The Funding Opportunities Group entered its second year this spring, having grown to 130 members. The group was created by the ASA Committee on Funded Research in April 2013 to inform ASA members of funding opportunities from federal agencies and other sources and to provide advice for applying for such funding.

During its first year, most of the 100 messages to the group were for NSF and NIH solicitations, but there also were messages from the Department of Energy, DARPA, IARPA, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Army, National Institute of Justice, and Department of Education. 

To learn how the committee could improve the Funding Opportunities Group, the committee surveyed the membership this spring. The 19 respondents, who were mostly at research universities and within 15 years of completing their PhDs, were satisfied with the frequency and scope of the messages, though they welcomed more information about the application process and scientific interests of funders, as well as advice from program officers and awardees. Most of the respondents (94%) received their research funding information from funders’ websites, but nearly as many (82%) learned about funding opportunities from colleagues.

Each year, the ASA Committee on Funded Research sponsors a JSM meeting during which attendees can hear from agency representatives about funding opportunities or fellow ASA members who have received funding from an agency.

The committee, assisted by ASA Director of Programs Lynn Palmer and Director of Science Policy Steve Pierson, also maintains an external funding resources website, which lists potential sources of funding and Amstat News articles on funding. The Funding Opportunities Group is more dynamic, mentioning specific funding solicitations as the deadlines approach.

To join the Funding Opportunities Group, sign into the ASA Community and search for “Funding Opportunities.” Email Steve Pierson (pierson@amstat.org) with questions about joining the group.