The Division of Research's (DOR) Research Seed Award is intended to seed innovative research projects that will continue at Brown beyond the life of the award. We welcome a range of projects, from curiosity and exploration-driven ideas, to those that advance more established research areas to new directions. Ultimately this program aims to enhance Brown researchers’ competitiveness for external funding.
Examples of potential Seed project activities include, but are not limited to, collecting preliminary or pilot data; feasibility testing and evaluation; scaling and application of prior research into new areas; needs assessment, literature review, landscape analyses; review of existing data assets, infrastructure, and personnel relevant to the focus area; student support as part of feasibility study of concept; workshops and retreats to support team-building, strategic planning, or stakeholder engagement. Learn more about active and prior projects that have received funding from the Research Seed Awards Program.
Eligibility: Review the 2027 Research Seed Awards guidelines for details including award eligibility, duration, criteria for selection, application requirements and more. Eligibility partial: Any Brown faculty member employed by Brown and whose research is administered through Brown is eligible to serve as a Principal Investigator. Brown faculty employed by affiliated institutions, Brown faculty whose research is administered through affiliated institutions, emeritus faculty, adjunct faculty, visiting faculty, and postdocs, are not eligible to lead projects as PI, but may be included on the research team as a Co-PI or key personnel.
Award: This funding opportunity is for projects up to $50,000 if led by a single PI or $75,000 if led by multiple PIs. All awards are 12 months in duration.
Brown's Expression of Interest & Application Process: Review the guidelines and submit via InfoReady.
Expression of Interest Due: November 5, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
Core research facilities (CRFs) are essential for building research programs, increasing competitiveness for external grant funding, recruiting top faculty members, and attracting and training students and postdocs. Specialized CRFs that are overseen by experts facilitate multi-disciplinary collaboration and provide technical capacity to investigators throughout the University. Brown's CRF fund, disbursed by the Division of Research, supports the development of these facilities and the maintenance of their equipment. For fiscal year 2027, proposals will be accepted for Instrumentation Funds for the purchase of new, replacement or upgraded equipment in existing cores. The goal is to ensure that our researchers have access to the well-maintained, cutting-edge equipment that they require to keep their research programs competitive.
Eligibility: The directors of existing core facilities that support research at Brown and are approved by the Controller’s Office, may apply for these funds. Faculty with instrumentation needs are required to work with core directors.
Award: The maximum allowed is $1,000,000 for each instrumentation award. If your equipment needs exceed this maximum please contact Research_Opps@brown.edu to discuss.
Brown's Internal Application Process: Review the guidelines and submit via InfoReady.
Applications Due: Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 12:00 p.m. (noon).
Richard B. Salomon Faculty Research Awards support excellence in scholarly work for selected faculty research projects deemed to be of exceptional merit. Learn more about active and prior projects that have received funding from Salomon Research Awards Program.
Eligibility: Review the 2027 Salomon guidelines for details including award eligibility, duration, criteria for selection, application requirements and more. Eligibility partial: Brown faculty whose research is administered through Brown are eligible. Emeritus, adjunct, and visiting faculty, as well as postdocs, are not eligible to apply. Faculty who have received a Salomon grant in 2023 or later are not eligible to apply. Faculty in the arts, humanities, and humanistic social sciences who received a Salomon grant in 2024 or later and are applying for an award up to $30,000 may request an exemption from this eligibility criterion. A PI may not apply for both a Seed and a Salomon in the same award year.
Award: Awards of up to $15,000 are available to all fields, and additional support for larger grants (up to $30,000) will be made available exclusively for faculty in the arts, humanities, and humanistic social sciences.
Brown's Internal Application Process: Review the guidelines and submit via InfoReady.
Applications Due: Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 12:00 p.m. (noon).
The Division of Research (DOR) is pleased to recognize outstanding research achievements of Brown faculty through the Research Achievement Awards program. This award program was started ten years ago, and news of the awards has carried well beyond Brown, to tens of thousands of alumni and others. Early Career Awards and Distinguished Awards will be given in 2027 in each of the four categories for a total of eight awards: Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Public Health, and Hospital-based research faculty. Each carries a research award of $5,000.
DOR invites nominations from deans, department chairs, and center directors, and also invites self-nominations and nominations by colleagues. A committee of faculty will review nominations and select the award recipients. Awardees will be honored at a University-wide research celebration, at which DOR will also acknowledge the recipients of the annual Research Seed and Salomon Faculty Research awards. Please visit the Division of Research website for application information, eligibility requirements, and prior awardees and contact research_opps@brown.edu with any questions. We look forward to receiving your nominations!
Brown's Internal Nomination Process: Review the guidelines and submit via InfoReady.
Nominations Due: Tuesday, January 19, 2027, 12:00 p.m. (noon)