The W. M. Keck Research Program seeks to benefit humanity by supporting Medical Research and Science & Engineering Research projects that are distinctive and novel in their approach, question the prevailing paradigm, or have the potential to break open new territory in their field. Past grants have been awarded to major universities, independent research institutions, and medical schools to support pioneering biological and physical science research and engineering, including the development of promising new technologies, instrumentation or methodologies.  Grants range from $1 million to $5 million and are typically $2 million or less. The Research Program employs a two-phase application process with optional pre-application counseling.  All communication with the Foundation, including submitting applications, proposals and reports must be via the institution’s designated liaison.

The Keck Foundation funds projects that:

• Focus on important and emerging areas of research
• Have potential to develop breakthrough technologies, instrumentation, or methodologies
• Are innovative, distinctive, and interdisciplinary
• Demonstrate a high level of risk due to unconventional approaches or challenge the prevailing paradigm
• Fall outside the mission of public funding agencies
• Have potential for transformative impact such as the founding of a new field of research, enabling of new observations, or altering perception of a previously intractable problem        
• Demonstrate that W. M. Keck Foundation support is essential to the project’s success

Phase 1 Application Deadline: 05/01/2025, 4:30 pm (PT)
Invited Phase 2 Full Proposal Deadline: 08/15/2025, 4:30 (PT)
Link to FOA Here

Institutional Limit: Institutions may submit one Phase I application per grant cycle to each of the applicable grants areas: one (1) proposal to Science and Engineering Research and one (1) to  Medical Research.

Application Information:  For this opportunity only, please submit a one-page Concept Paper with the following subsections: 

• Overview of proposed research emphasizing unique aspects and pilot studies (Explain the potential impact of this project. Why is it timely? What makes this project novel? Is there an inherent risk of failure? If others are pursuing similar/related work, how is this project different?)
• Brief description of key personnel and methodology (Is the timeframe to achieve them reasonable?)
• Brief justification of need for Keck support (Explain why this project cannot be funded by other sources. If this or a related
  project has been declined by another granting organization, indicate which one(s) and their rationale)
• Estimated budget broken down by major categories.

Merit Review Criteria: Internal white papers will be reviewed based on the criteria detailed in the solicitation.