3. Locating Sources of Funding

3.1 University Intramural Support for Research

Revised 3/12/01

There are several sources of support for faculty research and scholarly projects available from University resources. The University Research Committee (URC) administers funds for the following programs:

URC Faculty Research and Creative Grants

Certain tenure track faculty members are eligible to apply for modest grants for a specific scientific or creative project. A faculty member may request money for equipment, supplies, travel, hourly wages for assistants, consultant fees, and miscellaneous other uses as approved by the Research Committee. Funding of proposals in the sciences, engineering and medicine will be made to junior faculty who have not yet achieved tenure. All tenure track faculty in other areas are eligible to apply. Submit to the Vice President for Research Office. Deadlines are the 20th of each month (August through March) to be considered at the next URC monthly meeting. The median grant has been $2,500 with a maximum grant of $6,000. Proposal size is limited to no more than three pages plus a cover page and a budget page. Instructions can be found at www.research.utah.edu/funding/urc/frcg/index.html or contact the Vice President of Research Office.

URC Faculty Fellow Awards

These awards are available to tenure track faculty in all disciplines to provide a semester of release time on full salary for scholarly pursuits of research or creative projects. The University Research Committee awards the sum of $5,000 to the department to defer the costs of the awardees release time. Applications are due in the applicant's departmental office by October 2nd. Department chairs must forward the applications if approved to their dean by October 9th. Deans must forward the applications if approved to the V.P. for Research at 210 Park Building by 5:00 p.m., October 16th. Instructions can be found at www.research.utah.edu/funding/urc/ffa/index.html or contact the Vice President of Research Office.

URC Distinguished Research Awards

Awards are given to outstanding tenure track faculty members from all disciplines that have distinguished themselves and the University through research or creative effort. The recipient receives public recognition plus a $7,500 grant to be used at his or her discretion. To be considered, a faculty member is nominated for the award by a colleague, his/her department, or college. Nominations are due the end of October of each year. Notification of the award will be made in April. Instructions can be found at www.research.utah.edu/funding/urc/dra/index.html or contact the Vice President of Research Office.

For more information regarding the above programs, contact the Vice President for Research Office at 210 Park Building, (801) 581-7236.

Funding Incentive Seed Grant Program

The Funding Incentive Seed Grant Program is designed to support research in all areas of scholarship that can lead to extramural funding of new research. The emphasis of the program is on developing new research directions that can produce new funding opportunities from major sponsors of research. Although the thrust of the intent of the intent is for new federal funding, other private sources may qualify.

The Program will support only new areas of research for a principal investigator. Research that is already supported by other sources will not be approved for funding. Gap funding will not be considered. The specific source of potential extramural funding must be identified by the applicant. The research record of the applicant will also be an important factor in the evaluation. The applicant must clearly and convincingly demonstrate that the proposed project represents a new research direction and, therefore, requires seed funding under this program to successfully compete for extramural funds to support the project in the long term.

Successful applicants must produce a new proposal for extramural funding as part of the final report.

Applicants must be tenure track faculty of at least 0.75 FTE. Auxiliary faculty with at least a two-year residency at the University of Utah are also eligible. An application must include a letter of support from the department chair or equivalent. At a minimum, this letter must include :

1. An assurance that the P.I. will be present at the University for the duration of the grant period.
2. That the department will be responsible for faculty salary during the grant period, and if appropriate,
3. Any support the department willing to give the faculty member in pursuing this new research direction.

The letter is part of the proposal packet that will be reviewed by panel member.

Awards will not exceed $35,000 per year. Projects will be supported for only a single year, although a one-year no-cost extension can be requested.

There are two submission cycles per year with deadlines at the close of business on January 15 and July 15 for each year. These are submitted to the Office of Sponsored Projects and must be accompanied with a Document Summary Sheet. Instructions can be found at www.research.utah.edu/funding/seed.html or contact the Vice President of Research Office.

Research Instrumentation Fund

The Research Instrumentation Fund is to be used for equipment purchases only and is submitted to the Vice President for Research Office by May 15. Funds can be requested to support the replacement/upgrade of, or new purchase of major sophisticated research instruments. Awards will be made on a competitive basis. Criteria used to evaluate proposals include likely impact of funding on scholarship productivity, enhanced competitiveness to result from an award, increased extramural funding to result from an award, and other factors which demonstrate benefit to the University. Preference is given to multi-user infrastructure instrumentation. An application for funding can be found at www.research.utah.edu/funding/instrumentation.html or contact the Vice President of Research Office.

Technology Commercialization Project (formally the Technology Innovation Grant)

The Technology Commercialization Project (TCP) program, formerly known as the Technology Innovation Grant (TIG) program is funded by the University of Utah Research Foundation to further develop novel technologies that are near-commercialization. This program will support research/development in all areas of technology including medical devices, biomaterials, drug design and development, immunodiagnostics, electronics, software, communications, engineering, etc. The goal for each funded TCP is to have the technology ready for licensing to a company for commercialization by the end of the two year funding period.

The Foundation will fund up to two years of high-risk, fast-track research in order to generate private investment for further development. Applicants must indicate clearly the economic potential of project technology. Additionally, companies that would be suitable partners to develop a resulting commercial product must be identified.

TCP awards will not exceed $35,000 per year; however, budgets may be submitted for a period of two years. Funding for a second year is strongly dependent on identifying and establishing participation of a post-TCP development partner.

The annual deadline for submission of proposals is April 15 for the funding cycle beginning on July 1. These are submitted to the Office of Sponsored Projects and must be accompanied with a Document Summary Sheet. Instructions can be found at http://www.research.utah.edu/funding/tcp.html or contact the Vice President of Research Office.

Note: It is important that you consult with the Technology Commercialization Office personnel before disclosing details of any research that may be patentable.

For more information regarding the above programs, contact the Vice President of Research Office at 210 Park Building, (801) 581-7236.

University Teaching Grants

University Teaching Grants are awarded to individual faculty members or University programs that wish to undertake projects that will enhance either their teaching or the curriculum that they offer.  Teaching grants will provide up to a maximum of $3,000 for individual projects for requisite supplies, expenses, and/or necessary travel.  Additional funding may be requested for group projects.  Group projects may be proposed by groups of professors, programs, departments or colleges.  Both individual and group projects must be proposed by tenured or tenure track faculty members.

The application information and budget forms for both individual and group proposals may be obtained from the Teaching Committee office at 205 Park Building or by calling (801) 585-6895.  The applications are also found on the web at www.admin.utah.edu/asenate, or www.admin.utah.edu/academic.