Research Seed Program, the Division also offers three additional internal funding opportunities:
- Richard B. Salomon Faculty Research Awards fund research projects with exceptional merit up to $15,000 for one year (or $30,000 for arts, humanities, and humanistic social sciences). 2026 competition details coming soon.
- Humanities Research Funds support arts, humanities and social science research ($1,000 - 4,000). 2026 competition details coming soon.
- Core Research Facility Infrastructure Program provides support for shared facilities and equipment. 2026 competition details coming soon.
Visit our Research Funding Within Brown web page for internal funding program details and deadlines. I urge you to take a look, especially at the new 2026 Division of Research Seed Program, which offers an incredible springboard for your next big idea. As always, reach out to the Research Strategy and Development team with any of your research strategy or funding questions.
Thanks for all you do to advance research at Brown.
Cheers,
Greg Hirth
Vice President for Research