Open call: The Dana Foundation – Pilot Projects in Neuroscience and Society

Apr 24, 2026 | Awards & Funding, Faculty, Research, Uncategorized

To: Science Faculty and Researchers
From: Office of Foundation Relations
Subject: Funding Opportunity

The Office of Foundation Relations is pleased to share this open call for letters of interest from The Dana Foundation.  

 

Overview: 

The Dana Foundation is leading efforts to build the emerging and critical field of neuroscience and society, which bridges the gap between research in the lab and the interdisciplinary skills needed to use it to improve people’s lives. The foundation strives to foster collaboration between students, neuroscience and society scholars, funders, policymakers, professionals, and communities in pursuit of advancing knowledge and co-creating neuroscience-informed solutions to complex societal problems.

See a list of current Neuroscience & Society grants here.

 

Award Amount & Terms

Applicants may request up to $150,000 in funding for projects over a period of up to 18 months.

View the LOI Guidelines for details. The maximum length for an LOI is three pages. To submit, please visit the application page.

  • Grants are organized around three program areas—Dana Education, Dana NextGen, and Dana Frontiers—that support education, training, and public engagement on neuroscience and society issues.
  • Letters of interest must identify the Dana Foundation program to which you are applying and address how the proposed project aligns with that program’s goal and objectives. Visit the Dana Foundation’s “Our Work” page.
  • Letters of interest also must indicate how the proposed project aligns with the Dana Foundation’s values.

 

Please see a list of FAQs for Grant Seekers.

 

Timeline:

LOI Deadline: May 22, 2026

 

Special Instructions:

Please notify the Office of Foundation Relations if you are interested in applying to this opportunity (fr@ucsc.edu). For support developing your proposal, please send a request to the Office of Research Development, resdev@ucsc.edu. Within the Division of Social Sciences, please contact Ashlee Tews (ashleeac@ucsc.edu) to initiate notification and proposal support.

 

Call sent: April 24, 2026

The Office of Foundation Relations is a unit of University Advancement. The FR team creates and maintains mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with private organizations, matching grant initiatives with educational and research programs and centers. FR supports faculty and staff to identify and approach these and other private foundations for funding, to assist in strategic positioning of the grant application, and to facilitate funder campus visits. For a list of recent funding opportunities, please visit the FR website: FR Calls for Funding.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact forde@ucsc.edu
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