As the federal grant funding landscape undergoes changes, it’s more important than ever to stay proactive in seeking funding opportunities. Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation will be sharing a regular round-up of non-federal grants for those looking to diversify their funding sources. As a reminder, SPF offers funding search assistance! Please visit our website to explore some of our funding resources, or contact Research Development Support & Marketing Coordinator Cara Peters at cara.peters@humboldt.edu 

GriffinHarte Grants: GriffinHarte Foundation - Awards up to $1,000. The deadline is Monday, December 15, 2025. The foundation’s goal is to promote civil conversations about issues that divide us and are often contentious and difficult to sort through. It supports projects designed to do the following:

Support and promote conversations, research, and scholarship that are

• grounded in questions and practices of civility and feminism;

• informed by a desire to define, explore, and advocate for social, political, and economic justice in our professional and personal lives;

• centered in an explicit recognition of the ways our lives and communication are influenced by our identities—our gender and sex, race and ethnicity, age and physical abilities, and education and economic standing.

Support and promote educational practices and research that are

• focused on how we teach as well as what we teach;

• grounded in a commitment to alternative pedagogies and educational practices;

• informed by an explicit recognition of the ways identities, genders and sex, feminisms, civility, and civic engagement relate to social, political and economic justice.

Explore the Coast: California State Coastal Conservancy - Approximately $700,000 is available. Up to $50,000 of the $700,000 is available for participants to access the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Projects in other coastal areas may apply for up to $100k. The deadline is Friday, January 30, 2026. This program supports projects that:

• Provide an enjoyable and/or healing experience at the coast.

• Reduce economic, physical, operational, or societal barriers to accessing or enjoying the coast.

• Projects may also achieve secondary goals, such as inspiring coastal stewardship, promoting community leadership, and providing lasting positive impact. 

At least 70% of participants served by the Explore the Coast (ETC) grant must be from an ETC Priority Community, including but not limited to: lower-income individuals and households, people with disabilities, people of color, California Native American communities, immigrant communities, foster youth, and other historically excluded communities who face societal challenges or barriers to accessing or enjoying the coast.

Research Grants on Reducing Inequality: William T. Grant Foundation - The funding range is $25,000-$600,000, with amounts varying by funding category. Applicants may apply to only one category. Letters of inquiry accepted through Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Supports research to build, test, or increase understanding of programs, policies, or practices to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people ages 5-25. The program invites studies from a range of disciplines, fields, and methods, and encourages investigations into various youth-serving systems, including justice, housing, child welfare, mental health, and education.

Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants: Burroughs Welcome Fund - Awards $2,500–$50k. Rolling application through Thursday, January 22, 2026. Promotes new connections between scholars, practitioners, and/or educators working to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change on human health. Also of interest is work piloting new approaches toward reducing the impact of health-centered activities, for example, developing more sustainable systems for health care. Another interest area is preparation for the impacts of extreme weather and other crises that can drive large-scale disruptions that will immediately impact human health and delivery of health care. Public outreach, climate communication, and education efforts focused on the intersection of climate and health are also appropriate for this call.

NOTE: If you are interested in applying or have any questions, please contact our Pre-Award Specialists Pia Gabriel at pg12@humboldt.edu, Kaz Wegmuller at kaz.wegmuller@humboldt.edu, or Jocelyne Takatsuno at jt366@humboldt.edu 

While exploring alternative funding is valuable, continued engagement with federal grants remains critical—consistent applications help demonstrate the demand for these programs and ensure their ongoing availability. We’re here to help you navigate these funding opportunities and keep research thriving at Cal Poly Humboldt.