Searchable Funding Databases

Pivot. Sacramento State maintains an institutional subscription to Pivot, which enables researchers to find funding opportunities. Pivot is a searchable database of grants, funding opportunities, scholarships, and calls for papers across all disciplines. You can create a profile, search the database, and set up regular email alerts about opportunities. PIVOT also allows you to search over 3 million user profiles to find future potential collaborators. Users must create a profile to use the tool. Learn more about Pivot and getting started here.

GrantSearch is a program run by AASCU (American Association of State Colleges and Universities), an organization that we are a member of. It contains over 1,500 funding opportunities that support academic activities such as research, education, training, fellowships, program or curriculum development, and/or equipment acquisition. Most programs in GrantSearch are cyclical (funded every year), and the database excludes solicitations that are limited to a specific region, that make fewer than three awards annually, and for which higher education institutions are not eligible to apply or partner. To access GrantSearch, create a user account here. Note: When creating an account, please select the following from the drop down: "California State University, Sacramento" for the institution. Variations on the name will not connect to our institutional account and access will be limited.

Funding Newsletters

Grants Resource Center (GRC) The GRC provides three regular publications to members with federal and private funding opportunity alerts, federal meeting coverage, and successful proposal development strategies and advice. To access GRC's publications, create an individual user account here. Note: GRC resources are for faculty and staff only. When creating an account, for "Institute Name" please select the following from the drop down: California State University, Sacramento. Do not create new variations of the campus’ name as that will block access.

Research Development & Grant Writing News outlines proven strategies that can be used to compete successfully for research and education funding from federal agencies and foundations. This newsletter has been discontinued, effective June 2025, but click here to View Archived Newsletter Issues.

Sacramento State Campus Support

Research and Creative Activity (RCA) Faculty Awards program supports faculty research, scholarly, and creative activity, and faculty contributions to their discipline. All Unit 3 faculty are eligible and encouraged to apply. Next Deadline: December 2025.

Incentive for Developing External Awards (IDEA) provides incentive funds for faculty to seek external funding to kick start their scholarly and/or creative activity. Offered Fall and Spring semester.

University Award for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity for Senior Faculty recognizes tenured and tenure-track faculty who have been at Sacramento State for at least ten academic years and who have, over many years, made significant contributions to a discipline through research, scholarly activity, creative/artistic endeavors, and publications. Next Deadline: February 2027.

University Award for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity for Early Career Faculty honors a Sacramento State faculty member who has made significant contributions in the first ten years of their faculty appointment. Next Deadline: February 2027.

Academically Related Activities (ARA) Student Travel Fund provides funds to students who are presenting papers at scholarly and professional conferences, selected for competition to perform musical or dramatic pieces, or invited by a recognized gallery to exhibit artistic works.

ASI Grants fund on-campus programs that support and serve Sacramento State students.

Faculty Research Fellows Program (FRFP) links the policy research resources of California State University with the policy research needs of the legislative and executive branches of state government. Administered by the Center for California Studies, FRFP distributes over $80,000 annually via RFPs released in the spring based on issues brought forward by policy makers.

Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) grants support educational experiences that supplement activities sponsored by an academic department or discipline.

Pedagogy Enhancement Awards offered through the Center for Teaching and Learning support faculty to improve the quality of teaching and learning at Sacramento State.

Probationary Faculty Development Grant provides funding for 3 units of assigned time for Spring semester to assist probationary and tenure-track faculty members meet the qualifications for retention, tenure, or promotion.

UEI Campus Grant Program funds projects that are innovative, have a demonstrable need and clearly benefit Sacramento State students, faculty and/or staff.

 CSU System Support  

Sac State faculty have successfully worked with the following systemwide affinity groups.

• STEM-NET. ​​​STEM-NET promotes research, community building and innovative educational ideas across the CSU university system and provides students the skills they need to excel in the workforce of the future and meet the needs of California’s innovative and evolving economy.
• CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology COAST promotes research and education to advance our knowledge of marine and coastal resources and the processes that affect them.
• CSUBIOTECH. CSUBIOTECH seeks to develop a professional biotechnology workforce by mobilizing and supporting collaborative CSU student and faculty research, innovating educational practices, and partnering with the life science industry.
• CSU-Water. CSU-WATER seeks to achieve a long-term, sustainable water supply for California through education, research and policy development by harnessing the resources and leadership from within the 23 CSU campuses. We foster academic preparation, applied research and policy development that address all aspects of water use. CSU-WATER serves to focus synergistically with the CSU’s many centers and programs of excellence on water issues.

Want to learn more about other affinity groups in the CSU? Check out the full listing.