OVERVIEW: The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is one of the wealthiest foundations in the United States. It funds biomedical and related research by supporting individual researchers with substantial long-term funding. It has recently broadened its scope to support science education and media.
IP TAKE: HHMI is best known for supporting rising stars in biology and related disciplines with generous, long-term funding; more than 30 HHMI award winners have gone on to win the Nobel Prize. While it continues to run these vital research programs. While the early 2020s saw the institute branch out to support equitable and inclusive STEM education and graduate research programs, it has backed away from some of these commitments. A program for “early career faculty committed to creating lab environments in which everyone can thrive” and a higher education program that aims to “prepare all interested students for advanced study and careers in science” remain on its roster.
This is an accessible and approachable funder. It accepts applications for most of its awards and fellowships, providing guidelines and contact information on each of its program pages. Signature programs that don’t make grants usually provide opportunities for sharing and collaboration. Not all programs run annually, however. Sign up for email updates at the bottom of the website.
PROFILE: The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) was established in 1953 by the aviator and industrialist Howard Hughes. Its mission is to advance “the discovery and sharing of scientific knowledge to benefit us all.” According to its website, it is “the largest private nonprofit supporter of science education and life science research in the United States.” In its earliest years, the institute focused more stringently on medical and scientific research, but more recently, support has broadened to include funding for STEM education, especially at the graduate level. In addition to its funding programs, the institute runs the Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, which serves as a hub for HHMI researchers, conferences and other events, and a Science Education and Media program that provides resources to science educator and oversees Tangled Bank Studios, which “crafts powerful science stories that inspire and inform audiences of all ages.”
Grants for Scientific Research and STEM Education
HHMI runs funding programs and opportunities for research and education and provides support to scientists at every stage of their careers, from graduate school through senior faculty levels. While programs have traditionally been designated as supporting either research or education, there is overlap between the two, as programs may involve student involvement in faculty research.
HHMI’s Investigator Program supports “research that radically changes our understanding of how biology works.” The program supports established PhDs and MDs who hold tenure track positions and who “have a track record of peer-reviewed funding.”
- Past recipients span various sub-disciplines of biology, biochemistry, genetics, neuroscience and virology. Profiles of past investigators are linked to the program page.
- Investigators are “appointed to a seven-year renewable term” and “become employees of HHMI,” receiving additional salary and benefits of up to $11 million over a seven-year period.
- This program is not currently accepting applications. Check back for updates about the next grantmaking cycle
- The Freeman-Habrowski Scholars Program targets “outstanding early career faculty committed to creating lab environments in which everyone can thrive.”
- Launched in 2022, this program appears to run every other year and accepts applications from Ph.Ds and/or MDs who hold or have accepted tenure-track positions at an eligible institution.
- Candidates’ research may be “in any area of basic biomedical science, as well as plant biology, evolutionary biology, biophysics, chemical biology, biomedical engineering, and/or computational biology.”
- This program appoints scholars for an initial five-year term and often renews appointments for a second five years after progress evaluations.
- Funding may total $8.6 million over ten years. Information about eligibility, application procedures, FAQs and past scholars is linked to the program page.
The Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program supports “early career scientists” with a focus on “equipping them to recruit, mentor, and inspire future generations.” This program runs annually and welcomes applications from scientists engaged in postdoctoral research “led by a tenured or tenure track faculty member” at one of HHMIs eligible institutions. A list of relevant scientific disciplines is also linked to the program page.
- This award consists of two separate terms. The first term spans two to four years of postdoctoral training, during which recipients receive a salary of $80,000 for the first year and an annual $20,000 allowance for expenses. The second term of the award spans the first two to four years of faculty appointment, during which fellows earn a salary of $250,000 and an annual $20,000 expense allowance.
- Applications are usually due in late February, with finalists notified in September and decisions announced in October. See the program page for detailed information about eligibility, guidelines, FAQs and former fellows.
The Gilliam Fellows Program consists of “paired awards to graduate students and their thesis advisers who, together, are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in science.” The program aims to nurture graduate students as future leaders of “more inclusive scientific ecosystem” and support their advisors with opportunities “to enhance their mentorship skills and act as change-makers to develop more inclusive and healthy scientific training environments.”
- This program typically accepts applications from students who are in their second or third year of a PhD program and their advisors.
- Detailed information about eligibility, application procedures and FAQs are linked to the program page when the application window opens.
- The program is not accepting applications at this time. Check back for updates about future funding.
The Science Education Alliance (SEA) helps faculty at two- and four-year colleges to “to scale student access to high-impact educational experiences” in science education. Specifically, this program aims “to embed research as a fundamental component of early undergraduate science curricula.” This program appears to change focus from time to time, although not every year.
- A recent iteration of SEA involved a two-semester program though which students worked to “uncover the genetic diversity and evolution of bacteriophages.” The program provided participating instructor training, on-line resources, technical support, course materials and opportunities to participate in an annual SEA Symposium and sponsored faculty meetings.
- This annual program accepts applications from two- and four-year colleges with due dates usually falling at the end of October.
- Submit questions about this opportunity to SEA@hhmi.org.
- Success in Science provides colleges and universities with grants of $2.7 million over five years to “implement student-centered science education activities.” This program aims to broadly impact all science students at selected schools through programs that “improve the undergraduate science experience to prepare all interested students for advanced study and careers in science.”
- Participating faculty members participate in career development events run by HHMI.
- The program has supported public and private schools of every size, including American University, Illinois State University, Dartmouth College, Tufts University, the University of Utah and several others.
- Representatives from schools interested in participating in this program may contact HHMI via email at SuccessInScience@hhmi.org.
Important Grant Details:
HHMI’s grants can range from $10,000 to about $3 million. Grants are usually awarded in amounts specified by each program.
- Many of this funder’s awards go to individual researchers who are paid salaries through HHMI vehicles including the Janelia Research Campus.
- HHMIs education funding reaches hundreds of colleges and universities across the U.S.
- While HHMI generally accepts applications for its awards and links guidelines and materials to its program pages. However, not every program runs annually. Check relevant program pages periodically for updates on application windows and due dates.
- The institute’s newest area of engagement, Film & Media, does not make grants per se but presents opportunities for collaboration and support for educators and others in the area of science education and public outreach.
- Grantmaking and engagement are national in scope.
- Information about past recipients is generally available at each program page.
- This funder provides contact information for individual programs on its program pages. For general inquiries, use the institutes contact page.
- Sign up for email updates at the bottom of the website.
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