Extramural Coordinated Funding


UM Submission Instructions: Mathers Foundation Grant - Fall Cycle 2026

Sponsor:
Mathers Foundation ,Mathers Foundation ,Mathers Foundation
Award Title:
Mathers Foundation Grant - Fall Cycle
Amount:
$700,000
Applicants must enter the total requested budget for three (3) years, which may not exceed $600,000–$700,000, inclusive of up to 10% indirect costs
UM Deadline:
06/21/2026
Sponsor Deadline:
07/17/2026
Description:
NOTE: Institutional Nominations and Applicant Portal Registration due July 17, 2026, by 8 PM EST. LOI due July 31st, 2026, by 8 PM EST.

The Mathers Foundation primarily supports basic science, ideally with potential translational applications. In general, the Mathers Foundation reviewers look for innovative, novel proposals, which have scientific merit with an established published proof of concept, and which may not be fundable at the federal level. Examples of current research areas we support include immunology, microbiome, structural biology, cellular physiology, cancer biology, genetics, genomics, microbiology and infectious diseases, stem cell biology, and neuroscience. The Mathers Foundation does not support research conducted in human subjects and will not fund requests for clinical trials or drug discovery. The Foundation will not support research projects which are considered pre-clinical drug development. Renewal applications for the same or related research will not be accorded priority consideration. It is strongly advised that any re-application for grant renewal consider a new direction based on prior research or emphasize some new potential translational aspects and not merely an extension of previously funded research. Requests for funding previously federally supported research and/or applications pending federal approval will not be accorded priority consideration.
Number of Applicants University is Allowed to submit:
3
Additional Requirements:
Letter of Intent
Sponsor Guidelines:
https://mathersfoundation.org/how-to-apply/ (opens in a new window)
UM Nominations Process:
UPDATE (7/1/2026): The University has confirmed three nominees to submit this cycle, and there are no remaining spots.

This is a first-come, first-served opportunity, and the University is allowed to nominate 3 researchers to submit LOIs. Please contact collabor@umn.edu as soon as possible if you wish to submit a proposal for this opportunity.
Peer Review Coordination:
Research and Innovation Office contact email
Status:
The following PIs are the official UM nominees:
Reena Kartha, Pharmacology,
Drake Williams, Diagnostic and Biological Sciences,
Glenn Lobo, Ophthalmology
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".