Research Seed Grant

The Research Seed Grant gives investigators around the world the chance to define objectives and test hypotheses in preparation for larger grant applications at corporations, foundations and government agencies. The seed data from the projects we fund will give investigators a better idea of feasibility and directionality of research before applying for more funds from other sources.

Application cycle open

We are currently accepting applications for the 2026–27 Research Seed Grant!

Application deadline: Jan. 23, 2026

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Award amount

Grant recipients receive up to $60,000 for a one-year project to be used as support for the preliminary or pilot phase of that project. Funds may not be used to supplement previously-secured major funding.

Nature of projects and focus areas

Beginning with the 2026 grant cycle, the R&E Foundation is excited to introduce a new priority focus areas funding initiative, designed to support transformative research in cutting-edge, underfunded and high-impact disciplines as identified by the Board of Trustees. These areas represent opportunities for innovation and advancement in radiology and are a strategic focus for the Foundation moving forward.

2026 approved priority areas include:

• Precision medicine: Theranostics
• Imaging in vulnerable populations
• Efficiencies in radiology and opportunities for improvement
• Personalized care in pediatric imaging
• Cybersecurity in radiology departments
• Increasing access and efficiency: Doing more with less

While these priority areas are encouraged, the Foundation remains committed to supporting early-career radiologist and will continue to accept investigator-initiated proposals across the full spectrum of radiologic science. Projects that advance imaging science, develop or evaluate medical imaging technologies, or apply imaging in innovative ways to address important biological or clinical questions are always welcome.

Learn more

This grant mechanism will be open to all levels of radiologic investigators, with an established academic appointment.

Applications should describe the unique nature of the research effort independent of existing research efforts. Greater emphasis will be placed on the likelihood of this research to attract future funding given the nature and extent of the preliminary data collected within the cycle of the grant.

Eligibility

Any investigator from anywhere in the world with an academic appointment may apply for this grant, as long as you are an RSNA member. If you’re a non dues-paying member, your scientific advisor or your co-investigator must be a dues-paying member. You must also meet the following criteria:

All applicants

• You must hold a full-time faculty position in a radiology, radiation oncology or nuclear medicine department at an educational institution.
  • If you aren’t currently a full-time faculty member, but will be by the time funding starts, a letter from the department chair must be included in your application.
• You cannot have been a principal investigator on a grant or contract totaling more than $60,000 in a single year. This includes single and combined grants and contracts from government, private and commercial sources.
• You and your principal investigators cannot be employed by any for-profit, commercial company in the radiologic sciences.
• You cannot submit more than one grant application to the RSNA R&E Foundation a year and cannot have a concurrent RSNA grant.
• Funding from other grant sources must be approved by foundation staff if it wasn’t described in the original research plan.

North American applicants

You must have completed advanced training and be certified by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or are on track for certification.

International applicants

You must have completed advanced training and be certified by the radiology board in your country.

Additional information and instructions

For more detailed information, including application instructions, please review this grant's policies and procedures (PDF).

Applicant resources

We’re here to help you succeed. Check out our grant writing workshops, research and development guides and application process FAQs.

Current recipients

To view additional recipients from prior years, please use our online grant and award recipient search tool.