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 

The DanPaul Foundation - Awards up to $15,000. Letters of Intent are reviewed on a rolling basis. Awards grants to support workshops, conferences, and seminars; student scholarships; scientific endeavors; clean air and water initiatives; child advocacy; homelessness; poverty and neglect; and refugee enrichment. The DanPaul Foundation expands opportunities for children through direct programs and grants that train teachers and parents in early childhood development, protect children from abuse and neglect, foster personal and social responsibility, and encourage engagement with environmental stewardship and the needs of the underprivileged, including access to clean air, water, housing, and nutrition.

Research Grants on Education: Small: Spencer Foundation - Awards up to $50,000. The deadline is April 15, 2026. The Small Research Grants on Education Program supports field-initiated research designed to improve education, broadly conceived. Applications are accepted twice annually. The program welcomes proposals across disciplines, methods, and settings, and is well suited for scholars pursuing rigorous, intellectually ambitious, and methodologically sound studies that address pressing questions or emerging opportunities in education. 

Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Grant Program - Track 1: California Ocean Protection Council - Awards range from $200,000 - $1.5 million. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Funds planning activities that help California coastal communities prepare for the impacts of sea level rise. It supports pre-planning, data collection, and adaptation planning efforts such as vulnerability assessments, community visioning, and development of sea level rise adaptation plans for local, regional, and tribal governments and their partners. This planning track is offered on a rolling quarterly basis and is intended to build resilience along the California coast and San Francisco Bay as part of the state’s broader effort to address climate change impacts.

Cannabis Research and Innovation Funding Opportunity: California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Awards are varied and are dependent on project. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Supports research and innovation focused on the environmental impacts of legal cannabis cultivation. This opportunity seeks proposals that evaluate environmental conditions, improve understanding of how cannabis cultivation affects ecosystems, and develop actionable solutions to promote sustainable, ecologically sound cultivation practices, including research on water use, land management, native species, social dimensions, and new technologies.

Unsolicited Research Foundation: Water Research Foundation - Funding ranges from $50,000 - $200,000. The deadline is March 26, 2026. Funds novel, transformative research projects that can significantly advance the science of water and increase our ability to protect and preserve water in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. The Water Research Foundation (WRF) also considers proposals that would take existing research to the next level of completion, resulting in practical solutions to water quality challenges. WRF’s Board-appointed Research Advisory Council prioritizes and approves projects for funding.

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.