Funding for New Research Ideas

There are several sources of research funding with the University of Utah. Additional sources and special opportunities arise from time to time and announcements are made accordingly.

Many faculty have found undergraduate researchers to be a good resource to obtain preliminary (seed) results needed to successfully apply for extramural research grants. Often this is done as part of a capstone design project, a collaborative interdisciplinary project, or an honors thesis. If you have a new idea that might be a good fit for undergraduate research, consider the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) or the Honors College.

University Seed Grants

UCEER Small/Pilot Grant Program

The University of Utah Center for Excellence in Ethical, Legal, and Social (ELSI) Issues in Genetic Research (UCEER) is accepting applications for seed grants from students and scholars from a broad range of disciplinary backgrounds. The seed grant program supports small, well-defined projects that focus on ethical, legal, and social issues relevant to human genetics. For deadline and application guidlines, read more about the seed grant program.

Research Enhancement Programs

The University of Utah Diabetes and Metabolism Center sponsors several programs aimed at increasing the research competitiveness of DMC faculty investigators.

Global & Environmental Change Research

The Global Change & Sustainability Center and the Society, Water, and Climate Change Group are now offering seed funds for faculty to foster new or expanded interdisciplinary sustainability and global & environmental change research.

Research Incentive Seed Grant Program

The Research Incentive Seed Grant Program supports new areas of research seaking to leverage extramural funding. Preference is given to applications that 1. have a high potential for extramural funding; 2. have significant scientific merit; 3. represent a new direction for the PI; and 4. build or strengthen cross-disciplinary research partnerships. This program is run internally by colleges; application deadlines vary by college. See complete details.

University Research Committee (URC) Grants

There are four primary URC opportunities:

1. Faculty Scholarly Grant Program The purpose of these awards is to support significant scholarly and creative projects, particularly in fields where extramural funding is difficult to obtain. Faculty may request money for equipment, supplies, travel, hourly wages, and miscellaneous other uses as approved. Preference will be given to projects that impact the long-term scholarly and creative mission of the University.
2. Faculty Release for Scholarly Pursuits These awards of $7,500 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.
3. Community-Based Research Grant Program encourages collaborative research that involves both University and local, regional and/or statewide community partners. The award is available to faculty in all disciplines and will provide up to $20,000 in funding.
4. Distinguished Scholarly and Creative Research Awards

Research Instrumentation Fund

The Research Instrumentation Fund will be available during the year to individuals who currently hold a faculty appointment and is for the the specific purpose of equipment purchases. Funds can be requested to support the replacement/upgrading of research instruments or for new equipment. See complete details.

Community Based Research (CBR) Research Program

The Community Based Research Program is a collaboration with University Neighborhood Partners and supports areas of community-based research for a PI or team of investigators. The main goal of this program is to encourage collaborative, reciprocally beneficial research that involves both University and local, regional and/or statewide community partners. The deadline is February 15th annually. For eligibility see complete details. 

Engine Funding Program (previously known as TCP)

The Engine Funding Program is an integrated commercialization funding program provided through the Technology & Venture Commercialization Office. The program focuses on early stage vetting, de-risking and development of ideas and technologies. The commercialization "Engine" is a milestone-driven process that provides faculty inventors with business guidance and incremental funding to move discoveries through stages toward commercialization. See complete details.

Air Quality, Health and Society Seed Grant Funding 

The Program for Air Quality, Health and Society offers seed grant funding to stimulate air-quality research aimed at understanding and addressing the consequences of air pollution. Funding is available at two levels: up to $25,000 and up to $50,000. Awards at the $50,000 level will only be considered for proposals involving significant contributions from two or more faculty. See complete details.

Center on Aging Pilot Grant Program

The Center on Aging sponsors an annual pilot grant program to promote the development of aging research at the University. The goal of this program is to encourage the development of new investigators, attract established investigators to aging research, and stimulate interdisciplinary research collaborations ultimately leading to new externally funded research. The next application deadline is August 15, 2013. See complete details.

State of Utah Seed Grants

USTAR Science & Technology Initiation Grants (STIG)

The STIG provides research funding to individual researchers or research teams from Utah universities and colleges leading to the submission of proposals for larger federal grants or private funding. Collaboration between researchers of different backgrounds and from different institutions is highly recommended. The program will fund technologies in early development stages ranging from basic observation to proof of concept. To learn more about this on-going submission email STIG.