Extramural Coordinated Funding


UM Submission Instructions: W. M. Keck Foundation Research Program (December Deadline) 2027

Sponsor:
W. M. Keck Foundation
Award Title:
W. M. Keck Foundation Research Program (December Deadline)
Amount:
$1M
Typical awards: $1m–$1.3m over 3 years
UM Deadline:
09/10/2026
Sponsor Deadline:
12/07/2026
Description:
From the funder: The W. M. Keck Foundation Research Program supports early-stage, high-risk basic science with the potential to open new fields or rewrite textbooks. We 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. We welcome work that other funders consider too early, too speculative, or too far from the prevailing paradigm. We do not require evidence that a federal agency has declined funding for the proposed work, nor do we require preliminary data. Up to three applications may be submitted per institution per cycle. We strongly recommend submitted projects be drawn from a diverse background of science.

From RIO/UMF: The W. M. Keck Foundation Research Grants are highly competitive, and this year they are debuting a single phase application process. If you are selected as one of the University's official nominees, you are required to submit a full proposal to Keck. Please take all of the eligibility criteria and the lengthy application into consideration before submitting an internal submission for this Limited Submission Opportunity.
Number of Applicants University is Allowed to submit:
3
Additional Requirements:
None
Sponsor Guidelines:
https://www.wmkeck.org/research-overview/#overview (opens in a new window)
UM Nominations Process:

Internal Submission Requirements

Step One: Expression of Interest (Highly encouraged)

RIO kindly requests that all interested PIs email collabor@umn.edu to express their intent to submit an internal application by or before 9/10/2026.

In your email, please include:

  • Nominee's name, department, the year they received their PhD, and date of first tenure track appointment.
  • List of 3-5 names of possible UMN reviewers (NOT References) (with no Conflicts of Interest)
  • 5 keywords to be used as search terms for possible reviewers.

Providing this information in advance of the internal deadline, especially your list of potential reviewers, allows our office to begin recruiting the review committee and expedites the overall review process.

Step Two: Internal Submission (Required)

Those interested in applying should submit the following preproposal materials as a single pdf document to collabor@umn.edu no later than 4pm on 9/10/2026:

Please use this Keck Internal Concept Paper Template.
  • Cover page including: nominee's name, department, contact info, title and abstract of the project.
  • List of 3-5 names of possible UMN reviewers (NOT References) (with no Conflicts of Interest)
  • Research/program proposal (3 pages). Provide an overview of the specific areas of research you would like to carry out in your laboratory in the next few years. Please explain why the work is particularly novel and important. Figures and references need not be included in the character limit, but should be kept to a minimum.
  • Abbreviated CV of nominee (3 pages)

Any questions can be sent to Wolfe Molitor (molit005@umn.edu) and RIO (collabor@umn.edu).
Peer Review Coordination:
Research and Innovation Office contact email
Status:
Open
Please note:
To be considered for peer review and internal selection, faculty must follow the above submission guidelines and meet the UM deadline as set by the office coordinating the peer review for this opportunity.

General Information


  • Each posting has information about the external sponsor and opportunity as well as the internal application instructions.
  • Opportunities can be sorted by column headings; just click on the heading to re-sort by that column.
  • When a link redirects you to another site, it opens in a new browser window.
  • If you know of an opportunity that is not on the list, please contact Kristin Mead.

Internal Requirements


  • Sponsor: Name of funder.
  • Award Title: Funding opportunity nameAmount: Range/Maximum dollar amount awarded.
  • UMN Deadline: Submission deadline for internal proposal as determined by the coordinating office.
  • Sponsor Deadline: External deadline identified by the sponsor.
  • Description: General information about the sponsor and the funding opportunity. Usually describes the purpose of the funding opportunity, overview of what the sponsor is looking for, including distinctive criteria. This is not meant to take the place of the sponsor guidelines; please read the sponsor guidelines before deciding to apply.
  • Number of Applicants University is Allowed to Submit: The maximum number of applications the sponsor will allow the university to submit.
  • Additional Requirements: Identifies any special requirements such as cost sharing, partners, etc.
  • Sponsor Guidelines: Link to the sponsor’s funding opportunity website.
  • UMN Nominations Process: Contains specific internal submission requirements including internal proposal instructions, deadline, eligibility, internal nomination process, contact information.
  • Peer Review Coordination: The name and contact email of the office coordinating the funding opportunity. RIO coordinates most limited submissions, but opportunities coordinated by other offices or programs are also posted on this webpage.
  • Status:
    • Open: UM deadline has not passed and the opportunity is open for application.
    • Forecasted: The funder has not yet formally published the opportunity. The deadline has yet to be determined.
    • Archived: The opportunity has been archived by the funder.
    • Spots Remaining: UMN deadline has passed, with some applicant spots still available. Contact collabor@umn.edu if interested
    • First-Come, First-Served: Applicants accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact collabor@umn.edu if interested
    • Contact Us: The internal deadline has passed, but no applicants were selected. Please contact the office coordinating the peer review for more information.
    • In Review: Peer review process is in progress for the opportunity.
    • PI Selected: The PI(s) have been selected as the official UMN nominees.
    • Closed: UMN is no longer accepting applications.

UMN Selection Process


  • Once the internal deadline has passed, if the number of applicants is less than or equal to the number of spots the university is allowed to send forward, the applicants automatically become the UMN nominee(s).
  • If the status of an opportunity is "First-Come, First-Served", there was not time to hold an internal review. Applicants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • If there are no applicants, the status will change to "Contact Us". At this point, the opportunity changes to a first-come, first-served opportunity.
  • If there are multiple applicants, the office coordinating the nomination will determine the review criteria and coordinate the review process. The status will change to "In Review".
  • Once the review has been completed all parties will be notified via email.
  • Nominees will be provided with an email from RIO (or the designated coordinating office) indicating that they are the university's nominee. This letter should accompany the nominee's proposal.
  • SPA is notified of the university's nominee(s) and the status is updated to "PI(s) Selected".