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Internal Funding Opportunities and Awards

This page is intended for use by Cal Poly Engineering Faculty to be aware of annual University and College of Engineering faculty funding opportunities and awards. Items without a specific due date list the month when the deadline has come around in the past. Some funding and awards are intended for students and/or staff, but faculty should be aware of these as many faculty serve as advisors for student projects and work with award-deserving students and staff. Also, for student scholarships, please direct students to login to the Cal Poly portal and click on the Cal Poly Scholarships link. They can fill out the application to become eligible for a wide range of scholarships and can check the box "Interested in applying for CSU Systemwide Scholarships" to fill out another application for CSU wide scholarships.

If you have any questions/comments about this page, please contact:
Bridget Benson, Associate Dean of Research and Assessment,
at bbenson@calpoly.edu

🟩 – Undergraduates
🟧 – Graduates 
🟦 – Lecturers 
🟨 – Tenure Track 
πŸŸͺ – Tenured 
πŸŸ₯ – Staff

Project/Research Opportunities
NAME DEADLINE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ELIGIBILITY
Student Engagement Grant 2 weeks prior to proposed event 0.5K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦 πŸŸ₯ 🟩 🟧
CENG Undergraduate Research Travel Grant end of each Month 0.5K 🟩
Graduate Education Funding Opportunities rolling various 🟧
Student Professional Development Grant rolling 2.5K 🟩 🟧
Student Groups and Organization Crowdfunding end of most months 3K 🟩 🟧
Cal Poly Student Success Mini-Grant Program - Student Application rolling 1.5K 🟩 🟧
Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) 09/25/2026 18K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦 πŸŸ₯ 🟩 🟧
BEACON Research Mentoring Program - Student Application 10/05/2026 4K 🟩 🟧
Office of Research New Initiatives / RSCA - Research Scholarly and Creative Activities 10/08/2026 28K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦
Office of Research Continuing Initiatives / TSMG -Teacher-Scholar Mini-Grant 10/08/2026 10K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦
Office of Research Proposal Development Program 10/08/2026 3 WTUs πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦
Instructionally Related Activity (IRA) - NEW 10/09/2026 various πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦 πŸŸ₯
CSU Agricultural Research Initiative System Funding (ARI) 10/09/2026 150K πŸŸͺ 🟨
Cal Poly Student Success Mini-Grant Program - Faculty/Staff Application 10/11/2026 5K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦 πŸŸ₯ 
CSU Agricultural Research Initiative Campus Funding (ARI) 10/28/2026 150K πŸŸͺ 🟨
Change the World Challenge November TBD 🟩 🟧
Instructionally Related Activity (IRA) - RENEWAL 12/01/2026 various πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦 πŸŸ₯
Baker Koob Endowment December 5K 🟩 🟧
Noyce School of Applied Computing Call for Proposals December 40K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦
CSU Student Research Competition (internal deadline) January 0.5K 🟩 🟧
CSU STEM-NET Fellow February 5K + WTUs πŸŸͺ 🟨
EPIC Summer Labs February various πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦
SURP - Summer Undergraduate Research Program : Faculty Application  February 1.5K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦
EPIC+SURP: Engineering Education Research February 1.5K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦
The Green Initiative Fund March 5K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦 πŸŸ₯ 🟩 🟧
Innovation Quest  March 15K 🟧 🟩
CIE Summer Accelerator April 10K 🟩 🟧
Lockheed Endowed Professorship April 30K πŸŸͺ 🟨
SURP - Summer Undergraduate Research Program: Student application April 3.5K 🟩
CET - Center for Expressive Technologies May 5K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦 πŸŸ₯
BEACON Research Mentoring Program - Faculty Application July 2K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦
University and College Level Awards
NAME DEADLINE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ELIGIBILITY
Cal Poly Distinguished Teaching Award  09/30/2026 2K πŸŸͺ
Student Passport Scholarship- Priority Deadline 11/13/2026 165 🟧 🟩
Cal Poly Distinguished Scholarship Award November 2K πŸŸͺ
Student Passport Scholarship- Final Deadline 12/11/2026 165 🟧 🟩
Cal Poly Outstanding Staff Award February 2K πŸŸ₯
Cal Poly Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award March 2K πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦
Cal Poly Sustainability Awards March 0.5K 🟨 🟦 πŸŸͺ 🟧 πŸŸ₯ 🟩
Provost Leadership Award for Partnership in Philanthropy May TBD πŸŸͺ 🟨 🟦
Cal Poly Learn by Doing Good Awards May Various 🟨 🟦 πŸŸͺ 🟧 πŸŸ₯ 🟩
Cal Poly Institutional Excellence Awards April 0.5K-1K 🟨 🟦 πŸŸͺ 🟧 πŸŸ₯ 🟩
Cal Poly Academic Excellence – internal nominations April TBD 🟧 🟩
Cal Poly Outstanding Graduate Student – internal nominations April TBD 🟧
Contributions to the Objectives and Public Image of the College April 0.25K 🟩
Contributions to the Objectives and Public Image of the University April 0.25K 🟩
Service to the Community April 0.25K 🟩
CENG Outstanding Staff Award – nominated by CENG Council May TBD πŸŸ₯
CENG Faculty/Staff Inclusive Excellence Award May TBD 🟨 🟦 πŸŸͺ 🟧 πŸŸ₯ 🟩
CENG Faculty/Staff Safety Award  May TBD 🟨 🟦 πŸŸͺ πŸŸ₯
CENG Student Inclusive Excellence Award May TBD 🟧 🟩
CENG Student Safety Award  May TBD 🟧 🟩
CENG Outstanding Teaching Award May TBD 🟨 🟦 πŸŸͺ
CENG Early Career Outstanding Scholar Award May TBD 🟨
CENG Professional Growth Advocate Award May TBD 🟨 🟦 πŸŸͺ πŸŸ₯
CENG Change Agent Award May TBD 🟨 🟦 πŸŸͺ πŸŸ₯