Research Funding Opportunities: March 13, 2026

Artificial Intelligence

First Opportunity

• Sponsor: National Science Foundation
• Funding Opportunity Title: Security, Privacy, and Trust in Cyberspace (SaTC 2.0)
• Key words: AI, technology, cybersecurity, human trust, privacy
• Link to RFP:  www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/satc-20-security-privacy-trust-cyberspace
• Deadline: 09/28/26
• Funding available: Research up to $1.2M/4yrs; Education up to $500k/3yrs; Seed up to $300k/2yrs
• Period of performance: up to 4 years for research, 3 for education, and 2 for seed
• Program Background: Our world is at a pivotal moment where the boundaries dividing the physical and social worlds from the cyber world have become blurred. Cyberspace has evolved from an interconnected digital environment into a complex and interdependent cyber ecosystem that involves hardware, software, networks, data, people, organizations, countries, and the physical world.  Critical functions of everyday life are deeply intertwined with computing, including health, government, commerce, the public sphere, education, critical infrastructure, interpersonal communication, and transportation. The complexity and inter-dependencies in cyberspace can be misused and exploited by malicious actors. These in turn can trigger adverse outcomes such as disruption of critical infrastructure and systems; theft of intellectual property and sensitive data; amplification of inequalities; disclosure of private information of individuals, organizations, and governments; and threats to lives, livelihoods, and reputations. Furthermore, constant attacks on the data and assets of corporations, governments, and individuals undermine people’s trust in decision-making and processes that depend critically on these cyber systems.
• Program Objectives: The Security, Privacy, and Trust in Cyberspace (SaTC 2.0) program aims to build trust in global cyber ecosystems. Trust is the core tenet of this program and, for the purposes of this solicitation, is broadly defined to include our confidence in the security, privacy, and resilience of cyberspace, particularly in the face of malicious intent. Achieving this level of confidence in cyberspace requires not only understanding the vulnerabilities in a system that could be exploited and how they can be addressed, but also understanding the social and technical dimensions of trust in cyber systems, along with the educational efforts needed to increase public awareness of risks in cyberspace, and building a well-trained corps of privacy and security professionals.

Second Opportunity

• Sponsor: Samsung
• Funding Opportunity Title: The Strategic Alliance for Research and Technology (START)
• Key words: AI, digital health, multimedia, AR/VR, robotics
• Link to RFP:  sra.samsung.com/collaboration/start/
• Deadline: 03/24/26
• Funding available: Funding is provided as a sponsored research grant. Selected recipients may receive up to $150,000.
• Period of performance: one-year project period. 
• Program Background: Samsung’s START Program aims to identify emerging technologies and conduct frontier research in collaboration with the academic community. As part of SRA’s expanding efforts to strengthen industry-academic partnerships, this program enables researchers to work with our R&D teams on early-stage innovations that will shape the future of Samsung devices and experiences.
• Program Objectives: Our program is dedicated to identifying emerging, frontier technologies fostering solutions that enhance products, services, and user experiences across Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) division. We are looking for game changing innovations that will impact our entire product portfolio in mobile technology, visual display, digital appliances, and networking.
  • Robotics/Physical AI
  • Agentic, artificial intelligence
  • Multimedia
  • Open Theme

Third Opportunity

• Sponsor: Google
• Funding Opportunity Title: GOOGLE.ORG IMPACT CHALLENGE: AI FOR SCIENCE
• Key words: AI, health, resilience, economy
• Link to RFP:  www.google.org/impact-challenges/ai-government-innovation/
• Deadline: 04/03/26
• Funding available: Selected organizations may receive anywhere from $1M up to $3M+, and will participate in the Google.org Accelerator multi-month program with access to structured support including dedicated pro bono expertise from Google employees, technical training, and Google Cloud credits.
• Period of performance: Funding can be used for up to 36 months to support prototype development during the Accelerator, and for launching and scaling the product after completing the program.
• Program Background: Journalism History and American Journalism are offering a combined $5,000 in microgrant funding to encourage research relating to the intersection of diversity and media history. The microgrants are sponsored by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s History Division and the American Journalism Historians Association, respectively.
• Program Objectives: Government AI adoption isn’t just a technical upgrade, it’s a way to solve real world challenges and drive societal impact for communities. Yet new data reveals that while 80% of public servants say AI is empowering them, only 18% believe their governments are currently using AI effectively. To help close the gap between promise and practice, we’re launching a $30 million Google.org Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation. This is a global call for nonprofits, social enterprises and academic institutions to submit bold proposals for AI-powered solutions across topics like health, resilience and economy.
  • Health: Enhance public systems so more effective healthcare services can reach all citizens, regardless of location. For example, by leveraging generative and agentic AI to create seamless “front door” access to services, improve frontline health worker capacity, or drive population-scale preventive care that ensures no community is left behind.
  • Resilience: Empower communities to plan, respond, and recover from crises to protect people and save lives. For example, via AI-powered forecasting and response capabilities that ensure no community is surprised by a major crisis, using real-time data to transform how public servants and first responders address disasters.
  • Economy: Expand opportunity and affordability by improving public infrastructure to ensure accessible, essential services and pathways to prosperity for all. For example, by leveraging agentic AI and predictive optimization to streamline transit networks and improv
  • While we are particularly interested in projects that fit in the focus areas, we are open to innovative projects that use AI to tackle public services challenges that align with our criteria. These projects can be submitted under the “other” category in the application. We will consider all projects submitted.

Science Communication

First Opportunity

• Sponsor: National Science Foundation
• Funding Opportunity Title: Security, Science of Science: Discovery, Communication & Impact (SoS:DCI)
• Key words: Science Communication, Policy Impact, Public Value of Science
• Link to RFP:  www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/sosdci-science-science-discovery-communication-impact
• Deadline: full proposal accepted anytime
• Funding available: Standard Research Grants and Grants for Collaborative Research vary between $300,000-$600,000 annually
• Period of performance: 3-5 years
• Program Background: Our world is at a pivotal moment where the boundaries dividing the physical and social worlds from the cyber world have become blurred. Cyberspace has evolved from an interconnected digital environment into a complex and interdependent cyber ecosystem that involves hardware, software, networks, data, people, organizations, countries, and the physical world.  Critical functions of everyday life are deeply intertwined with computing, including health, government, commerce, the public sphere, education, critical infrastructure, interpersonal communication, and transportation. The complexity and inter-dependencies in cyberspace can be misused and exploited by malicious actors. These in turn can trigger adverse outcomes such as disruption of critical infrastructure and systems; theft of intellectual property and sensitive data; amplification of inequalities; disclosure of private information of individuals, organizations, and governments; and threats to lives, livelihoods, and reputations. Furthermore, constant attacks on the data and assets of corporations, governments, and individuals undermine people’s trust in decision-making and processes that depend critically on these cyber systems.
• Program Objectives: The SoS:DCI program, which expands upon the former Science of Science and Innovation Policy (SciSIP) program, funds research that builds theoretical and empirical understanding of the social science of science. SoS:DCI welcomes proposals to conduct research at the individual, organizational and institutional levels or from micro, meso and macro scales and complex system levels. SoS:DCI encourages multiple disciplinary perspectives, interdisciplinary research and diverse methodological approaches in the pursuit of new knowledge to advance the science of science and evidence-based policy making. With these goals in mind, proposals should:
  • Draw from and advance theory, knowledge and frameworks on the science of science.
  • Develop models, data, indicators and associated analytical tools that constitute and enable transformative advances rather than incremental change. 
  • Provide credible rigorous assessments of the proposed project’s impact and social and policy implications.
  • Include robust data management plans with the goal of advancing open science and increasing public access to usable, valid and reliable scientific materials.

Second Opportunity

• Sponsor: National Academies Science Engineering Medicine
• Program Objectives: These awards will go to individuals who were working at the frontlines of science communication or journalism who have developed creative, original work that addresses issues and advances in science, engineering, or medicine for the general public, and who are in career stages or settings where the recognition could have a significant impact on their future career.
• Funding Opportunity Title: National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications
• Key words: Science Communication, Policy Impact, Public Value of Science
• Link to RFP:  www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/sosdci-science-science-discovery-communication-impact
• Deadline: 4/3/26
• Funding available: 16 total number of $20k prizes awarded, 8 total number of top prizes ($40K) awarded
• Period of performance: N/A
• Program Background: The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications are awards given by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in partnership with Schmidt Sciences. The Awards recognize individuals who are working on the frontlines of science communication and journalism, and who can demonstrate the potential or ability to develop high-quality, engaging communications or reporting.

Category: Research Funding Opportunities
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