Applications Open for the FY27 Research Seed Fund Program

April 2, 2026

 

Dear Research Community,

We are pleased to announce that applications are now officially open for the Climate School’s FY27 Research Seed Fund Program!

The Research Seed Fund Program supports innovative, high-risk research collaborations that align with the Climate School and LDEO’s priorities. The goal is to propel interdisciplinary research that generates significant societal impact and advances the understanding of critical climate, Earth, and society challenges. 

These awards are intended to provide the necessary resources to generate data or insights that enable future, large-scale external grant proposals.

Program Highlights

  • Award Range: $20,000 – $100,000
    • We expect to award approximately 3-5 awards in the range of $50,000-$100,000
    • We expect to award approximately 4-8 awards in the range of $20,000-$49,999
  • Project Duration: Maximum of 12 months, with a start date of September 1, 2026.
  • Eligibility: All Climate School Officers of Research and Officers of Instruction are eligible to apply as PIs. This includes Lamont Research Professors (LRP, LARP), Lamont affiliated DEES Faculty, Associate Research Scientists/Scholars, Postdoctoral Research Scientists/Scholars, and Sr. Staff Associates.
  • Collaborations: We strongly encourage interdisciplinary collaborations across the Climate School and the broader Columbia University community.

How to Apply: Review the Research Seed Fund Program and then fill out the application by May 31, 2026 at 11:59pm EST.  The application includes a one-page project description, two-page additional strategic questions, a detailed budget and justification, and biosketches/C&Ps.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Research at [email protected].

Other Upcoming Opportunities

On April 10, 2026, the Office of Engagement and Impact at the Climate School will open applications for two additional funding opportunities: 

  • Global Impact Lab will invite applications that incubate, accelerate, and scale bold solutions for climate, Earth, and society across Columbia University. Selected teams will receive up to $50k in seed funding across two phases over one year, along with dedicated program support and peer-learning from the Lab's team and network. Selected teams demonstrating highly innovative approaches and strong impact potential have the opportunity to continue in the program and advance to a two-year program with up to $200k in grant funding. Submission deadline is Friday, May 8th.
  • Earth Networks will invite applications for three-year, interdisciplinary working groups that catalyze collaboration across Columbia University to address complex climate, Earth, and society challenges. Selected Networks receive up to $50k in funding along with tailored coordination and implementation support. Submission deadline is Friday, May 1st.

Please stay tuned for more details from their office and reach out to [email protected] with questions or to learn more about the Earth Networks or Global Impact Lab initiatives.

Best regards,

Office of Research