Jan 1 - Jul 31
Center Grant Guides: Funding Mechanisms Across Federal Agencies and Foundations (NSF, NIH, DOE, NEH, NEA, and more!)
Extramural Funding
In general, center grants support large-scale, multidisciplinary, and long-term research programs by funding shared resources, specialized infrastructure and specialized facilities, and administrative structures. Unlike individual project grants, center grants foster interdisciplinary collaboration and cooperation among many investigators working on a common theme and/or provide infrastructure that boosts the efficiency of independence projects.
The AVPR Office has created a series of center grant guides (linked below) to assist faculty in interested in pursuing center grants. These will be updated regularly with new information, as it is received. Please contact vprgrants@utah.edu with any questions.
Center Grant - Archetypes Summary
Across U.S. federal agencies and major foundations, “centers” are funded through a small number of recurring structural models, even though naming conventions and rules differ by sponsor. These mechanisms can be grouped into seven archetypes that together cover nearly all center-scale funding programs: Core Infrastructure & Shared Resources Centers; Integrated Research Centers; Translational & Applied Innovation Centers; National Coordinating & Network Centers; Regional & Place-Based Innovation Centers; Field-Building, Workforce, & Capacity-Building Centers; Mission-Anchored, Long-Horizon Centers.
Individual Agency Grants and Examples Last updated: January 2026
Center Grant - Archetypes Summary
Across U.S. federal agencies and major foundations, “centers” are funded through a small number of recurring structural models, even though naming conventions and rules differ by sponsor. These mechanisms can be grouped into seven archetypes that together cover nearly all center-scale funding programs: Core Infrastructure & Shared Resources Centers; Integrated Research Centers; Translational & Applied Innovation Centers; National Coordinating & Network Centers; Regional & Place-Based Innovation Centers; Field-Building, Workforce, & Capacity-Building Centers; Mission-Anchored, Long-Horizon Centers.
Individual Agency Grants and Examples Last updated: January 2026