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Opportunities for Early-Career Researchers
Funding at NSF（https://www.nsf.gov/funding）
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The U.S. National Science Foundation offers grants and supplemental funding to early-career researchers working across a wide range of research areas.
This page highlights key funding opportunities especially appropriate for early-career researchers at the rank of assistant professor or equivalent position. Visit our other pages to explore funding for postdoctoral fellows（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/postdocs）, graduate students（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/graduate-students） and undergraduates（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/undergraduates）.
Early-career researchers are also eligible (and encouraged) to compete for NSF's core grants, special initiatives and other funding mechanisms. Explore these opportunities on NSF's Funding Search（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities） page.
On this page
Building Research Capacity of New Faculty in Biology (BRC-BIO)
The BRC-BIO（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/brc-bio-building-research-capacity-new-faculty-biology/505964） program supports pre-tenure faculty in the biological sciences at non-R1 institutions, enabling them to increase their research capacity and build independent research programs.
Awards provide up to $450,000 plus $50,000 for equipment over a 36-month period. Equipment costs exceeding $50,000 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Eligibility
Early-career researchers affiliated with minority-serving institutions, predominantly undergraduate institutions and other non-R1 institutions are eligible to apply. See the BRC-BIO webpage（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/brc-bio-building-research-capacity-new-faculty-biology/505964） for more detail.
How to apply
Proposals are accepted annually through Research.gov（https://www.research.gov/research-web/） or Grants.gov（https://www.grants.gov/）, typically in the spring/summer. Visit the BRC-BIO webpage（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/brc-bio-building-research-capacity-new-faculty-biology/505964） to learn more about the program, proposal requirements and upcoming due dates.
Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER)
The CAREER program（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/career-faculty-early-career-development-program） provides support to early-career faculty — at the assistant professor or equivalent rank — who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.
Recipients will receive a minimum of $400,000 over a five-year period.
Eligibility
Applicants must hold at least a 50% tenure-track (or tenure-track equivalent) position as an assistant professor or equivalent title.
Faculty members who are associate professors or adjunct faculty (or equivalent appointments), with or without tenure, are not eligible for the CAREER program. See the CAREER program（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/career-faculty-early-career-development-program） webpage for more details.
How to apply
CAREER proposals are accepted annually through Research.gov（https://www.research.gov/research-web/） or Grants.gov（https://www.grants.gov/）, typically in July. Learn more about the program, proposal requirements and upcoming due dates on the CAREER program（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/career-faculty-early-career-development-program） webpage.
Check out NSF 101 for some tips on how to apply（https://www.nsf.gov/science-matters/nsf-101-four-tips-applying-nsfs-career-program）.
Career-Life Balance Supplemental Funding Requests
The Career-Life Balance initiative focuses on reducing the rate at which early-career researchers depart from the STEM workforce.
Career-Life Balance supplements（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/dcl-career-life-balance-clb-supplemental-funding-requests/nsf21-021） allow NSF-funded researchers to support additional personnel — such as a technician or research assistant — when an investigator, postdoctoral fellow or graduate student is on family leave for primary dependent care responsibilities or other direct family considerations.
Supplements provide up to $30,000 for up to six months of salary or stipend support for additional personnel. If applicable, requests may also include fringe benefits and associated indirect costs. Tuition fees are not included.
Eligibility
Principal investigators and co-PIs of active NSF grants or cooperative agreements are eligible to submit a supplemental funding request.
How to apply
Requests for supplemental funding support must be submitted through Research.gov（https://www.research.gov/research-web/） . Refer to Chapter II.F.13（https://www.nsf.gov/policies/pappg/24-1/ch-2-proposal-preparation#ch2F13） of NSF's Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) for more information.
Computer and Information Science and Engineering Research Initiation Initiative (CRII)
CRII（https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/crii-computer-information-science-engineering-research-initiation/504952） supports early-career scientists at non-R1 institutions in computer and information science and engineering who lack access to organizational resources, enabling them to undertake exploratory research and develop collaborations and new approaches.
Awards provide up to $175,000 over a 24-month period.
Eligibility
Early-career researchers affiliated with either non-R1 institutions or nonprofit, non-academic institutions are eligible.
Applicants that have received any other grants or contracts in the principal investigator role from any department, agency or institution of the federal government are ineligible.