The Simons Foundation Joins the Sloan, Moore and Templeton Foundations to Fund “Tabletop” Experiments

The Simons Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation are inviting applications to a one-time call aimed at advancing fundamental physics by funding small-scale experiments that explore physics which has typically been explored at large-scale facilities. Each of the participating foundations intends to allocate up to $1,000,000 per year for five years to fund these experiments. The combined support provided by all foundations is expected to be up to $20,000,000 over the five years of this program.

The program is intended to support high-risk and potentially high-return small-scale experimental projects aimed at new, ambitious discoveries beyond the current frontier of fundamental physics. “Small-scale” refers to table-top-size experiments or to ones that could fit in a typical university physics research lab. Examples of such projects include, but are not limited to, tests of basic principles of quantum physics, tests of interaction laws and established symmetry principles, and searches for new particles.

Letters of intent are due by October 31, 2022. Please see the RFA for further information.