Upcoming

U of A may submit three pre-proposals.

Each STC must:

• Be focused on exceptionally innovative, complex research and education projects that require large-scale, long-term funding;
• Be based at an institution of higher education which assumes responsibility for oversight of sub-awards to all other partner institutions;
• Be directed by a faculty member with experience in leading research teams;
• Demonstrate institutional commitment to achieving strategic goals that are shared by the lead and other partnering institutions;
• Establish multi-institutional collaborations or linkages with other universities/colleges, national laboratories, research museums, private sector research laboratories, state and local government organizations, and international collaborations, as appropriate;
• Develop a management plan that integrates the research, education, broadening participation, and knowledge transfer activities across all partners and affiliates;
• Incorporate teams at all organizational levels of the Center that represent the full spectrum of diverse talent that society has to offer and include members of groups underrepresented in STEM;
• Provide research and education opportunities for U.S. graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and faculty that will result in outcomes consonant with the Center's goals;
• Facilitate knowledge transfer through significant intellectual exchange between the Center and various types of institutions and organizations (e.g., nonprofit organizations; national laboratories; industry; Federal, state, and local governments); and,
• Establish and convene at least annually an External Advisory Committee to provide guidance, advice, and oversight.

Required U of A pre-proposal elements

The UA pre-proposal contains the following required sections and will be entered into text boxes on the application. Only text is accepted (no images, figures, tables, etc.):

1. Summary
   250-word limit. Provide a summary of your proposed activities. This should be a self-contained description of the proposed work and outcomes that would result if funded. This should be understandable to a scientifically or technically literate lay reader.
2. Significance
   250-word limit. Describe the compelling reasons for the proposal. How will the work be an original contribution or what problem will your proposal address?
3. Fit with Funder
   250-word limit. How does the proposed work fit the stated goals of the sponsor and the intentions of the funding program?
4. Approach
   500-word limit. Describe the proposed activities, procedures and methodology to be used. Note any potential problems or limitations that might arise.
5. Expected Outcomes
   250-word limit. What changes, impacts, results, or contributions to knowledge do you expect as an outcome of the proposed project?

Uploaded as a PDF:

1. NSF Project Summary page
   1-page limit; ensure that you address NSF's goals of broadening participation and impact clearly and distinctly
2. PDF List of all Project Personnel and List of all Institutions and Organizations
   Attempt to fit this on one-page, a table is preferred
3. PI NSF BioSketch
   NSF format BioSketch. There is a 3-page limit on BioSketches

Program Description

Full sponsor guidelines https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/science-technology-centers-in…

The Science and Technology Centers (STC): Integrative Partnerships program supports exceptionally innovative, complex research and education projects that require large-scale, long-term awards. STCs focus on creating new scientific paradigms, establishing entirely new scientific disciplines, and developing transformative technologies which have the potential for broad scientific or societal impact. STCs conduct world-class research through partnerships among institutions of higher education, national laboratories, industrial organizations, other public or private entities, and via international collaborations, as appropriate. They provide a means to undertake potentially groundbreaking investigations at the interfaces of disciplines and/or highly innovative approaches within disciplines. STCs may involve any area of science and engineering that NSF supports. STC investments support the NSF vision of creating and exploiting new concepts in science and engineering and providing global leadership in research and education.

Centers provide a rich environment for encouraging scientists, engineers, and educators to take risks in pursuing discoveries and new knowledge. STCs foster excellence in education by integrating education and research, and by creating connections between learning and inquiry so that discovery and creativity fully support the learning process.

U of A may submit eight (8) concept papers: four (4) in medical sciences and four (4) in science & engineering.

Required U or A pre-proposal elements

The UA pre-proposal contains the following required sections:

1. Overview
2. Methodology
3. Justification for Keck Funding
4. Key Personnel
5. Estimated Budget

A template is provided in the documents section of this limited submission. Use this template, complete it, and upload it as a PDF as part of this limited submission opportunity.

Uploaded as a PDF:

1. One-page Concept Paper based on attached template.
2. PI BioSketch or CV
   Agency-specific BioSketch preferred. There is a 5-page limit on CVs

Program Description

Full sponsor guidelines https://www.wmkeck.org/research-overview/

Post selection as one of the pre-proposals, a concept review Zoom will be held with the W.M. Keck Foundation, RDS, and the UA Foundation in January will determine which one medical research and one science and engineering concept paper will be moved to a Phase 1 Submission.

The W.M. Keck Foundation Research Program uses a three-step process for this opportunity. The first step is a Concept paper. The next steps are by the foundation’s invitation. U of A review criteria reflect previous interactions with the W.M. Keck Foundation. Proposals should focus on basic, fundamental science with broad applications. Grants range from $1 million to $5 million and are typically $2 million or less, and more specifically in the $1.2 to $1.3 million range.

The proposed work should show a significant leap forward rather than an extension of existing work.

To be considered by Keck, applicants must have a statement expressing that the project is not a good fit due to risk (rather than technical or theoretical fit) or a decline from a federal program where the summary statement or individual reviews highlight the incredible novelty, but the high-risk nature that makes it difficult to fund at the federal level.

The Science and Engineering Research Program seeks to benefit humanity by supporting high-risk/high-impact projects that are distinctive and novel in their approach to intractable problems, push the edge of their field, or question the prevailing paradigm. Past grants have been awarded to support pioneering science and engineering research and the development of promising new technologies, instrumentation, or methodologies.

The Medical Research Program seeks to advance the frontiers of medicine to benefit humanity by supporting high-risk/high-impact projects that are distinctive and novel in their approach to intractable problems, push the edge of their field, or question the prevailing paradigm. Past grants have supported pioneering biological research, basic research, and the development of promising new technologies. The Keck Foundation does NOT fund work that is clinical, applied, or translational; treatment trials; or research for the sole purpose of drug development.

Both senior and early career investigators are encouraged to apply. Team approaches, including interdisciplinary teams, are encouraged.

U of A may submit one proposal.

Required U or A pre-proposal elements

The UA pre-proposal contains the following required sections and will be entered into text boxes on the application. Only text is accepted (no images, figures, tables, etc.):

1. Summary
   250-word limit. Provide a summary of your proposed activities. This should be a self-contained description of the proposed work and outcomes that would result if funded. This should be understandable to a scientifically or technically literate lay reader.
2. Significance
   250-word limit. Describe the compelling reasons for the proposal. How will the work be an original contribution or what problem will your proposal address?
3. Fit with Funder
   250-word limit. How does the proposed work fit the stated goals of the sponsor and the intentions of the funding program?
4. Approach
   500-word limit. Describe the proposed activities, procedures and methodology to be used. Note any potential problems or limitations that might arise.
5. Expected Outcomes
   250-word limit. What changes, impacts, results, or contributions to knowledge do you expect as an outcome of the proposed project?

Uploaded as a PDF:

1. PI BioSketch or CV
   Agency-specific BioSketch preferred. There is a 5-page limit on CVs

Program Description

Full sponsor guidelines https://www.mellon.org/article/sawyer-seminars

Purpose: The 30th anniversary of the Sawyer Seminars program arrives amid national turmoil over complex, existential topics that have the potential to affect university operations. Our present moment has created much uncertainty, but it also provides us with opportunities for deep thinking and intervention. Such opportunities are made possible through freedom of intellectual inquiry, which allows our society to think critically, dissent when necessary, and build more equitable, just futures.

In this vein, for the 2024 Sawyer Seminars, Mellon invites proposals that meaningfully engage faculty, other academic leaders, and visitors from a variety of fields in the study of academic freedom and democracy in the American university. We seek to support seminars that demonstrate through humanistic methods the ways in which a higher education system featuring a multiplicity of perspectives, thoughts, and voices is essential to a functional democracy.

Program Activities: Each seminar normally meets for one year, though some have continued for longer periods. To allow for planning, seminars need not be scheduled for the coming academic year. The seminar should be led or co-led by humanities faculty; however, the proposed seminar should be a collaborative effort involving participation by scholars and administrators from across disciplines and units, with varying perspectives on the problem being addressed. In addition, we encourage you to invite participants from nearby institutions, such as community colleges, liberal arts colleges, museums, research institutes, and local organizations to achieve interdisciplinary and community-engaged collaboration.

As Mellon reviews proposals, preference will be given to those that seek to:

• Bridge the gap between the socially equitable world envisioned in much humanities scholarship and the policies and practices characterizing today’s universities;
• Empower humanists to be active participants in the strategic conversations and planning that many universities are engaged in or preparing to undertake;
• Imagine new and revised university structures that would enhance the growth of the humanities and promote the realization of more just futures.

Grant recipients would be expected to highlight and disseminate findings across campus units using a medium that best fits their campus context, such as a white paper or town hall.

Budget: Funding requests should not exceed $300,000 for each seminar. The first budget period must begin with July 1, 2025. The first period may be longer or shorter than 12 months. Funds may support: one postdoc, up to two dissertation research fellows (in the form of graduate tuition or supplemental funding); travel and living expenses for short stays by visiting scholars; costs associated with coordinating seminars, including meals, honoraria, consulting fees, and stipends. Funds may not be used to cover release time for regular faculty participants, rentals of university space, or indirect costs.

Apply to the UA internal competition  // Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 2

Hyundai Hope On Wheels creates awareness for pediatric cancers and awards large grants to doctors and premiere research centers for life-saving research. This 23-year HHOW commitment awards grants in various categories to researchers at eligible Children's Oncology Group member institutions. The highly-competitive grants are aimed at expanding the knowledge base of the disease and improving the standards of care. The foundation is encouraged by the advances of technology, and by the potential breakthroughs enabling scientists to understand the disease better than ever.

Hyundai Hope On Wheels® [“HHOW”] is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that joined the fight against childhood cancer in 1998. The organization funds life-saving research and creates awareness for childhood cancer. Since its inception, HHOW has donated more than $225 million to fund pediatric cancer research.

In 2024, the following categories of research grants for pediatric cancer are available per this RFP:

• Hope Scholar Grant: $400,000 (two-year award)

• Young Investigator Grant: $250,000 (two-year award)

Eligibility to apply for a Hope Scholar or Young Investigator Grant is limited to Children’s Oncology Group (“COG”) member institutions in the U.S. Each eligible institution may submit up to one application per grant category. Applicants will be notified by March 15, 2025, about grant awardees. If selected, the first funding installment is planned for release on December 31, 2025. Approved research projects may begin upon receipt of the initial grant award disbursement. If selected, material conditions for the institution that receives a grant are to agree to all terms and conditions of the grant agreement, and to agree to host a Hyundai Hope On Wheels handprint ceremony at its location or virtually during August or September of 2024.

Apply to the UA internal competition  // Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 0

Eung-Joo Lee (ECE)

Brian Kim (MSE)

Only two nominations are allowed per institution.

These competitive research awards provide seed money for junior faculty members that often result in additional funding from other sources. The award amount provided by ORAU is $5,000. The applicant’s institution is required to match the award with at least an additional $5,000. This is a one-year grant (June 1 to May 31).

Eligibility for the Powe Awards is open to full-time assistant professors at ORAU member institutions within two years of their tenure track appointment at the time of application. If there is a question about eligibility, your ORAU Councilor makes the final determination. Only two nominations are allowed per institution.

Junior faculty members interested in applying should consult their ORAU Councilor, and visit the frequently asked questions.

Apply to the UA internal competition  // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies or careers in research.

To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this NOFO will support educational activities with a primary focus on:

• Courses for Skills Development
• Research Experiences
• Mentoring Activities

The fully integrated educational activities should prepare undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences, to enter Ph.D. degree programs in the neurosciences. To accomplish this goal, this initiative will provide institutional awards to develop neuroscience research education programs comprised of collaborative partnerships integrated across different educational institution types.

Each partnership must include:
a) one or more institutions that either: 1) have a historical and current mission to educate students from any of the populations that have been identified as underrepresented in biomedical research as defined by the National Science Foundation (NSF), see http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/) (i.e., African Americans or Blacks, Hispanic or Latino Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, U.S. Pacific Islanders, and persons with disabilities) or 2) have a documented track record of recruiting, training and/or educating, and graduating underrepresented students as defined by NSF (see above), which has resulted in a historically documented contribution by the institution to the national pool of graduates from underrepresented backgrounds who pursue biomedical research careers;
b) a research-intensive institution that has an established neuroscience or neuroscience-related program;
c) integrated curriculum/academic enhancement and research experience activities designed to increase participants' preparation to enter doctoral programs in the neurosciences; and
d) well-described plans to provide early communication and interaction between participating students and graduate neuroscience programs across the country.

Components of Participating Organizations:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
National Eye Institute (NEI)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
All applications to this funding opportunity announcement should fall within the mission of the Institutes/Centers. The following NIH Offices may co-fund applications assigned to those Institutes/Centers.
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)

Apply to the UA internal competition  // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

The NIH Research Education Program supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The overarching goal of this ARC UE5 program is to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, for example those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences (see Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity ), to pursue further studies or careers in research. The overarching goal of this UE5 program is to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, for example those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences (see Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity), to pursue further studies or careers in research.

To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this NOFO will support educational activities with a primary focus on:

• Courses for Skills Development
• Mentoring Activities

Applications are encouraged from organizations that have:

• Experience enhancing scientific communication and networking among early-career biomedical researchers;
• An established record of providing professional development and networking activities for future biomedical researchers; and
• A demonstrated commitment to enhancing the diversity of the biomedical research workforce.

The program provides support for well-designed courses for skills development and mentoring activities to prepare cohorts of ARC predoctoral F99 fellows and K00 postdoctoral scholars to transition into and succeed in mentored postdoctoral research, positioning them to advance in impactful careers in the biomedical research workforce that typically require postdoctoral training (e.g., academic research and teaching at a range of institution types, industry or government research).
Recipient organizations must provide career development and mentoring activities aligned with and appropriate for the disciplinary backgrounds and career goals of scholars supported through the ARC F99/K00 program.

Components of Participating Organizations:
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO)

Apply to the UA internal competition  // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed to support highly integrated research teams of three to six Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) to address ambitious and challenging research questions that are within the mission of NIGMS. Project goals should not be achievable with a collection of individual efforts or projects. Collaborative program teams are expected to accomplish goals that require considerable synergy and managed team interactions. Teams are encouraged to consider far-reaching objectives that will produce major advances in their fields.

This FOA is not intended for applications that are mainly focused on the creation, expansion, and/or maintenance of community resources, creation of new technologies, or infrastructure development.

Contact RDS for more information

Coming Soon: *** This opportunity will be available soon. The next call is expected to open in August 2024. The following information is subject to change. ***

The new VentureWell fellowship is an evolution of our C&P Grants model, focusing on scalable STEM I&E solutions through the lens of environmental sustainability and inclusive innovation. This program offers professional development, immersive learning experiences, and a supportive community of leaders.

VentureWell is replacing a three-year, $30,000 program with two opportunities: the new one-year fellowship and a two-year challenge grant, totaling up to $135,000 over three years.

• Develop courses, policies, and co-curricular programs to promote research and development (R&D) translation focused around environmental sustainability and inclusive innovation.
• Receive $35,000 in funding for teams of two (one must be faculty) from U.S.-based colleges and universities.
• Create a STEM I&E ecosystem growth plan to scale interventions in partnership with university leadership and external partners.