Who funds ageing research?

We count 1,011 funded ageing projects, active between 2018 and 2034, from 9 funders. The most came from EU · ERC (245 projects), EU · MSCA (230 projects) and NIH · NIA (130 projects). The median award is $2.1M, across the 966 of 1,011 projects that list an amount.

Funded projects

1,011

Funders

9

Median award

$2.1M

Open calls now

11

Top funders of ageing research

Projects whose title or summary mentions ageing. Median award: of the projects that list an amount, in US dollars; “—” when fewer than 3 do.

Open ageing funding calls

11 open calls mention ageing today.

• Biotechnology for Healthy Ageing
  European Commission · Horizon Europe · European Innovation Council€500,000 – €4,000,000Deadline: October 28, 2026 ·
• Reliability of age assessment methods in the context of security and border management
  European Commission · Horizon EuropeUp to €1,330,000Deadline: November 5, 2026 ·
• Data Coordinating Center for the Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Brain Atlas (AD-MBA) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedDeadline: November 10, 2026 ·
• Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging (K76 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedDeadline: June 12, 2028 ·
• Grants for Early Medical/Surgical Specialists' Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR) (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
  National Institutes of HealthUp to $125,000Deadline: July 16, 2028 ·
• Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
  Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New AmericansNot specifiedDeadline: October 29, 2026 ·
• New Approaches for Measuring Brain Changes Across Longer Timespans (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedDeadline: May 7, 2027 ·
  Real odds: About 1 in 9 funded (11% · NIH R21 (exploratory/developmental), all NIH institutes, FY2025)
• New Approaches for Measuring Brain Changes Across Longer Timespans (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedDeadline: May 7, 2027 ·
  Real odds: About 1 in 8 funded (13% · NIH R01-equivalent grants, all NIH institutes, FY2025)
• NIA Academic Leadership Career Award (K07 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedDeadline: November 12, 2027 ·
• Stimulating Hematology Investigation: New Endeavors (SHINE) (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedDeadline: January 6, 2028 ·
  Real odds: About 1 in 8 funded (13% · NIH R01-equivalent grants, all NIH institutes, FY2025)
• Early-Onset Cancers: Investigating Etiology, Mechanisms, and Early Detection Strategies (RP1 Clinical Trials Optional)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedDeadline: October 11, 2029 ·

Real odds

• About 1 in 9 funded · 11% · NIH R21 (exploratory/developmental), all NIH institutes, FY2025 · NIH Data Book, report 202
• About 1 in 8 funded · 13% · NIH R01-equivalent grants, all NIH institutes, FY2025 · NIH Data Book, report 29

Published success rates for the programs behind the open calls above: the share of applications the funder funded, program-wide, not for this topic.

Forecast: announced, not open yet

16 forecast calls on ageing. Funders publish forecasts before a call opens; you can't apply to these yet, and dates can change.

• ForecastAlzheimer's Disease Programs Initiative (ADPI) - Developing Dementia-Capable Community Health Worker Programs in the National Aging Network
  Administration for Community Living$200,000 – $250,000Expected to open March 4, 2027
• ForecastThe NIA Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Data Storage Site (NIAGADS)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedExpected to open September 1, 2026
• ForecastCDC National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPCs): Rigorous Evaluation of Prevention Approaches to Prevent and Reduce Youth Violence
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERAUp to $1,200,000Expected to open October 1, 2026
• ForecastExpanded Surveillance for Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA$850,000 – $1,140,000Expected to open October 30, 2026
• ForecastChildren's Mental Health Initiative
  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdminisNot specifiedExpected to open December 15, 2026
• ForecastHuman Trafficking Youth Prevention Education (HTYPE) Demonstration Program
  Administration for Children and Families-IOAS-OTIP$350,000 – $400,000Expected to open January 9, 2027
• ForecastSupporting Community Application of Life-Saving Evidence to Prevent Injury and Violence (SCALE)
  Centers for Disease Control - NCIPCNot specifiedExpected to open February 5, 2027
• ForecastContinuation of the Exceptional Longevity Data Management and Coordinating Center (EL DMCC) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
  National Institutes of HealthNot specifiedExpected to open February 8, 2027

Funded ageing projects

A sample, latest start first, at most three per program.

• Strengthening Adolescent Resilience to Improve Sexual and reproductive hEalth (ARISE) Uganda
  Wellcome · £3,385,545 · ends 2034
• unlock:epi: unlocking the epigenome to understand, detect and modify age- related disease formation
  Wellcome · £2,883,693 · ends 2034
• Harnessing Comparative Genomics to Uncover the Principles of Somatic Evolution and Healthy Ageing
  Wellcome · £1,252,960 · ends 2034
• MRC CoRE in Restorative Immunology
  UKRI · MRC · £21,647,682 · ends 2033
• MWCCS Northwestern University MORE: Multi-omics for HIV/AIDS Aging Research
  NIH · NHLBI · $3,177,306 · ends 2032
• Miami MACS-WIHS Combined Cohort Study Clinical Research Site
  NIH · NHLBI · $3,131,404 · ends 2032
• MWCCS UAB/UMMC Clinical Research Site
  NIH · NHLBI · $3,315,025 · ends 2032
• Impact of Amyloid and Tau on the Aging Brain: The Harvard Aging Brain Study
  NIH · NIA · $4,832,454 · ends 2031
• Healthy Aging and Senile Dementia
  NIH · NIA · $6,374,287 · ends 2031
• Cognition & Hippocampal/Cortical Systems in Aging
  NIH · NIA · $3,501,771 · ends 2031

How we count

Funded projects come from public award records (NIH RePORTER, NSF, EU CORDIS, UKRI Gateway to Research, Wellcome, the Gates Foundation, DOE, NASA and USDA NIFA) whose title or summary matches “aging or ageing”. NIH lists each budget year separately; one project counts once. Amounts are as the funder lists them; medians use only projects that list one, in US dollars. Open calls and forecasts are from our listings of October 28, 2026. A project can mention a topic without being mainly about it, so treat the counts as a guide to who funds the area.