Catalyst for Early-Career Research Acceleration Grants

Award Cycle: Annual
Limit on Proposals per PI: An individual may participate as PI on one Early-Career Research Acceleration grant per cycle and be awarded one grant every 4 years.
Next Due Date: May 6, 2026
Award Period: July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
Applications:  Accepted through Arizona Cultivate.

Description: 

The Catalyst for Early-Career Research Acceleration Grants are designed to jump-start innovative projects and new collaborations by providing short-term support for early-career faculty. These grants are typically single PI awards, but collaborative proposals are strongly encouraged and will be given priority.  Funds may be used to support proposal development activities, one semester of graduate student/postdoc effort, data collection costs (including access to databases), community engagement activities, travel, etc. Grants provide up to $35,000 in support. Early-stage faculty are strongly encouraged to utilize their start-up funds before applying.

Faculty are encouraged to apply for funds in support of activities that address key state and university priorities, particularly in the following areas:

• Space Science, Technology, and National Security
• Promise of Fusion Energy
• AI-driven Health Innovation
• Future of Sustainable Mining and Critical Minerals
• Arid Lands Agriculture and Water

Funding is supported by the TRIF Initiatives, including Water, Energy and Environmental Solutions; Space, Engineering, and Optical Sciences; National Security Systems; and Improving Health. 

Proposals with concepts aligned to the research priorities and TRIF Initiatives will be prioritized. Please note that these categories are intentionally broad and thus, can be representative of multiple disciplines, including STEMM and non-STEMM. If you have a proposed concept that does not align with the research priorities or TRIF initiatives, you may still submit your concept.

It is highly recommended that interested applicants discuss their concepts with strategic initiative leads, TRIF leads, and Core Facility Manager prior to submission. ORP will host multiple campus-wide webinars on this opportunity. 

For the purposes of this award, early-career faculty are defined as those at the Assistant Professor rank or those with less than 2 years at the rank of Associate Professor.  Early- Career applicants who fall under the categories of Career Track or Professor of Practice with a Teaching Emphasis (non-research focus as primary job duty) should include a letter from the Director or Associate Dean of Research in their unit or college that confirms approval to conduct research as part of, or in addition to, job duties. 

ORP encourages teams to collaborate with colleagues in diverse fields outside of their own, including the sciences, engineering, health, social sciences, humanities, arts, and education in support of their objectives. 

Proposal preparation, submission, and processing information is available in the ORP Proposal Preparation Guide (PPG) v10, which is downloadable in Arizona Cultivate. The PPG includes requirements for the project narrative and supplemental documents; it is strongly encouraged that interested applicants read the PPG in full as proposals that do not match the PPG will be returned without review.

Please note the budget approval process which utilizes an applicant driven routing step after submission. Applicants will input the email address of their business officer or award/research administrator when prompted at the end of the application prior to submission. The email address should be for the person who has authority to create, review, and approve the budget. The system will send a link for approval via the email listed to the business officer or award/research administrator where they may confirm they reviewed and approved the submitted budget. This approval step is required before an application is accepted for compliance checks and formal review. The deadline for business officer or award/research administrator is May 8, 2026 at 5:00 pm MST. ORP recommends the investigator alert their budget officer/research administrator of this process in advance of their submission. 

Solicitation specific information below supersedes information presented in the PPG.

Solicitation Specific Requirements:

1. Eligibility: In addition to the general eligibility requirements in the PPG, applicants must:
   • Have an appointment at the rank of assistant professor or rank of associate professor for fewer than 2 years
2. Proposal Preparation: Supplemental Documents. While optional, early-career faculty are encouraged to include up to one-page on their professional development plans over the course of the award. This may include details on how they plan to leverage mentoring from more senior faculty or peer mentors, gain experience in proposal development, or expand their capabilities as a teacher/scholar. Upload this plan in the “Letters of Support” section.