The Welch Foundation supports fundamental chemical research at educational institutions within the state of Texas.
A research grant provides $117,000 per year in funding to support research in chemistry by a full-time regular faculty member with tenure or on tenure-track who serves as principal investigator. Applications are restricted to universities, colleges, or other educational institutions located within the state of Texas and also listed as an educational institution by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
The grantee may use funds for fellowships, scholarships, permanent scientific equipment, expendable scientific items, services, equipment maintenance, publication expenses, and travel according to The Foundation’s guidelines.
Proposals must be submitted through proposalCentral by noon on the last business day of January of each year. See Guidelines and Procedures for instructions for proposalCentral. A link to the ProposalCentral website is provided below.
Welch funds basic chemical science, including:
Organic, inorganic, physical, analytical chemistry
Chemical biology when advancing chemical principles
Materials chemistry with mechanistic focus
Theoretical and computational chemistry
New chemical reactions, catalysis, molecular design
❗ Applications focused primarily on biomedical outcomes, device development, or engineering are not competitive unless they clearly advance chemical knowledge.
Eligibility is limited to:
Universities and research organizations in Texas
Projects showing strong scientific benefit to the Texas research ecosystem
Predictor: Demonstrate clear Texas affiliation, infrastructure, and leadership in chemistry.
Welch heavily values:
High-quality peer-reviewed publications in chemical science
Demonstrated progress from previous funding (if renewal)
PI reputation and upward trajectory in the field
Predictor: Evidence the PI is already moving the field forward in chemistry.
Reviewers seek:
New chemical concepts, molecular mechanisms, or synthetic methodologies
Creative hypotheses with high potential impact
Approaches that shift understanding of key chemical problems
Predictor: Bold ideas backed by rigor are favored over incremental work.
Top proposals include:
2–3 focused aims grounded in chemistry
Clear reasoning + solid preliminary evidence
Feasible timeline with realistic scope
Contingency/risk mitigation strategies
Predictor: Feasibility + impactful direction = strong priority scores.
Welch recognizes the talent pipeline in Texas chemistry:
Undergraduate and graduate student engagement
Mentorship and educational enrichment
Access to unique training opportunities
Predictor: Strong student training plan improves competitiveness.
Preferred:
Access to core chemical instrumentation (NMR, MS, X-ray, microscopy)
Collaborations that strengthen chemical expertise
Institutional support letters and commitments
Predictor: Infrastructure confidence boosts reviewer perception of success likelihood.
Welch likes to fund projects that will:
Lead to substantial future proposals (NSF, DOE, NIH chemistry programs)
Establish Texas as a leader in a strategic chemical subfield
Build lasting research capability and visibility
Predictor: Position research as foundational to future breakthroughs.
Successful proposals are:
Clear, concise, and well-organized
Rich in chemical rationale and figures
Accessible to chemical experts across subdisciplines
Fully compliant with formatting and budgets
Predictor: Persuasive writing can move borderline proposals into a fundable range.
| Predictor | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Pure chemistry focus | Core mission |
| Texas institution affiliation | Eligibility requirement |
| Strong publication record | Execution credibility |
| Innovation in chemical principles | High review priority |
| Feasible, well-structured aims | Likelihood of success |
| Student training | Mission alignment |
| Resources + collaboration strength | Rigor and robustness |
| Long-term research impact | Strategic investment |
| Strong writing | Reviewer enthusiasm |
Applications are restricted to universities, colleges or other educational institutions located within the state of Texas and listed as an educational institution by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. A principal investigator applying for a research grant must be a full-time regular faculty member with tenure or on the tenure track. Any Co-PI must meet the same eligibility standards as the principal investigator. Only one proposal per year may be submitted by a principal investigator. Principal Investigators or CoPrincipal Investigators can hold only one research grant at a time. Welch endowed chair holders are not eligible to apply for a research grant. Faculty in a department which has a Departmental grant are eligible to apply for a research grant. Contact the foundation if clarification is required.
Eligible Countries:
Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Welch Foundation
Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit
Address: PO Box 27944 Houston, TX 77227 713.961.9884
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Jan 31, 2026
Jan 31, 2026
$117,000
Affiliation: Welch Foundation
Address: PO Box 27944 Houston, TX 77227 713.961.9884
Website URL: https://welch1.org/grants-programs/research-grants
Disclaimer:It is mandatory that all applicants carry workplace liability insurance, e.g., https://www.protrip-world-liability.com (Erasmus students use this package and typically costs around 5 € per month - please check) in addition to health insurance when you join any of the onsite Trialect partnered fellowships.