URL: https://www.wmkeck.org/research-overview/

Objectives

The W. M. Keck Research Program seeks to benefit humanity by supporting Basic Science Research projects that are distinctive and novel in their approach, question the prevailing paradigm, or have the potential to break open new territory in their field. Grants support pioneering biological and physical science research and engineering, including the development of promising new technologies, instrumentation, or methodologies.

Examples of funded projects can be found on the Keck Foundation’s Grant Abstracts page.

Funding Information

Requests can be $1 to 1.3 million over 3 years. Larger grants will require stronger justification from applicants. No indirect costs are permitted. Institutions are expected to provide in-kind support by waiving indirects.

Eligibility

PIs must be tenure-track faculty or equivalent (normally eligible to submit proposals without exceptional approvals). Past grantees may apply with significantly different projects.

Funding is awarded to projects that fall into one or more of the categories below:

  • High-impact research in basic physical, life, and biomedical sciences, including instrumentation and engineering in service of basic science
  • Pioneering, fundamental discoveries in important and emerging research areas
  • Novel approaches that are distinctive, innovative, field-expanding, and challenge existing paradigms
  • High-risk, high-reward proposals

The Keck Foundation does not fund:

  • Medical devices or bench-to-bedside translational research
  • Projects solely focused on engineering equipment, tools, or materials
  • Engineering for efficiency, optimization or cost reduction
  • Clinical trials, therapies, procedures
  • Drug discovery, development, or delivery
  • Disease biomarker screening
  • Digital twin implementations
  • User facilities or equipment for shared facilities
  • Supplements, renewals, or follow-on funding
  • Resubmissions of declined proposals
  • Conferences or science policy

Internal Selection Process

The internal selection process depends on whether your grants are managed by BU or Boston Medical Center (BMC). Use the steps below to determine this information:

  • Step 1: Open the BUMC Home Institution Finder
  • Step 2: Log in to search the database – search using your last name
  • Step 3: Follow one process:
    • If you see BU or BU-CAMED, follow BU Process below
    • If you see BMC, follow the BMC Process below

BU Process

BU may submit up to 3 applications regardless of the area of science.

Interested applicants should submit the following materials via InfoReady Review by: 9/3/2026

  • Concept Paper (2 pages max) without images/illustrations that addresses the following:
    • Project overview: What are the unique aspects, positioning relative to field, preliminary data, if available
    • Methodologies: What is validated, what is new
    • Key personnel: Why is this the right team
    • Knowledge gap: What is the basic scientific question to be answered
    • Impact: What will ~$1M enable
    • Innovation: How is this distinctive from existing work, especially any recent similar awards by Keck, in what ways does it challenge existing norms
    • Risk: What features of this project are high-risk
    • References/Citations may be included on one additional page
  • Up-to-date CV

As necessary, a faculty review committee will review internal applications and select the institutional nominee(s). Foundation Relations will support applicants to prepare their materials for submission by 12/7/2026. If your primary appointment is BU-CAMED and you have questions about this process or your application, please reach out to Julia Huntsman (jhunts@bu.edu) or Gahyun Yoo (gyoo0818@bu.edu) in the Proposal Development Office.

Do not contact the Foundation directly if you have questions. All inquiries must be submitted through BU’s institutional liaison: Susan Sheng, Assistant Director of Foundation Relations at slsheng@bu.edu.

The Keck Foundation has changed their application process for this cycle. However, you can still view past sample materials from previous successful applications in BU’s Proposal Library.

BMC Process

BMC may submit up to 3 applications.

If you are a BUMC faculty member who works in BMC space or you are a fellow whose faculty advisor is a BMC investigator, please contact the Program Manager of Strategic Research Growth, Carolina Giudice (carolina.giudice@bmc.org) by Friday, August 21 to express interest in this opportunity.

Deadlines

BMC Expression of Interest Due: Friday, August 21, 2026

BU Internal Materials Due: Thursday, September 3, 2026 by 11:59 pm ET

Anticipated Notification Date: Friday, October 9, 2026

External Materials Due: Monday, December 7, 2026

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