US Funding

Start your US funding application with the right institutional support, approvals, and compliance checks

United States (US) funders offer important opportunities for researchers, especially in health and biomedical research, energy, technology, defence-related research, and private foundations. However, US applications often involve specific institutional registrations, submission systems, compliance checks, and internal approvals.

Starting early is particularly important. Specialliy when the project involves human participants, health data, genomic data, biological materials, animal research, AI, dual-use technologies, controlled equipment, or sensitive international collaborations. In such cases, before the University can formally commit to the application or project, the Legal Service, Data Protection Officers (DPOs) or the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Service (KTT) might also need to be involved in order to sort contracts, intellectual property, data sharing, confidentiality, or collaboration agreements.

Institutional Registrations

The University of Fribourg has the required institutional registrations for US funding systems, such as SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, PAMS, eBRAP, or ProposalCentral.

Researchers interested in applying for US funding should contact the Research Promotion Service (SPR), ideally before creating an application, starting a submission, or committing the University in an online system. Researchers should abstain from creating new institutional profiles for the University of Fribourg. In most systems, the University can already be identified as:

Business Name: UNIVERSITE DE FRIBOURG
Doing Business As: UNIVERSITY OF FRIBOURG
Unique Entity ID (UEI): WRPSRNXDDRS5

What the SPR can do for you?

If you are considering applying for any US research fund or you have been invited to participate in a US-led project, don't hesitate to contact the SPR, we can assist you with: 

  • Creation or linking of a researcher user account
  • Verification of eligibility, budget rules, deadlines, and required documents
  • Institutional review, signature, letter of support, budget approval, or compliance statement
  • Early identification of possible compliance issues, including ethics, data protection, export controls, sanctions, dual-use research, and sensitive international collaborations.

Funder-specific Information

The sections below outline key points by funder:

  • NIH – National Institutes of Health

    NIH funding is mainly relevant for health, biomedical, clinical, life-science, public-health, and related research areas.

    Recent changes have made NIH applications involving foreign institutions more complex. For new international collaborations, NIH has introduced the PF5/RF2 structure, replacing the previous model of foreign subawards for many applications.

    Key points for UniFR researchers

    • NIH applications often require institutional registration in SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, and other NIH-related systems.
    • Foreign institutions must meet specific eligibility, reporting, and compliance requirements.
    • For PF5 applications, the US partner submits the overall application, while the foreign institution participates through an International Project Component.
    • If selected for funding, the foreign institution may receive a separate linked RF2 award and become directly responsible for NIH reporting and compliance.
    • Applications must clearly justify why the international collaboration is necessary and how it contributes to US health sciences.
    • NIH-funded projects may require Research Security Training, Other Support disclosure, FCOI procedures, ethics approvals, and additional institutional documentation.

    Researchers planning an NIH application should contact the Research Promotion Service early, especially when the project involves US partners, human data, clinical or biomedical research, biological materials, foreign components, or sensitive collaborations.

  • DoE – Department of Energy

    The US Department of Energy (DOE) funds research in areas such as energy, materials, physics, chemistry, climate, computing, infrastructure, and related technologies.

    DOE applications are usually submitted through Grants.gov in response to a specific Funding Opportunity Announcement. Some DOE Office of Science processes may also involve PAMS, the Portfolio Analysis and Management System.

    Key points for UniFR researchers

    • Researchers must check whether foreign institutions are eligible under the specific Funding Opportunity Announcement.
    • DOE applications may require the University’s SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration.
    • The application package, deadline, eligibility rules, cost-sharing rules, and submission system depend on the specific call.
    • Some DOE-funded projects may involve export controls, controlled technologies, restricted parties, sanctions, cybersecurity, data, or dual-use considerations.
    • Early screening is recommended before committing to a DOE proposal, especially in physics, materials, energy, AI, engineering, or technology-related fields.

    Researchers interested in DOE funding should send the call document or link to the Research Promotion Service for a first eligibility and compliance check.

  • DoD – Department of Defense

    The US Department of Defense (DOD) funds research in areas such as biomedical and military health research, engineering, materials, physics, cybersecurity, AI, energy, sensing technologies, and other strategic research fields.

    DoD funding opportunities may be published through Grants.gov, SAM.gov, specific military research offices, or dedicated portals. In biomedical and health-related research, the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) frequently use a two-step process involving eBRAP and Grants.gov.

    Key points for UniFR researchers

    • Researchers must check whether foreign institutions are eligible under the specific funding opportunity.
    • DoD applications may require the University’s SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration, and in some cases additional portal registration.
    • For CDMRP applications, pre-applications are usually submitted through eBRAP, while full applications are submitted through Grants.gov.
    • DoD-funded projects require early attention to export controls, sanctions, restricted parties, dual-use research, controlled technologies, cybersecurity, and sensitive international collaborations.
    • Particular caution is needed when projects involve defence, security, military health, AI, advanced materials, aerospace, nuclear, biological, chemical, sensing, encryption, or data-intensive research.
    • Researchers should contact the Research Promotion Service before starting a DoD application or committing UniFR to a US partner.
    • Legal Services and other internal units may need to be involved early, especially where the project involves controlled technology, sensitive data, international partners, or security-related research.
  • Private US foundations

    Many US private foundations fund research through their own systems. In biomedical, health, science, and philanthropic research funding, one of the most common portals is ProposalCentral.

    Examples of foundations using ProposalCentral include biomedical and disease-specific funders, research charities, and philanthropic foundations. Requirements vary significantly between funders.

    Key points for UniFR researchers

    • The researcher usually creates their own ProposalCentral account.
    • The University may already need to be selected from the institutional profile in the system.
    • Some applications require an institutional signing official or institutional approval before submission.
    • Funders may request institutional documents, budget approval, tax or legal information, bank details, or compliance assurances.
    • Deadlines in private foundation portals are often strict, and institutional signature may need to be completed before the funder’s deadline.

    Researchers applying through ProposalCentral should contact the Research Promotion Service before the final submission phase, and preferably before starting the budget.

Planning to apply?

If you are considering applying to a US funder or joining a US-led project, please complete our US Funding Pre-assessment Form. The form helps us identify the relevant deadline, submission system, institutional requirements, budget issues, and possible compliance checks at an early stage.

Complete the US Funding Pre-assessment Form

Contact

Matthias Held Efrain Ochoa