91ÌƲ®»¢

Applications due Sept. 24, 2026

These instructions are for VU investigators. VUMC investigators should visit the .

91ÌƲ®»¢ University may submit up to three proposals for the .

Overview

The W. M. Keck 91ÌƲ®»¢ Program seeks to benefit humanity by supportingÌýBasic Science 91ÌƲ®»¢Ìýprojects that are distinctive and novel in their approach, question the prevailing paradigm, or have the potential to break open new territory in their field. The program is looking for projects that aim to deliver pioneering and fundamental scientific discoveries in important and emerging areas of research. They fund high-impact research in basic physical, life, and biomedical sciences, including instrumentation development and engineering approaches in service of answering basic scientific questions

The W. M. Keck Foundation 91ÌƲ®»¢ Program supports early-stage, high-risk basic science with the potential to open new fields or rewrite textbooks. They are not a funder of disease-specific research, translational or applied work, optimization of existing techniques, or incremental extensions of established research directions or methods. They welcome work that other funders consider too early, too speculative, or too far from the prevailing paradigm.

Grants are typically awarded for roughly $1,200,000 to $1,300,000 over three years. Indirect costs are not allowed. Abstracts from previously funded proposals can be found .

Program Priorities for Funding

Projects must be consistent with the Keck 91ÌƲ®»¢ Program’s funding priorities:

• High-impact research in basic physical, life, and biomedical sciences, including instrumentation and engineering in service of basic science
• Pioneering, fundamental discoveries in important and emerging research areas
• Novel approaches that are distinctive, innovative, field-expanding, and challenge existing paradigms

The Keck 91ÌƲ®»¢ Program does not fund medical devices; bench-to-bedside translational research; projects solely focused on engineering equipment, tools or materials; engineering for efficiency, optimization, or cost reduction; clinical trials, therapies, or procedures; drug discovery, development, or delivery; disease biomarker screening, or digital twin implementations. See the for more information.

Additional considerations:

Through RDS’s consultations with the W. M. Keck Foundation, we have developed the following set of additional considerations for your reference as you prepare your internal application materials.

Applicants are highly encouraged to review the when developing their internal applications.

• Basic Science Impact: The foundation’s overall funding strategy is to support projects with exceptional basic science impact. Projects proposing development of new devices or instruments are considered, but typically only supported when those devices are connected to large, unanswered basic science problems. Concept papers focused on development of new devices or instruments should address how the device or instrument will answer basic science research questions.
• High-risk and high-impact work: The foundation prefers to fund projects that are too high-risk for federal funding programs. ‘High-risk’ may denote projects that push the edge of a field, leverage novel approaches to address a previously intractable problem, or question prevailing paradigms.
• New, unexplored areas: The foundation is interested in supporting new and unexplored areas of research where few publications currently exist.
• Interdisciplinary 91ÌƲ®»¢: Keck prioritizes projects that are interdisciplinary, unconventional, and transformative.

Internal Application Instructions

Please prepare and submit the following:

1. Two-Page project description which addresses or includes
   1. State of the field and the gap: The current dominant paradigm/prevailing model that your project will test/extend/break. What is the scientific question motivating this work?
   2. Approach: How your work would address your scientific question.
   3. Feasibility: Evidence supporting the feasibility of the proposed work
   4. Summary Budget
2. Five-page CV/Biosketch
3. Required Letter of Support from your department chair/center director acknowledging that indirect costs are not allowed.Ìý

Interested faculty should visit to submit an application for the internal LSO competition and to find additional information about the opportunity. The deadline for the internal competition is Sept.24, 2026.

Any questions about this opportunity or the LSO process may be directed to VU-LSO@vanderbilt.edu.