ORCA does not offer support to students applying for external funding opportunities. Please consult your faculty or academic advisor if you choose to apply to a program.
Applications Open: Fulcrum Science $5,000 Translation Grant
The below is a funding opportunity from Fulcrum Science, an NYC-based philanthropic organization and public good initiative working to accelerate scientific research. One part of their mission is supporting individual researchers as they move promising science toward real-world use.
Fulcrum Science is now accepting applications for their Translation Grant, providing $5,000 in flexible, direct support to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
Promising science can stall for ordinary reasons: commuting costs, meals, and everyday financial pressures that make it harder for researchers to stay focused on important work. This award supports researchers directly, with no equity, repayment, or claim on intellectual property. Fulcrum welcome applications from trainee researchers in any scientific field doing work that benefits people beyond the laboratory.
To apply, submit a one-page description covering: (1) your work and your role, (2) why the work matters to you, and (3) what $5,000 would change for you.
Applications are due September 15, 2026.
Learn more and apply: https://fulcrumscience.org/grants/translation/
Questions? Contact:
William Yakah
Fulcrum Science
william@fulcrumscience.org
Join the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy (SNAP)
Scientist Network for Advancing Policy (SNAP) is a non-partisan coalition of early-career scientists, largely graduate students, dedicated to mobilizing for large-scale initiatives and bridging gaps between scientists, their communities, and the general public. Their mission is to inspire and engage fellow scientists by establishing a peer network, developing and sharing resources, and instigating meaningful change.
SNAP is a group of student leaders from 30+ universities and science policy societies around the U.S. who want to support science in effective and tangible ways. These include (1) getting together to strengthen the next-generation science policy community and (2) organizing large-scale initiatives to help connect science with communities and push science policy in the US forward. SNAP is a non-hierarchical group and is structured around these initiatives, which have so far included a national op-ed writing campaign called the McClintock Letters, organizing Congressional visits in over 25 states, an ongoing non-partisan voter information initiative in the 2026 midterms called Stance on Science, and many more.
The link to sign up for our listserv or join as an organizing member is here. SNAP plans to host monthly webinars introducing people to the organization.
NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program (EGFP)
EGFP supports Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) in EPSCoR jurisdictions by providing fellowship funding to support EGFP-eligible students pursuing research-based master’s and/or doctoral degree programs in NSF supported disciplines. EGFP awards will be made to institutions in EPSCoR jurisdictions. Awards will provide three years of stipend and associated cost-of-education allowance for each NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellow. Stipends must be budgeted at the level of $37,000 per year per Fellow and cost-of-education allowances must be budgeted at the level of $16,000 per year per Fellow.
Current EGFP awardees/opportunities can be found: Programs | NSF Education & Training Application | ETAP
There are four ways to learn more about EGFP:
- Review the Solicitation
- Review the Webpage
- For program specific questions contact: EGFP@NSF.GOV.
- EGFP Office Hours
- Designed to spend ~45 discussion the program and how to apply. The last 15 minutes are for Q and A. The same information will be presented at each office hour.
- FAQs. Note that the dates listed here are past tense, however, the information has not changed.
America's Startup
America’s startup is a national collegiate startup competition created to spotlight early-stage business ideas. Undergraduate students enrolled at a US institution are eligible.
More information about America's Startup