Tiny Blue Dot Foundation's 2026 call supports rigorous research on the Perception Box: how expectations, beliefs, bodily signals and social experience shape perceived reality, behaviour and mental wellbeing. Projects may test neural, psychological, somatic or technology-enabled interventions. Eligible universities and nonprofit research institutions worldwide may request up to US$900,000, including overhead, for up to three years. Principal investigators need an MD, PhD or equivalent. Anonymous letters of intent close 5 October 2026 at 23:59 PDT.

The ACBS Research Development Grant Scheme supports work in contextual behavioral science, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Relational Frame Theory, psychology, behavioural interventions, mental health and social-behavioural change. It is suitable for empirical studies, pilot work, intervention evaluation, community-based behavioural research and early-stage projects.

The AIAF Fellowship 2026 is an eight-week, full-time and fully remote programme for researchers who want to work on technically substantive AI alignment projects. Fellows receive a USD 12,000 stipend, collaborate in teams with dedicated research management and support from AE Studio researchers, and work towards publishable outputs and a final Demo Day presentation. Applications are open globally, including to candidates outside the United States, and the programme welcomes PhD or master's students, established researchers and professionals transitioning from adjacent technical fields.

A life-sciences award opportunity recognizing strong contributions in biology, biotechnology, biomedical science, health sciences and allied areas. It is suitable for researchers whose work demonstrates scientific originality, translational relevance, public-health value or meaningful contribution to India’s life-sciences ecosystem.

The Global Development Network invites research teams in low- and middle-income countries to study the economics of Open Transaction Networks such as ONDC, Namma Yatri and the Unified Energy Interface. Six teams will receive USD 50,000 each to conduct rigorous empirical research on participation and inclusion or welfare and wider market impacts. University-based teams are eligible, and proposals focused on India are explicitly encouraged. Applicants must demonstrate empirical economics capability, relevant country experience and realistic data access. Indian applicants must be eligible to receive foreign funding under FCRA. Applications close on 21 August 2026, Anywhere on Earth.

ICMR’s Centre for Advanced Research (CAR)-2026 call supports experienced multidisciplinary teams undertaking decisive research on major public-health problems. Proposals may combine linked projects addressing prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, or priority conditions including communicable and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, nutrition, mental health, climate-related health risks, ageing, disability, and medical education. Each CAR may receive between ₹8 crore and less than ₹15 crore for up to five years, with an expectation that the host institution will sustain the centre, facilities, and trained personnel beyond the funded period.

Clean Air Fund seeks studies measuring real-world black-carbon reductions and associated health and climate benefits from cleaner space-heating or industrial interventions in inhabited cold-climate regions of LMICs. Projects should assess emissions under actual use, health and climate outcomes, and where possible community acceptance. Eligible research institutes, universities and nonprofit research organizations may request up to GBP 220,000 for up to three years. Expressions of interest close 23 October 2026 at 18:00 BST.

The Hinrich Foundation’s research-proposal opportunity supports policy-relevant work on sustainable global trade, international economics, supply chains, trade policy, digital trade, development, geopolitics and rules-based commerce. It is suitable for research that can produce clear analysis for academic, policy and practitioner audiences.

A compute-access opportunity aligned with the Swiss AI Initiative ecosystem, focused on open, trustworthy and large-scale AI research. It is relevant for researchers who need advanced computing resources for foundation models, machine learning, scientific AI, multilingual models or domain-specific AI applications.

The Conservation, Food & Health Foundation supports applied research, pilot projects, training and technical assistance in developing regions. Priorities cover biodiversity and climate resilience, sustainable agriculture and food systems, and community-level public health. Eligible universities, nonprofits and civil-society organizations in Asia may apply. Grants have no formal minimum or maximum, though most are US$25,000-50,000 annually for one or two years. The next concept-application window opens 15 October and closes 22 December 2026.

MoSPI's request for proposals seeks an experienced research or academic institution to develop a framework for measuring India's knowledge economy. The assignment covers intellectual-property products, the digital economy, indigenous and traditional knowledge, research and development, knowledge-process outsourcing and their treatment in national accounts. The six-month study requires expertise in economics, statistics and intellectual-property valuation. The official PDF does not state a submission deadline or funding amount, and current acceptance status could not be confirmed.

The Wenner-Gren Dissertation Fieldwork Grant supports doctoral or thesis research that advances anthropological knowledge across socio-cultural, linguistic, biological anthropology and archaeology. It is open internationally and supports fieldwork and essential research costs, with no preference for research location, methodology, topic or subfield.

The DST–DFG Indo-German International Research Training Groups programme supports long-term institutional partnerships that combine an ambitious joint research agenda with structured doctoral and postdoctoral training. Indian and German host institutions form complementary teams, normally with five to ten experienced researchers on each side, and jointly supervise comparable cohorts of doctoral researchers. The programme can support doctoral positions or fellowships, dissertation research costs, six- to twelve-month reciprocal research stays, workshops, conferences and staff visits. Only universities or research institutions entitled to award doctoral degrees may host a group. The current DST portal lists the scheme as active throughout the year.

EMBO Scientific Exchange Grants support short-term research visits that build or strengthen international collaborations in the life sciences. The scheme is useful for researchers who need to learn techniques, access specialist expertise, collect data at a host laboratory or initiate collaborations that may lead to larger proposals.

The Fine Arts Field Grant pairs selected artists with scientists, researchers and adventurers undertaking Explorers Club Impact Grant expeditions. Artists join fieldwork suited to their interests and geographic affinities, create an original body of work inspired by the experience, and later exhibit at The Explorers Club. The opportunity welcomes painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers and other fine-arts practitioners at any career stage. Explorers Club membership is not required, and the current official application is open internationally on a rolling basis.

A faculty-facing AI fellowship opportunity for higher education, focused on AI-enabled teaching, learning, curriculum innovation, responsible AI adoption and institutional transformation. It is suitable for educators and researchers connecting AI tools with pedagogy, student learning, digital literacy, ethics and interdisciplinary education.

The Harry Frank Guggenheim Distinguished Scholar Awards support advanced social-science scholarship on urgent public problems, group behaviour, peace, security, social order and institutional change. The programme is suitable for researchers whose work can generate strong evidence or theory for understanding complex social conditions.

A state-level research funding opportunity linked to Haryana’s effort to strengthen problem-solving research and innovation in higher education. The scheme supports multidisciplinary and regionally relevant work across areas such as agriculture, sustainability, public health, technology, governance and other development priorities.

The ICSSR–JSPS FY 2027 call supports sustained India–Japan collaboration in the social sciences and humanities through joint research projects and joint seminars. Indian and Japanese teams develop matching proposals, build cross-border research networks, and generate innovative intellectual and policy-relevant outcomes. Indian-side support is available up to ₹7 lakh per fiscal year for a two-year project, capped at ₹14 lakh, or up to ₹7 lakh for a seminar. Projects begin on 1 April 2027, while seminars may run for up to one week in India or Japan.

Fundación MAPFRE’s 2026 Ignacio H. de Larramendi Research Grants support applied projects in health promotion and in insurance and social welfare. Researchers and research teams worldwide may apply independently or through universities, hospitals, companies or research centres. Awards provide up to EUR 30,000 for health promotion or EUR 15,000 for insurance and social welfare, with projects completed within one calendar year. Applications are accepted in Spanish, English or Portuguese.

I-AMR-CDP invites non-confidential expressions of interest for promising Indian anti-infective innovations at proof-of-concept or preclinical stage. Venus Remedies will select candidates for co-development of novel antibiotics, beta-lactamase inhibitors or adjunctive therapies. Selected innovators receive a INR 10 lakh upfront award and access to end-to-end development, R&D infrastructure, manufacturing, commercialization, intellectual-property and publication support. The partnership uses joint scientific contribution and a mutually agreed value-sharing model, with rolling review through the stated deadline.

A global health innovation funding opportunity for institutions, consortia and research teams developing preparedness technologies, platforms, manufacturing approaches, clinical-development pathways and equitable-access solutions. It is relevant for biology, digital health, bioinformatics, public-health policy and interdisciplinary health systems research.

The International Innovation Grant supports novel, practical research that can improve cancer control in low- and middle-income countries and generate approaches transferable to other resource-constrained settings. The one-year award provides up to USD 20,000 to an eligible organisation, with a qualified local principal investigator leading the project. India is an eligible lower-middle-income setting. The 2026 cycle uses a two-stage process: applicants first submit a letter of intent, and invited applicants subsequently submit the full proposal through the official ASCO grants portal.

ICMR’s UNNATI Phase 2 initiative invites experienced research teams to participate as study sites in a national multicentre project developing contemporary growth and developmental standards for Indian children aged 2–18 years. About 24 sites across six zones will collect standardized anthropometric, health, blood-pressure and biomarker data from eligible children and adolescents. Selected teams will work under ICMR coordination, implement strong quality assurance, recruit 500–600 participants within three to six months, and contribute to pooled national reference standards. The overall study is planned for 15 months.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship supports higher learning and free intellectual inquiry by Indian citizens working in India. It is open across disciplines and is suitable for established scholars or professionals who need protected time and support to pursue an advanced research, writing or intellectual project.

The Long-Term Future Fund supports projects aimed at improving long-range global outcomes through research, field-building, forecasting, governance, AI governance and related high-impact areas. It is suitable for researchers, independent scholars, nonprofits and project teams working on ambitious ideas where flexible funding can accelerate practical or intellectual work.

The Mercator Fellowship/Kolleg is a 12-month international-affairs fellowship for German-speaking professionals and changemakers working on global challenges. It includes placements, leadership training, travel support and project-based work across areas such as foreign policy, security, climate, migration, health, culture and development.

DBT invites consortium-oriented proposals that translate established microbiome discoveries into evidence-based biotherapeutics or biomarkers for clinical and public-health use. Supported areas include probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, synbiotics, skin and fungal microbiome therapeutics, and biomarkers for disease prediction, diagnosis and risk stratification. Applicants must be regular investigators at eligible Indian academic, medical or research institutions and begin from an existing proof of concept. Projects may run for three years, extendable by two years. Proposals are due through eProMIS by 15 October 2026.

UKRI's Explainable AI call supports speculative, high-risk fundamental research capable of producing a step change in future AI explainability. Projects may request up to GBP 602,500 full economic cost, with UKRI funding 80% up to GBP 482,000, for up to 24 months from 1 February 2027. An eligible UK organization must lead; Ashoka researchers may join as international project partners, not project co-leads under the India route. Applications close 20 October 2026 at 4:00 pm UK time.

The New India Foundation Book Fellowships support scholars and writers developing original nonfiction books on contemporary India. Fellows receive editorial guidance, a writing community, publishing support and a stipend while turning substantial research into accessible books for broad audiences. The official programme page says the 2026 call will open in August and close in November, but exact dates, the fellowship amount and the supported writing period are not yet stated.

The Indo-German Bilateral Workshops opportunity supports structured academic interaction between Indian and German researchers. It is useful for building new collaborations, preparing joint research agendas, developing early-stage bilateral networks, identifying complementary expertise and creating a pathway toward larger Indo-German research proposals.

Gerda Henkel Foundation PhD Scholarships support doctoral researchers in the historical humanities and related fields. The scheme is relevant for early-stage scholars pursuing dissertation work in history, archaeology, art history, legal history, history of science, prehistory, early history and related humanities or social-science areas.

India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy supports research, design, technology development and demonstration across solar, wind, hybrid systems, storage, small hydropower, biogas, hydrogen, fuel cells, geothermal energy and related areas. Proposals may come from research institutions, universities, industry and NGOs with appropriate infrastructure. Government and nonprofit research organizations may receive up to 100% support, while industry support is generally limited to 50-70% and may require collaboration or cost sharing.

SSAF and Asia Art Archive in India are offering a 2026 grant for archival research on histories of art, ideas and visual culture. The call supports Indian individuals or India-based collectives documenting difficult-to-access visual and cultural print materials, especially regional-language books, journals, posters, pamphlets and ephemera. Projects should use innovative, interdisciplinary methods and propose a feasible public outcome, such as an annotated visual essay, website or archival deposit. The selected grantee receives up to INR 300,000 for a one-year project. Applications require a proposal, timeline, budget, work samples, CVs and referee details, and close on 31 July 2026.

MQ’s Schizophrenia Research Fellowship supports an early-career researcher building independence through innovative work on schizophrenia. The global award provides up to GBP 250,000 over three years and may be hosted by a university, hospital or research institution. Applicants should generally have three to seven years of postdoctoral research experience and devote 50 to 100 percent of their time to the fellowship. An expression of interest is required before the invited full-application stage.

The Simons Foundation Targeted Grants in Mathematics and Physical Sciences support high-risk theoretical projects of exceptional promise and scientific importance in mathematics, physics and computer science. The programme is flexible, allowing applicants to request a budget and duration appropriate to the proposed work.

The Simons Foundation's Mathematics and Physical Sciences division invites proposals for recurring symposia in mathematics, theoretical physics and theoretical computer science. Each series may comprise up to three weeklong meetings held every two years, beginning in 2028, with up to 23 participants and a two-to-four-person organizing committee. No funds are paid directly; the foundation administers and covers travel, lodging, meals and conference-site costs. Organizers may be based inside or outside the United States.

The Indo-German Science & Technology Centre’s Small Immediate Need Grants provide quick seed support for modest activities that can launch or deepen bilateral India–Germany science and technology collaboration. The programme can fund joint ideas, innovation, rapid prototyping, technology demonstrations, industrial research and development, scientific events and other initiatives with potential for longer-term cooperation or industry engagement. Applicants may come from industry, academia or research institutions and must be below 55 years of age. Each proposal may receive up to ₹9 lakh (€10,000), and applications are accepted throughout the year.

The 2026 Sony Research Award Program supports one-year, cutting-edge university research and collaboration between eligible faculty and Sony researchers. Indian universities are explicitly eligible. The Faculty Innovation Award provides up to USD 100,000 for research in Sony's broad areas of interest, while the Focused Research Award provides up to USD 150,000 for specified themes spanning artificial intelligence, multimodal content, sports technology, provenance, human-computer interaction and related technologies. Selected projects proceed through a sponsored research agreement with the applicant's institution.

A CDC Global Health Center cooperative-agreement opportunity to strengthen India’s district, state and national public-health systems for prevention, detection and response to infectious-disease threats. Priorities include public-health workforce, surveillance, laboratories, emergency preparedness and response, antimicrobial resistance and a One Health approach.

Südkulturfonds supports cultural exchange and artistic projects connected with Switzerland and countries of the Global South and East. It is relevant for artists, cultural practitioners, collectives and institutions working on contemporary arts, performing arts, visual arts, literature, creative practice and international cultural collaboration.

DIV Fund supports cost-effective, evidence-backed and scalable solutions for global development. It is relevant to teams working on health, agriculture, education, livelihoods, climate, governance or other development interventions with strong evidence-generation potential and a pathway to measurable impact.

The 2027–28 Impart & Nalli Fellowships support independent research and project development on underexplored textile histories, practices and traditions across South Asia. Two fellows will each receive up to INR 5.5 lakhs for one year, running January–December 2027. Projects may use journalistic, documentary, archival, practice-based, digitisation, exhibition or book formats. Applicants worldwide aged 18 or older may apply, including early- and mid-career researchers, designers, archivists, writers, educators, practitioners, collectives and small organisations. Applications close on 31 August 2026.

The Merck Research Grants Program supports external academic science projects aligned with Merck’s innovation priorities. It is relevant for research teams working in life sciences, chemistry, materials science, data science and interdisciplinary scientific methods.

The Young Faculty Research Fellowship under the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme supports early-career faculty conducting advanced research in electronics system design and manufacturing and information technology or IT-enabled services. The scheme provides a monthly fellowship in addition to salary and an annual research contingency grant for equipment, consumables and domestic travel. Eligible institutions nominate faculty against an active call rather than individuals applying directly. The current official scheme information is available, but an active Ashoka-eligible nomination round, current deadline and direct institutional submission route could not be verified.

The Research Catalyst Grants support equitable University of Toronto–India collaborations addressing sustainable and climate-resilient Indian cities. Themes include housing, water, mobility, energy, livelihoods, infrastructure, planning, waste and data-driven sustainability. Each project must pair an eligible University of Toronto co-PI with an India-based nonprofit partner co-PI. Eight to ten projects will receive INR 9–15 lakh for April 2027 through March 2028. Applications close 15 February 2027 at 11:59 PM IST.

The British Council’s TNE Grants with India 2026–27 support UK–India higher-education partnerships to develop and launch new transnational education courses and degree programmes in future-focused fields. Projects should combine an eligible UK degree-awarding institution, a recognized Indian higher-education institution, and industry participation. Priority areas include artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, genomics, biotechnology, sustainable energy, climate technologies, synthetic biology, neurotechnology, circular economy, advanced engineering, robotics, space technologies, semiconductors, critical minerals, and earth sciences. Successful partnerships may receive up to £30,000 for a 17-month project beginning on 30 September 2026.

Spencer Foundation Vision Grants help research teams develop ambitious, large-scale programmes aimed at transforming educational systems toward greater equity. Each grant provides USD 75,000 over 12 to 18 months for collaborative planning, stakeholder engagement and development of a future Transformative Research Grant proposal. Principal investigators must be affiliated with a nonprofit or public institution, including international equivalents, and should hold a doctorate, terminal degree or comparable research experience.

WISE-SCOPE is relevant for women scientists and technologists seeking research-career support through projects linked to science, technology and societal challenges. It is suitable for proposals that combine disciplinary expertise with problem-solving applications in areas such as health, environment, materials, data, agriculture, education or community-facing technologies.

The ANRF MAHA Water Programme funds large consortium projects tackling India's water challenges through science, technology and social innovation. Themes include groundwater and surface-water management, drinking water, water quality and health, circular water use, climate resilience, digital systems and AI-enabled decision support. Projects may receive up to INR 20 crore for three years, extendable to five. A lead Indian academic or national-laboratory investigator must coordinate institutional partners and a mandatory industry participant contributing 10 percent in cash.

The ANRF National Science Chair recognises eminent senior resident Indian scientists who wish to continue research or provide national scientific leadership after superannuation. Mode 1 supports continuing scientific excellence with INR 25 lakh annually for research, while Mode 2 provides INR 5 lakh annually; both include a monthly fellowship and institutional overheads. Awards run for three years and may be extended by two years, with nominations routed through authorised institutional or academy leaders.