U.S. Funding Opportunities for EU Researchers

The purpose of this document is to provide researchers within the European Union with a list of potential funding sources in the United States that accept applications and/or collaborations from foreign applicants for sponsored projects. It is also intended to help EU researchers understand the US federal and non-federal funding landscape for research projects across various academic disciplines.

Opportunities for EU researchers to obtain US funding for their projects are limited. Most federal organizations provide grants only to researchers at US institutions (e.g., colleges, universities, corporations) or require US citizenship for the Principal Investigator and project staff. Since US taxpayer dollars primarily support federal organizations, the federal government aligns grantmaking priorities with those that benefit the nation and its people. Recent global events, particularly outbreaks of the Ebola and Zika viruses, are having an impact on the federal funding landscape. Some federal organizations, such as the National Institutes of Health, do allow international researchers to serve as Principal Investigators and/or have specific programs that even require an international collaborator.

Furthermore, disciplines in the sciences are recognizing the value of international collaboration in terms of cross-pollenating ideas, learning new perspectives and techniques, and access to and sharing of resources. Federal organizations are becoming receptive to granting subawards and other funding mechanisms to international researchers, as they see the value in global collaboration to help further meet national priorities. While the number of federal organizations supporting international research is small, there is great potential for growth. This report focuses on U.S. funding opportunities for EU researchers. Information on bilateral programs is being gathered through the Strategic Forum for International Cooperation (SFIC) and will be share by the BILAT USA 4.0 when available.