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Peter Buck Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Grant

Smithsonian Institution

Funding Amount

Up to US $144,000

Deadline

Deadline not published

Grant Type

Foundation

Deadline history & next window

Cycle
Annual
Tracked since
April 2026

From the program guidelines: “Note: The annual application deadline follows the same schedule as the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP).”

Can we apply?

Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.

Geography

  • All Peter Buck Fellows are expected to be resident at an NMNH facility (NHB, MSC, or SMS) full time and actively engaged in the NMNH community during the entire fellowship tenure.

Other requirements

  • Applicants must have received their PhD. or equivalent degree and all formal requirements for a PhD. must be completed before the start of the tenure.
  • The tenure must start no more than one year from the award date.
  • Applicants should have a proven record of research accomplishment.
  • Fellowships are available to US and non-US citizens.

Not eligible / not funded

  • Not eligible: A Peter Buck Fellow may not also be a Smithsonian employee or contractor during the period of his/her fellowship appointment and may not hold another type of Smithsonian academic appointment (e.g., Research Associate or Internship) during his/her appointment as a fellow.

Overview

The Peter Buck Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, established in 2011, offers multi-year fellowships for postdoctoral scholars to conduct independent research at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH). Open to international applicants, it aims to enhance the scientific community by training future scientists and promoting innovative ideas. The fellowship includes a stipend of $62,000 annually, along with allowances for research, health insurance, and relocation. Applicants must have a recent PhD and be fluent in English.

Note: The annual application deadline follows the same schedule as the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP).
The Peter Buck Fellowship Program complements the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP), providing additional positions and often longer duration for postdoctoral scholars to engage in research at NMNH. The program was established in 2011 through a generous donation from long-time member of the NMNH Board, Peter Buck. This fellowship program honors his legacy.
Purpose
The purpose of the Peter Buck Fellowship program is to support full-time, resident, independent research focused on utilizing the NMNH collections and facilities. Awardees are expected to be actively involved in the scholarly activities of the NMNH community. The two central goals of the Peter Buck Fellowship Program are to train the next generation of scientists and museum professionals, and to increase the flow of new ideas, perspectives, and skills into the NMNH community through full-time, resident postdoctoral fellowships.
To accomplish this we mainly award multi-year postdoctoral fellowships to external postdoctoral scholars who have received a PhD. or equivalent within the last five years.Peter Buck fellowships are open to citizens of any country for them to conduct resident research as part of the NMNH community under the advisership of an NMNH staff scientist.
Award
Stipend: $62,000 per yearResearch Allowance: up to $5,000 per yearHealth Insurance Allowance: $5,000 per yearRelocation Allowance: based on source location
Rates are prorated for periods of less than twelve months.

Eligibility

Applicants must have received their PhD. or equivalent degree and all formal requirements for a PhD. must be completed before the start of the tenure. The tenure must start no more than one year from the award date.Applicants should have a proven record of research accomplishment. Fellowships are available to US and non-US citizens.Applicants must write and converse fluently in English.All Peter Buck Fellows are expected to be resident at an NMNH facility (NHB, MSC, or SMS) full time and actively engaged in the NMNH community during the entire fellowship tenure.Applicants may apply for up to 24 consecutive months.

Ineligibility

A Peter Buck Fellow may not also be a Smithsonian employee or contractor during the period of his/her fellowship appointment and may not hold another type of Smithsonian academic appointment (e.g., Research Associate or Internship) during his/her appointment as a fellow.

What Smithsonian Institution actually gave

Source: IRS Form 990, 2025

Grants in 2025
11
Total given
$609K
Median grant
$64K
Range
$5,100–$100K
  • By dollars: Florida 27%, Massachusetts 16%, Alabama 14%. Top recipient cities: Tallahassee, FL; Boston, MA; Tuskegee Institute, AL.
  • 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
  • 55% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.

Example grants

  • Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL

    Academic appt. stipends

    $100K

  • Harvard College · Boston, MA

    Academic appt. stipends

    $99K

  • Tuskegee University · Tuskegee Institute, AL

    Academic appt. stipends

    $86K

  • Clark Atlanta Univ · Atlanta, GA

    Academic appt. stipends

    $64K

  • Jackson State Univ · Jackson, MS

    Academic appt. stipends

    $64K

IRS Form 990, 2025. Amounts as reported by the funder. Full 990 history →

Focus Areas & Funding Uses

Fields of Work

  • Science research

Categories

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