/Office for Research and Innovation
Proposal Development

 

American Chemical Society (ACS) Graduate Student Success Grant

ACS Graduate Student Success Grant PORTAL

All applications for this internal competition must be submitted via InfoReady. You can sign in using your Net-ID and your @stonybrook.edu email address. Please allow sufficient time to familiarize yourself with the portal prior to submitting your pre-application. Pre-application requirements are listed in the announcement below.

The Office for Research and Innovation invites applications for the American Chemical Society (ACS) Graduate Student Success Grant program, which support graduate students (M.S. and Ph.D.), within one year of degree completion, whose education and training have been disrupted by any unforeseen circumstance that puts degree completion at risk, including funding lapses, project changes, or lab transitions. Stony Brook University can submit ONE application to this program. 

Please see below for details. If you are interested in applying, you must submit a pre-application via the ACS Graduate Student Success Grant Portal in InfoReady by Monday, September 14, 2026 at 12 pm. Pre-applications for internal review and selection must be uploaded to the portal as a single PDF document.

KEYWORDS: Chemistry, Chemical Sciences, Graduate Student Support

WHAT DOES IT FUND: The ACS Graduate Student Success Grant provides $25,000 for one year to a faculty member who has experienced any unforeseen circumstance that puts one or more graduate students' degree completion at risk. The award will also connect supported graduate students to ACS career development resources and programming to catalyze their transition into the workforce. The grant seeks to lower the risk of a declining number of U.S.-trained chemists with advanced degrees, thereby preserving the strength and continuity of the scientific community. 

Unforeseen circumstances are unexpected events that could jeopardize a student's ability to complete their degree. Examples include, but are not limited to: Funding lapses, delays, or interruptions; Project changes or project termination; Advisor departure or changes; Lab closures or transitions; Other unexpected circumstances. For questions about eligibility or specific situations, contact service@acs.org.

The ACS Graduate Student Success Grant program supports individuals across a broad range of disciplines within the chemical sciences. Typical departments that host these individuals may include, but are not limited to, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Geochemistry, Environmental Geosciences, Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Chemistry, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Polymer Science and Engineering, and Chemical Engineering.

Grant funds must be used to exclusively support M.S. and Ph.D. students who are within one year of degree completion and need financial assistance. This grant supports currently enrolled graduate students who conduct research related to the chemical sciences. Each award includes a complimentary ACS membership to support graduate students who are not ACS members. 

Graduate students who are expected to complete their M.S. or Ph.D. degree on or before October 2, 2027, are eligible to be supported by this grant. For example, if a student is projected to graduate in Spring/Summer 2027, they would meet the eligibility criteria. If a student is projected to graduate in Spring 2028, they would not meet the eligibility criteria. 

ALLOWABLE EXPENSES: Student stipend/salaries, benefits to maintain graduate student status (e.g., health insurance). 

THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT FUND: indirect costs, tuition, supplies, publication costs, conference registration, or travel expenses.  

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS: The PI must:

  • Conduct research at a chemical science department (see above)
  • Be an active member of the American Chemical Society
  • Be the primary faculty advisor of the graduate student(s) receiving support  
  • Have experienced any unforeseen circumstance/challenge impacting one or more graduate students' (M.S. or Ph.D.) degree completion 
  • Have consulted with their department chair prior to submitting a pre-application
  • Use the grant to support currently enrolled graduate students (M.S. or Ph.D.) who are within one year of degree completion by the submission deadline (October 2, 2026) and whose degree completion is at risk due to an unforeseen challenge 

The award will be granted regardless of race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, presence of disabilities, and educational background. U.S. citizenship is not a requirement for this grant. 

AWARD: $25,000 for one year. Grant funds will be awarded by December 31, 2026, and funds must be used by October 31, 2027. 

COST SHARE: Not required

SPONSOR DEADLINE: October 2, 2026. Successful applicants will be notified by October 15, 2026. Award acceptance and submission of institutional financial information must be completed by October 31, 2026. 

 

A complete pre-application should comprise of the following:
  • Description (no more than 1 page) that includes:
    • PI name, title, and department
    • Each student’s full name, email, graduate program type (M.S. or Ph.D.), and expected graduation date
    • Brief explanation of the PI’s unforeseen circumstance/challenge which led to funding loss, and how the funding loss has impacted the student’s or students’ degree completion
    • Amount requested and brief description of how the requested funding is intended to support the graduate student(s) in completing their education and/or training
    • Brief description of what other ways the PI could ensure the student’s or students’ degree completion if they do not receive the grant OR explanation of why the PI cannot ensure the student’s or students’ degree completion if they do not receive the grant.
  • Confirmation of PI’s active ACS membership in the form of the PI’s valid ACS membership number. To join or verify membership status, please visit ACS Membership Information or contact service@acs.org. 
  • PI's CV/Biosketch
Internal Review Criteria: ACS will review applications based on the eligibility criteria. Therefore internal review will evaluate pre-applications based on the following:
  • Program Fit: How well does this application fit the grant objective of lowering the risk of a declining number of U.S.-trained chemists with advanced degrees?
  • Need Justification: How well does the PI adequately justify the need for the funding, given how the PI’s unforeseen circumstance has jeopardized the student's ability to complete their degree?
  • Support Justification: How well does the PI adequately explain how the requested funding is intended to support the graduate student(s) in completing their education and/or training?