Federal prize competitions and challenges
U.S. federal agencies (Challenge.gov)
Agencies post cash prizes for solutions to defined problems — including behavioural health, caregiving and child welfare challenges. You are paid for the result, so there is no grant to administer.
- Indicative award
- $5k–$500k (total award)Fixed prizes paid on judged results rather than against a budget.
- Timing
- Rolling / openNo specific published date recorded. This funder publishes a cycle rather than a date, and this database does not invent one.Continuous — new challenges post throughout the year with their own closing dates.
- Who can apply
- Master's / undergraduate, Doctoral candidate, Any faculty rank, Practitioner, Community organisation
- Eligibility
- Rules are per-challenge and often require US residency or incorporation. Intellectual property terms vary and deserve reading before entry.
- SSWR clusters
- Special Interest Groups
- Topics
- prize · competition · no grant administration · intellectual property
- Apply at
- https://www.challenge.gov/
- This entry
- Curated by the working group. Written 2026-08-07. The funder link has not yet been machine-checked.
Amounts and dates on this page are indicative and are maintained by people rather than scraped. Funders change ceilings, windows and eligibility without notice; confirm all details at the source above before applying.
Also on the Organizations and Management shelf
- Health services research grantsAgency for Healthcare Research and QualityAmount not published · Several times a year · Feb, Jun, Oct
- Behavioral health services and evaluation grantsSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration$100k–$5M · Periodic calls
- Behavioral health workforce education and trainingHealth Resources and Services Administration$300k–$2M · Annual cycle · Dec, Jan, Feb
- Research Grants on Reducing Inequality and on Improving the Use of Research EvidenceWilliam T. Grant Foundation$100k–$1M · Several times a year · Jan, May, Aug
- Faculty grant programLois and Samuel Silberman Fundup to $50k · Annual cycle
- Grants in aging and serious illness careThe John A. Hartford Foundation$250k–$3M · By invitation