FAQs

Our team seeks out researchers pursuing early-stage, high-risk hypotheses that address everything from basic-science questions to pressing problems facing the planet. We sow the seeds of these ideas into what we believe to be the most fertile soil—a vibrant, interdisciplinary global community, equipped with the most advanced technology, where scientists can follow their curiosity—with the goal of nurturing new ways to conduct science and growing a forest of knowledge and solutions for the world.

Founded in 2024, Schmidt Sciences brings together the science-focused efforts of Eric and Wendy Schmidt, whose philanthropy works toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. We prioritize research in five centers poised for revolutionary impact:

• AI and Advanced Computing
• Astrophysics and Space
• Biosciences
• Climate
• Science Systems

Schmidt Sciences uses the following policy for any contribution or funding it recommends from any source:

We require all awardees, unless otherwise agreed to in the terms of the award agreement, to refrain from using award funds to pay for any indirect costs, and there shall be no allocation of indirect costs to an award, in each case, unless expressly agreed in writing in the agreement to permit the award to be spent on indirect costs. In other words, the awardee should not include any indirect costs in an award’s budget unless expressly agreed.

In cases where an indirect-cost allocation is allowed per the terms of the award agreement, then the following rules shall apply except as otherwise expressly set forth in the applicable award agreement:

• Indirect costs may not exceed 10% of the total award;
• The allocation rate must be approved in advance by the program manager or other office;
• The indirect-cost allocation must be included as a line item in the project budget

We proactively seek out grant opportunities and do not accept unsolicited proposals. Open calls for proposals can be found here. 

Schmidt Sciences is part of the philanthropic organizations and initiatives created and funded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt to work toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all:

Schmidt Family Foundation

Schmidt Ocean Institute

11th Hour Racing

Remain

Schmidt Initiative for Long Covid

Agog

Schmidt Sciences is a nonprofit organization founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that works to accelerate scientific knowledge and breakthroughs with the most promising, advanced tools to support a thriving planet. Consistent with this mission, we encourage grantees purchasing AI compute resources, GPUs, or cloud-based AI services to consider environmental sustainability, human rights, transparency, and sound stewardship of natural resources. Relevant considerations include the use of carbon-free energy, energy efficiency, water stewardship, science-based climate commitments, human rights due diligence, and public sustainability reporting.

Schmidt Sciences and its reviewers will not upload confidential proposals, applications, review materials, or related information to publicly available tools that may retain submitted information, use it to train or improve their models, or otherwise disclose it to third parties. Because we review thousands of proposals each year, Schmidt Sciences may use enterprise-grade, privacy-preserving AI tools to support the administration, analysis, and evaluation of proposals and applications. Such tools must operate under appropriate contractual, technical, and organizational safeguards, including commitments that submitted content will not be used to train external models or shared outside authorized Schmidt Sciences processes.

To proactively address concerns about inundation, Schmidt Sciences will accept no more than two new proposals per open request for proposals from the same Principal Investigator in a calendar year.