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Office of Research & Innovation Newsletter · Summer 2023

Drexel students playing volleyball

In this issue:

Introduction from Gwynne Grasberger, Associate Vice Provost, Research Development

General Core Facilities Research Compliance Sponsored Programs Did You Know? Meetings/Opportunities

Introduction from Gwynne Grasberger, Associate Vice Provost, Research Development

Dear Colleagues, 

It is hard to believe that summer is already half over, and we are in the thralls of planning the next academic year. Last summer about this time, the Education Advisory Board (EAB) led a retreat sponsored by the Office of Research & Innovation, “Expediting the Shift Toward Strategic Research Development, Eight Tactics to Increase Competitiveness for Large and Complex Federal Opportunities.” One of my most knowledgeable and trusted thought partners at EAB, Jon Barnhart, shared the following during the session "…All opportunities are growing in complexity."   

Federal agencies are beginning to post solicitations on both grants.gov and sam.gov to expand the competitive landscape. The broad agency announcement (BAA) widens the pool of competitors who can lead projects, e.g., government contractors and private corporations, under Product Service Code AJ11 General Science and Technology R&D Services; General Science and Technology; Basic Research and NAICS Code 5417 Science Research and Development Services. The NSF Engines is one such example, NSF 22-082 (grant and cooperative agreement) and NSFBAA-ENGINES-2022-05-1 (contract). 

Multi-federal agency solicitations trending towards translational research are becoming more prevalent for Large Dollar opportunities. Awards in the form of cooperative agreements, rather than grants, are a growing preference as the federal agencies seek to be more engaged in the execution of projects they fund. The recent National Science Foundation (NSF) program solicitation, NSF 23-571, is multi-agency translational research solicitation seeks to build a prototype version of an integrated data and knowledge infrastructure called the Open Knowledge Network (OKN). Agencies include the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Data Science Strategy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Biological and Physical Sciences Division, Department of Justice (DOJ) National Institute of Justice, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information, and Department of the Interior (DOI) US Geological Survey National Geospatial Technical Operations Center. 

Teaming and partnership engagement is a necessity for a competitive project. The roles and responsibilities of all participating constituents should reflect meaningful engagement to accomplish the project goals. Constituents from government, industry, academia, non-profits, citizens, and others have become the mainstay. Relationship building and understanding the strengths of your partners is key to ensuring that you can build a competitive project “Dream Team.” Large and Complex projects might include interinstitutional research consortia which, according to research conducted by EAB, tend to increase the scope and influence of industry-university partnerships. Recognizing and including the expertise in under-resourced colleges and universities when teaming and partnering is important in the quest to democratize sponsored activities, outputs, and impact. This is one of the key elements of a success vision highlighted by the NSF and National Science Board (NSB) focus group participants report section, “Reaching the Missing Millions.” NSF leadership and NSB terms the “missing millions” as those who are yet to be engaged for the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce so that it reflects the racial, ethnic, and gender representation in the general population. As stated in the report, “under-resourced colleges and universities lead innovations in outreach and inclusion as well as addressing research needs of their communities, and they partner with research-intensive institutions to broaden their scope and capabilities.” 

Project management is a key factor in the overall success of Large and Complex projects. Project planning, execution, monitoring, and control techniques on Large and Complex are required to ensure project goals and deliverables and fiscal stewardship are met. The management plan should clearly convey the supports necessary to manage the nuances. Project team should include a dedicated project manager to partner with the PI to be in step with timeline, budget, deliverables, and annual reporting requirements. 

As competition for research dollars increases, we must be strategic in our approach to applying for and securing funding. Preparing for and writing a proposal, especially for Large and Complex, requires a significant investment of time, effort, and resources. Historic approaches such as pursuing every opportunity and hoping something sticks, approaching each opportunity the same way, ignoring competitor strengths and strategies, and assuming faculty can go it alone, are no longer sufficient. Pre-solicitation competitive intelligence, networking and partnering, proposal development and grantsmanship, aesthetically pleasing proposal design and elements, and institutional commitment of resources and cost sharing are elements of successful submissions. 

In this challenging landscape, there are great benefits associated with Large and Complex Federal Awards. Back to where I started, “Expediting the Shift Toward Strategic Research Development, Eight Tactics to Increase Competitiveness for Large and Complex Federal Opportunities,” EAB clearly outlines why Large and Complex opportunities are worth the effort and investment: 

  1. Problem Complexity - Enables institutions to undertake more complex research by providing greater funding over a longer timeframe. 
  2. Administrative Capacity - Helps institutions gain experience and credibility as responsible administrators. 
  3. Reputational Impact - Increases opportunities for media attention and prestige— and for more researchers. 
  4. Relationship Building - Facilitates formation and strengthening of relationships with partners and agencies. 
  5. Innovation Impact - Paves the way to create innovative new disciplines, methods, and curriculum. 
  6. Future Positioning - Increases institutional competitiveness for future awards. 

The Office of Research & Innovation has been working diligently over the past year to stand up the Research Development Unit to support Large and Complex funding opportunities. Guided by EAB, two retreats inclusive of faculty, ADRs, and administrative units, and working group input on our strategic plan, the team will pilot services during the 2023-24 academic year aligned with Drexel 2030 in support two AEOs, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing and Advanced Computing, AI and Cyber Frontiers. As part of initial pilot, we are developing a self-service portal that be available to the Drexel community to access research development resources. 

If you would like a copy of EABs presentation, to discuss Large and Complex, or have questions about the plans for research development services, please email researchdevelopment@drexel.edu.  
 
Enjoy the rest of your summer! 

Gwynne Grasberger, Associate Vice Provost for Research Development 

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General

Welcoming New ORI Team Members

Please join in welcoming our new colleagues to the following teams:

Joining the Applied Innovation team:
Chelsea Samuelson, Director of Startup Funding Programs. Chelsea joins ORI on July 31, leading the Startup Funding Program and reporting to Vice Provost for Innovation, Shintaro Kaido. In this role, she will manage the Drexel University Innovation Fund, Drexel Angels, and the Raynier Seed Fund for Underserved Entrepreneurs as a member of the Entrepreneurial Advancement team. 

Joining the Research Compliance & Regulatory Affairs team:
Marisa Corbett, Executive Director for Research Quality Assurance. Marisa joins Drexel on July 31 and oversees research quality assurance that includes monitoring, support, trainings, policies, and procedures for ORI units. 

Joining the University Research Computing Facility (URCF) team:
Linh Ngo, Director of High Performance Computing (HPC). Linh will join ORI on August 14, leading the monitoring of the computing hardware/networking for the various HPC systems and reporting to Operations Director for Research Core Facilities and URCF Faculty Director, Dr. Craig Johnson. In this role, he will manage the design, installation, monitoring and maintenance of hardware, software and networking equipment for HPC systems in the URCF.

Questions? Email hire_ori_aj@drexel.edu.

Did you know that the NSF has a career-life balance initiative?

Instituted in 2012, Balancing the Scale: NSF's Career-Life Balance (CLB) initiative is an agency-wide approach to help attract, retain, and advance graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and other researchers in STEM fields. This effort aims to help reduce the rate at which early-career researchers depart from the STEM workforce. To learn more about the initiative, visit Career-Life Balance on the NSF website.

For information on how to apply, visit the PAPPG section Career-Life Balance (CLB) Supplemental Funding Requests that outlines the process.

Questions? Email Gwynne Grasberger, Associate Vice Provost, Research Development at grs23@drexel.edu.

The Annual Report for the 2021-2022 Academic Year is now available!

The Office of Research & Innovation has produced an Annual Report of its progress during the most recent Academic Year.

Highlights include:

  • A message from the Executive Vice Provost for Research & Innovation
  • Office of Research & Innovation Milestones
  • Updates on ORI's investments in research resources and tools
  • Support and recognition for research excellence
  • ORI's progress in discovery and innovation
  • Information about the ORI team and its partners

View the report here

Questions? Email Becky Campbell, Senior Business Analyst, Research Systems - Training & Communications at rim26@drexel.edu.

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Core Facilities

Drexel Core Facilities now have unique Research Resources Identifiers. Cite us in your publications.

Research Resource Identifiers (RRIDs) were developed by the biomedical research community to promote research resource identification, discovery, and reuse. Similar to ORCHID IDs, RRIDs are persistent, unique, machine readable, free to access and consistent across publishers and journals. They can be assigned to key resources including research core facilities, software and databases, cell lines, antibodies, model organisms and more. In addition to facilitating transparency, reproducibility, and reuse, citing RRIDs in literature enables resource providers like core facilities, funding agencies and others to track usage and impact. Funding agencies and hundreds of leading scientific journals prompt authors to include RRIDs and we encourage the Drexel research community to cite your use of Drexel Core Facilities in your publications and other communications using the following RRIDs:

Research Resources Identifiers

Your acknowledgements will help us stay compliant with federal grants, publicize our cores to the broader community and track scientific impact more rigorously. 

Resource Identification Portal
RRID Initiative

Questions? Email Harini Sreenivasappa, PhD, Director of Core Operations, Cell Imaging Center at hs324@drexel.edu.

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Research Compliance

Dr. Rick Huneke to serve as the US representative to the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science

Dr. Rick Huneke, Executive Director of ULAR, was appointed to serve as the US representative (through the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science) to the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science. ICLAS serves to harmonize laboratory standards worldwide, promote laboratory animal care and ethics, and provide training opportunities to developing areas in the world. Dr. Huneke will begin to serve a 4 year term starting in October.  
 
This opportunity will benefit the University through international connections as well as disseminating information about the Master of Laboratory Animal Science program.  ICLAS offers scholarships to lab animal personnel in underserved areas to attend lab animal training. 

Questions? Email Rick Huneke, Executive Director, ULAR at rbh25@drexel.edu

Drexel’s Animal Care and Use Program Receives Continued Full Accreditation from AAALAC, International

AAALAC, International granted Continued Full Accreditation to the Drexel Program for Animal Care and Use at the May 2023 meeting of the Council for Accreditation. The triennial site visit by AAALAC, International occurred in October 2021 and the required conditions were met to achieve continued accreditation. The program at Drexel has been fully accredited for 41 years, with our first site visit occurring in 1982.

Without the teamwork and assistance by everyone involved, we would not have such a successful animal care and use program. I am happy and proud of our continued success. And as we all know, great animal care creates great research!

Rick Huneke
Executive Director, ULAR

Questions? Email Rick Huneke, Executive Director, ULAR at rbh25@drexel.edu

Upcoming Changes to Research COI Process

As the research portfolio at Drexel continues to grow, the ORI is constantly seeking ways to improve processes for researchers and become more efficient. ORI’s Conflict of Interest team will be rolling out an annual solicitation process on September 1st. The purpose of the process change is to minimize reporting on a per-proposal basis, unless there are significant changes at the time a proposal is submitted. 
   
The disclosure form/forms for the year will be distributed to researchers via email and do NOT replace the requirement to complete the University COI disclosure. 
   
Questions? Email ORI’s Conflict of Interest team at fcoi@drexel.edu

Community Advisory Board Member: Payment Update 

As part of Drexel University’s long-term multi-generational commitment to community engagement, ORI has been obtaining feedback from Faculty, Staff, and past Community Advisory Board (CAB) Members and working with stakeholders across campus to implement a more CAB Member-centric process for payment. CABs are essential for connecting Drexel University and its collaborators with the communities we serve, bringing forward lived experiences and priorities while serving as a two-way bridge.    
 
As part of this implementation, ORI collaborated with the Office of the General Counsel, Accounts Payable, and Tax Compliance for the following activities: 

  1. Reviewed existing CAB Member practices, procedures, and attestations from different institutions to identify common themes, language, and processes consistent with Drexel University’s commitments and feedback. 
  2. Developed the Drexel University CAB Member Attestation Form that encompasses language about a CAB’s purpose, members’ impact, responsibilities, and payment. 
  3. Initiated a pilot with several Faculty members, utilizing a new CAB member attestation form and consult process.  

From this pilot, the ORI will incorporate additional feedback and broadly disseminate the attestation form, a frequently asked questions document, and process map to identify when the CAB Member Attestation and applicable payment processes as appropriate and instructions for use in August 2023. The ORI has also scheduled an education session for a review of the material prior to the release on August 23, 2023, from 9:00-10:00 AM EST; please register at: Community Advisory Board Member: ORI Process Training.
  
A special thank you to our pilot users: Naomi Goldstein, Amanda NeMoyer, Elizabeth Hassrick, Victoria Egan, and Brisa Sanchez for their participation and feedback.  
 
Questions about the CAB Member process or pilot? Email Cassandra Myers, Associate Vice Provost of Research Compliance & Regulatory Affairs at cjm523@drexel.edu

New IACUC Policies

The IACUC has recently revised the following policies. 

  1. ACU-003 IACUC Policy for Animal Number Justifications - This policy now states that mouse (Mus musculus) and rats (Rattus rattus) fetuses greater that embryonic day 16 (E16) must be justified.  This is not a change to current practices; it just was not highlighted in this document. 
  2. ACU-202 IACUC Rodent Breeding Policy - This policy was formerly a mouse breeding policy but was updated to a rodent breeding policy to include rats (Rattus rattus). The procedures for submitting monthly in-house birth reports have been updated within the policy. The weaning calendar has been added to the policy document. 
  3. ACU-216 IACUC Policy on the Use of Image or Sound Recordings in Animal Facilities, Research or Teaching Laboratories – This policy now includes extra precautions to consider when recording images and sounds in animal facilities, research, or teaching laboratories in response to the 2023 NIH DMS Policy.

Please use this as a reminder to submit your monthly in-house breeding report: In-House Breeding Submission Form. (This form can also be found on the Drexel IACUC Guidelines and Procedures webpage: Guidelines and Procedures | Office of Research & Innovation | Drexel University.)

All revised policies are attached and can be found on the Drexel IACUC Guidelines and Procedures webpage: Guidelines and Procedures | Office of Research & Innovation | Drexel University.

Questions? Email Elizabeth Hann, Director of Animal Welfare at eah363@drexel.edu

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Sponsored Programs

Final NSF Transitions from FastLane to Research.gov

As NSF is continuing to sunset FastLane, several functionalities are now required to use Reseach.gov.

  • Since June 26, 2023, all PI Transfer requests will be submitted in Research.gov. Any in-progress PI Transfer requests in FastLane as of June 23, 2023, were moved to Research.gov. All notifications and requests previously submitted in FastLane are now available in Research.gov.
  • Friday, September 29, 2023 (5:00 PM submitter’s local time) is the last day to submit proposal file updates and budget revisions in FastLane, withdraw FastLane submitted proposals, and withdraw supplemental funding requests submitted in FastLane. In addition, September 29th is the last day to access FastLane submitted and in-progress letters of intent, proposals, and supplemental funding requests. Please note: FastLane submitted and in-progress letters of intent, proposals, and supplemental funding requests will not be transferred to Research.gov; however, the reviews and summaries for proposals submitted in FastLane will remain available in Research.gov. Friday, September 29, 2023 (11:00 PM Eastern Time) is the last day to access the FastLane Proposals, Awards and Status tab; Research Administration tab; and Honorary Awards tab on the FastLane homepage. These tabs will be removed from the FastLane homepage as of September 30, 2023, and the functionality will be decommissioned in FastLane.   

For more information, please visit NSF's FastLane Decommissioning website at: https://www.research.gov/research-web/content/fldecomm

Questions? Email Sarah Saxton, Executive Director, Sponsored Programs at sms559@drexel.edu.

NSF Updates to Current & Pending Support and Biosketches Coming Fall 2023

Beginning October 23, 2023, NSF will require SciENcv to be used for all biosketches and current and pending (other) support pages for proposal submissions.

Questions? Email Sarah Saxton, Executive Director, Sponsored Programs at sms559@drexel.edu.

NIH Graphic For Funding Opportunities In Different Career Stages

NIH has recently created a graphic showing different funding opportunities throughout a researcher's career, from undergraduate to established investigator:

View the graphic here.

Questions? Email Sarah Saxton, Executive Director, Sponsored Programs at sms559@drexel.edu.

Maximus Consultants Assisting with Outgoing Subawards

The Office of Sponsored Programs has engaged with Maximus in assisting with outgoing subawards. OSP is currently working on a transition plan to have the consultants, Jennifer Barron and Heather Winters, prepare and execute all outgoing subawards on currently funded projects. More information will be provided to the research community on any process changes on the transition is completed.

Questions? Email Sarah Saxton, Executive Director, Sponsored Programs at sms559@drexel.edu.

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Did You Know?: Drexel Applied Innovation

Drexel Applied Innovation offers resources to help you expand the impact of your research through comprehensive technology transfer services!

  • IP & Agreements: PROTECT Drexel innovation and innovators through IP development and high-quality license agreements
  • Industry Engagement: CONNECT Drexel IP and their inventors to industry’s unmet needs and innovation challenges
  • Entrepreneurial Development: PROMOTE impact-oriented mindset within the Drexel research enterprise, offering startup support and funding programs

iCorps Logo

FACULTY MEMBERS: Expand the impact of your innovation through NSF I-Corps!

  • Immersive, experiential program
  • Explore the question: “Given my innovation, who would care about it the most, why, and by how much” with the members of your lab (postdocs and PhD students)
  • Applicable to a wide variety of research-based innovations
  • Prior NSF Funding is NOT required!
  • GET INVOLVED
    • NOVUS
      • Learn the basics
      • Half-day program followed by self-paced introductory coursework
    • PROPELUS (REGIONALS)
      • Four sessions (online) guiding you through customer discovery research – customer, problem, solution and value proposition testing
      • $3,000 NSF grant 
    • NATIONALS
      • Seven weeks/15 hr per week commitment 
      • Engage with prospective customers, partners, and others in the ecosystem
      • $50,000 NSF grant
  • Opens the door for
    • Help with your future grant proposals
      • “Broader Impacts” - NSF and NIH - A summary paragraph describes the expected broader societal, commercial and educational outcomes of the proposed project.”
    • Expanding your rolodex of industry contacts
      • During I-Corps, you would be connecting with at least 100 industry companies and stakeholders
    • Exploring forming a startup
    • Access to Drexel Express Startup License
      • Startup and investor friendly licensing agreement with pre-set terms to eliminate barriers and open the doors for commercialization pathways
      • For more information, click here
    • Many other potential beneficial outcomes  

Innovation Fund Logo 

Receive $150,000 to accelerate your entrepreneurial endeavor and shorten the time to the first round of professional investor capital with the Drexel University Innovation Fund!

  • Invests in both Drexel student and tech transfer startups
    • Investment candidates: NSF I-Corps, Drexel Coulter Translational Research program, Baiada incubator, Drexel Startups Fund, ic@3401, etc.
    • Investment size = $150K per company; up to 4 investments per year
  • “Early stage”
    • University to play the role of a “friends and family” investor; often too early stage for investors who are only focused on financial returns
    • Often the first check into the company

"This is a bold new initiative to empower our problem solvers to dream big and take on society’s most pressing challenges. We are doubling down on our entrepreneurial talent and research innovations." --President, John Fry

Applied Innovation Logo

Connect with Drexel Applied Innovation to chart your journey.

Drexel Applied Innovation would love to hear what you’re working on and discuss next steps! 

DAI will work with you to evaluate your invention, assess whether it might be of interest to industry/investors/entrepreneurs, protect it with intellectual property, market it, negotiate agreements, etc.

Questions? Email Applied_Innovation@drexel.edu.

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Meetings/Opportunities

Upcoming Social Science and Humanities RFPs from Private Funders

Please see below for a list of social science and humanities RFPs from private funders with August, September, and rolling deadlines. The list is organized by deadline from earliest to latest, with rolling deadlines at the end.
 
For more information or if you are interested in applying, please reach out to:

  • College of Medicine, College of Nursing and Health Professions, and Dornsife School of Public Health: Ingrid Broadnax at pib25@drexel.edu.
  • St. Christopher’s: Pamela Loos at pl526@drexel.edu
  • College of Engineering, College of Computing & Informatics, and School of Biomedical Engineering: Karen Shore at kes325@drexel.edu.
  • Westphal College and School of Education: Megan Loeb at ml3756@drexel.edu
  • College of Arts and Sciences, LeBow College of Business/Close School of Entrepreneurship, Goodwin College of Professional Studies, and Kline School of Law: Brenna McBride at bcm48@drexel.edu.

Brady Education Foundation

Deadline: August 1, 2023 (Stage 1 Application)
Funding: average $50,000-$200,000 over 3 years
Purpose: The Foundation is currently accepting Research Project and Existing Program Evaluation proposals that have the potential to provide data that will inform how to address disparities in educational opportunities associated with race, ethnicity, and family income. The primary aim of Existing Program Evaluation proposals must concern evaluating the effectiveness of programs designed to promote positive cognitive and/or achievement outcomes for children (birth through 18 years) with the goal of informing ways to close the educational opportunity gaps associated with race, ethnicity, and income. Research Proposals must concern obtaining information that will inform how to address disparities in educational opportunities associated with race, ethnicity, and/or family income.
Eligibility: Proposals that include individuals that identify as belonging to one or more communities of color in the study sample must have at least one researcher of color on the leadership team (at the PI / co-PI level) of the project (the leadership team can also include researchers who identify as white: co-PI leadership structures are permitted). 
Link: http://bradyeducationfoundation.org/application-guidelines/

Harry Frank Guggenheim Distinguished Scholar Award

Deadline: August 1, 2023
Funding: $15,000-$45,000 over 1-2 years
Purpose: The Harry Frank Guggenheim Distinguished Scholar Awards (formerly the Harry Frank Guggenheim Research Grants) recognize leading researchers proposing to make a significant contribution to illuminating an issue of violence. The Foundation welcomes proposals from any of the natural and social sciences and aligned disciplines that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence and aggression. Highest priority is given to research that addresses urgent, present-day problems of violence—what produces it, how it operates, and what prevents or reduces it.  The Foundation supports research that investigates the basic mechanisms in the production of violence, but primacy is given to proposals that make a compelling case for the relevance of potential findings for policies intended to reduce these ills.
Eligibility: Applicants for an award may be citizens of any country. While almost all recipients of these awards possess a Ph.D., M.D., J.D., or equivalent degree, there are no formal degree requirements for the award. The award, however, may not be used to support research undertaken as part of the requirements for a graduate degree.
Link: https://www.hfg.org/distinguished-scholars/

William T. Grant Foundation

Deadline: August 2, 2023 (LOI)
Funding: $100,000-$1M
Purpose: The Foundation’s mission is to support research to improve the lives of young people ages 5-25 in the United States. The Research Grants on Reducing Inequality initiative seeks studies that aim to build, test, or increase understanding of programs, policies, or practices to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people. We prioritize studies about reducing inequality on the basis of race, ethnicity, economic standing, language minority status, or immigrant origins. The Research Grants on Improving the Use of Research Evidence program seeks studies that identify, build, and test strategies to enhance the use of research evidence in ways that benefit youth.  We welcome descriptive studies that reveal the strategies, mechanisms, or conditions for improving research use, as well as evaluations of deliberate efforts to increase routine and beneficial uses of research in decision-making.
Eligibility: Grants are made to organizations, not individuals. Please consult with your institution about their eligibility criteria regarding who can act as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Principal Investigator on a grant.
Link: https://wtgrantfoundation.org/grants

Spencer Foundation Small Research Grants

Deadline: August 9, 2023
Funding: up to $50,000 over 1-5 years
Purpose: The Small Research Grants Program supports education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education, broadly conceived. This program is “field-initiated” in that proposal submissions are not in response to a specific request for a particular research topic, discipline, design, method, or location. Our goal for this program is to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education.
Eligibility: Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs applying for a Small Research Grant on Education must have an earned doctorate in an academic discipline or professional field, or appropriate experience in an education research-related profession. While graduate students may be part of the research team, they may not be named the PI or Co-PI on the proposal. The PI must be affiliated with a non-profit organization or public/governmental institution that is willing to serve as the administering organization if the grant is awarded. Proposals for activities other than research are not eligible.
Link: https://www.spencer.org/grant_types/small-research-grant

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Policies for Action: Effects of State Preemption Policies on Racial Justice and Health Equity

Deadline: August 10, 2023 at 3pm (LOI)
Funding: average $30,000-$450,000
Purpose: For this P4A call for proposals, the goal is to build the evidence base investigating how preemption policies at the state level may affect racial justice and health equity. Research should focus on how state-level preemption impacts local authority; apply a racial equity lens to the policy research processes and outcomes; and include community groups and/or members, especially those from historically marginalized communities, as leaders or partners in all stages of the research. Research findings are intended to inform and guide legislators; public agencies; public policy advocates; racial and other justice organizations; community organizers; and others who are developing and implementing policies to create thriving, healthy, equitable communities.
Eligibility: Preference will be given to applicants that are either public entities or nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not private or Type III supporting organizations. Applicant organizations must be based in the United States or its territories. Awards will be made to organizations, not to individuals. We strive to support a diverse group of researchers in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and seniority. Applicants who are current principal investigators or co-principal investigators of P4A grants OR who have finished their P4A funding within the past two years are not eligible to apply. (If your P4A grant was extended, the end of the extension period is considered the end of the award.) This does not prevent other researchers at the home institution of a P4A grantee from applying.
Link: https://www.rwjf.org/en/grants/active-funding-opportunities/2023/policies-for-action-effects-of-state-preemption-policies-on-racial-justice-and-health-equity.html?rid=0034400001rm1xJAAQ&et_cid=2196535

Spencer Foundation Vision Grants

Deadline: August 15, 2023 at 1pm (Intent to Apply)
Funding: $75,000 for 6-12 months
Purpose: The Spencer Foundation has identified a critical need for innovative, methodologically and disciplinarily diverse, large-scale research projects to transform education systems for equity. To stimulate research that addresses this need, the Spencer Foundation is investing in a new program designed to provide scholars with the time, space, resources, and support to plan a large-scale study or program of research: geared toward real-world impact on equity; based on research across disciplines and methods; reliant on meaningful collaboration with practitioners, policymakers, and communities; and focused on transforming educational systems. Toward this end, the Vision Grants program funds the collaborative planning of innovative, methodologically diverse, interdisciplinary research on education that contributes to transforming education systems for equity. Vision Grants are research planning grants to bring together a team, for 6 to 12 months, to collaboratively develop ambitious, large-scale research projects focused on transforming educational systems toward greater equity. 
Eligibility: Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs applying for a Vision Grant must have appropriate experience or an earned doctorate in an academic discipline or terminal degree in a professional field. While graduate students may be part of the research team, they may not be named the PI or Co-PI on the proposal. PIs and Co-PIs may apply for a Vision Grant if they have another active research grant from the Spencer Foundation or if they have another Spencer grant proposal in review.
Link: https://www.spencer.org/grant_types/vision-grants

Samuel H. Kress Foundation Digital Art History Grants

Deadline: September 1, 2023 at 5pm (LOI)
Funding: average $25,00-$50,000
Purpose: The Digital Art History Grants program is intended to foster new forms of research and collaboration as well as new approaches to teaching and learning. Support may also be offered for the digitization of important visual resources (especially essential art history photographic archives) in the area of pre-modern European art history; of primary textual sources (especially the literary and documentary sources of European art history); for promising initiatives in online publishing; and for innovative experiments in the field of digital art history. 
Eligibility: Grants are awarded to non-profit institutions that have 501(c)3 status in the United States, which includes supporting foundations of European institutions and foreign institutions that have obtained recognition of exemption from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The project being pursued can be the work of a single individual or a team affiliated with the organization applying for support, but the Foundation does not pay grants directly to individuals. This grant program does not typically support the digitization of museum object collections. 
Link: https://www.kressfoundation.org/Programs/Grants/Digital-Art-History

Samuel H. Kress Foundation History of Art Grants

Deadline: September 1, 2023 at 5pm (LOI)
Funding: average $25,00-$50,000
Purpose: The History of Art Grants program supports scholarly projects that will enhance the appreciation and understanding of European works of art and architecture from antiquity to the early 19th century. Grants are awarded to projects that create and disseminate specialized knowledge, including archival projects, development and dissemination of scholarly databases, documentation projects, museum exhibitions and publications, photographic campaigns, scholarly catalogues and publications, and technical and scientific studies. Grants are also awarded for activities that permit art historians to share their expertise through international exchanges, professional meetings, conferences, symposia, consultations, the presentation of research, and other professional events.
Eligibility: Grants are awarded to non-profit institutions that have 501(c)3 status in the United States, which includes supporting foundations of European institutions and foreign institutions that have obtained recognition of exemption from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The project being pursued can be the work of a single individual or a team affiliated with the organization applying for support, but the Foundation does not pay grants directly to individuals. This grant program does not typically support the documentation (cataloging, photography, research and publication) of the object collections of individual art museums.
Link: https://www.kressfoundation.org/Programs/Grants/History-of-Art

Samuel H. Kress Foundation Conservation Grants

Deadline: September 1, 2023 at 5pm (LOI)
Funding: average $25,000-$50,000
Purpose: The Conservation Grants program supports the professional practice of art conservation, especially as it relates to European works of art from antiquity to the early 19th century. Grants are awarded to projects that create and disseminate specialized knowledge, including archival projects, development and dissemination of scholarly databases, documentation projects, exhibitions and publications focusing on art conservation, scholarly publications, and technical and scientific studies.  Grants are also awarded for activities that permit conservators and conservation scientists to share their expertise with both professional colleagues and a broad audience through international exchanges, professional meetings, conferences, symposia, consultations, the presentation of research, exhibitions that include a prominent focus on materials and techniques, and other professional events.
Eligibility: Grants are awarded to non-profit institutions that have 501(c)3 status in the United States, which includes supporting foundations of European institutions and foreign institutions that have obtained recognition of exemption from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The project being pursued can be the work of a single individual or a team affiliated with the organization applying for support, but the Foundation does not pay grants directly to individuals. Support for conservation treatments is generally limited to works from the distributed Kress Collection, and is typically coordinated through the Kress Program in Paintings Conservation at the Conservation Center of the New York University Institute of Fine Arts.
Link: https://www.kressfoundation.org/Programs/Grants/Conservation

Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

Deadline: September 1, 2023
Funding: $50,000 (Curatorial Research Fellowships); $60,000-$100,000 (Exhibition and Multi-year Program Support)
Purpose: The Foundation offers three types of grants—Curatorial Research Fellowships, Exhibition Support, and Multiyear Program Grants. Curatorial Research Fellowship Proposals are accepted from 501c3 arts organizations on behalf of curators at any stage of their careers, with or without institutional affiliation, working towards projects that will manifest at least two years after a grant is made. Exhibition Support Proposals are accepted for solo or two person shows and thematic group exhibitions taking place between 6 months and 2 years after the grant notification date (July 1st and January 1st). We are interested in supporting artists whose work has been less celebrated than that of their peers, whose commitment to their practice has been under recognized yet has had a significant impact on the current (and upcoming) generation of artists. Multi-year Program Support Proposals are accepted for two years of visual arts programming. This can include exhibitions, residencies, public art works, screenings, performances, lectures, publications, mentorships and other professional development opportunities for artists.
Eligibility: See above
Link: https://warholfoundation.org/grants/

Calvin K. Kazanjian Economic Foundation

Deadline: September 10, 2023 (LOI)
Funding: average $10,000-$25,000
Purpose: For over 70 years, the Calvin K. Kazanjian Economics Foundation, Inc. has supported efforts to raise the nation’s level of economic literacy. Foundation’s current funding interest includes but not limited to: Efficient and innovative solutions to reach and serve more people

  • Behavioral economics with a focus on environmental issues
  • Economic education initiatives to under-served communities in the local states
  • On-line competitions
  • Offering future college scholarship to high school students demonstrating financial, economic, and entrepreneurship achievements
  • Marketing capabilities to serve more population in economic education
  • Programs to generate more excitement for economic and financial education
  • Economic education programs in a recently mandated state

Eligibility: Only 501(C ) (3) nonprofit organizations with at least 5 years of history may be eligible to submit a letter of interest. The Foundation will look most favorably at programs that match grants of support with funds from other organizations learned institutions, universities, colleges, and government sources.
Link: https://www.kazanjian.org/apply-for-a-grant

American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellowships

Deadline: September 28, 2023 at 9pm
Funding: up to $60,000
Purpose: ACLS invites research proposals from scholars in all disciplines of the humanities and interpretive social sciences.  ACLS aims to select fellows who are broadly representative of the variety of humanistic scholarship across all fields of study. The ultimate goal of the project should be a major piece of scholarly work by the applicant, which can take the form of a monograph, articles, publicly-engaged humanities project, digital research project, critical edition, or other scholarly resources. The fellowships support projects at any stage of development – beginning, middle, or end. This program does not fund works of fiction (e.g., novels or films), textbooks, straightforward translation, or pedagogical projects.
Eligibility: Applicants must be US citizens, permanent residents, Indigenous individuals residing in the United States through rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794, DACA recipients, asylees, refugees, or individuals granted Temporary Protected Status in the United States (foreign nationals who have been living in the United States or US territories for three or more years before the application deadline are also eligible, provided that they do not establish permanent residence outside the United States during the period of the fellowship); have a PhD officially conferred between September 29, 2015 and September 28, 2023; not hold a tenured faculty position.
Link: https://www.acls.org/competitions/acls-fellowships/

Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award

Deadline: September 28, 2023 at 5pm (LOI)
Funding: $100,000 (Stakeholder Convening); $250,000 (Capacity Building and Dissemination)
Purpose: The Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award Program supports projects that encourage active, meaningful involvement of patients, caregivers, clinicians, and other healthcare stakeholders as integral members of the patient-centered outcomes research/comparative clinical effectiveness research (PCOR/CER) enterprise. There are three categories:

  • Stakeholder Convening Support provides support to organizations and communities to hold multi-stakeholder convenings, meetings, and conferences that include a combination of patients, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, purchasers, payers, health system leaders, and/or other stakeholders.
  • Capacity Building funds projects that build communities prepared to participate in PCOR/CER. These awards support organizations with strong ties to patients, caregivers, clinicians and other stakeholders who have a connection to a research focus area and seek to better equip stakeholders to engage as partners in PCOR/CER. 
  • Dissemination supports projects that help organizations and communities plan for or actively communicate pertinent PCORI-funded research findings to their specific audiences, including patients, clinicians, communities, and others, in ways that will command their attention and interest and encourage use of this information in their healthcare decision making.

Eligibility: See website
Link: https://www.pcori.org/engagement/eugene-washington-pcori-engagement-award-program

Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood

Deadline: September 30, 2023 (LOI)
Funding: average $35,000-$60,000
Purpose: The Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood is an incubator of promising research and development projects that appear likely to improve the welfare of young children, from infancy through 7 years, in the United States. Welfare is broadly defined to include physical and mental health, safety, nutrition, education, play, familial support, acculturation, societal integration and childcare. Grants are only made if a successful project outcome will likely be of significant interest to other professionals, within the grantee’s field of endeavor, and would have a direct benefit and potential national application. The Foundation’s goal is to provide seed money to implement those imaginative proposals that exhibit the greatest chance of improving the lives of young children, on a national scale. 
Eligibility: The Foundation will not fund programs outside of the U.S.; the operation or expansion of existing programs; programs to benefit children residing in foreign countries; and medical research applicable to both adults and children.
Link: https://earlychildhoodfoundation.org/

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Pioneering Ideas: Exploring the Future to Build a Culture of Health

Deadline: Rolling
Funding: Average range $300,000 over 1 to 3 years
Purpose: Pioneering Ideas: Exploring the Future to Build a Culture of Health seeks proposals that are primed to influence health equity in the future. We are interested in ideas that address any of these four areas of focus: Future of Evidence; Future of Social Interaction; Future of Food; Future of Work. Additionally, we welcome ideas that might fall outside of these four focus areas, but which offer unique approaches to advancing health equity and our progress toward a Culture of Health.
Eligibility: Preference will be given to applicants that are tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not private foundations or Type III supporting organizations. Applicant organizations must be based in the United States or its territories. Submissions from teams that include both U.S. and international members are eligible, but the lead applicant must be based in the United States.
Link: https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/funding-opportunities/2020/pioneering-ideas-2020-exploring-the-future-to-build-a-culture-of-health.html?rid=0034400001rm1xJAAQ&et_cid=2046258

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Evidence for Action: Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity

Deadline: Rolling (LOI)
Funding: Varies
Purpose: Evidence for Action prioritizes research to evaluate specific interventions (e.g., policies, programs, practices) that have the potential to counteract the harms of structural and systemic racism and improve health, well-being, and equity outcomes. We are concerned both with the direct impacts of structural racism on the health and well-being of people and communities of color (e.g., Black, Latina/o/x, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander people, and other races and ethnicities)—as well as the ways in which racism intersects with other forms of marginalization, such as having low income, being an immigrant, having a disability, or identifying as LGBTQ+ or a gender minority. This funding is focused on studies about upstream causes of health inequities, such as the systems, structures, laws, policies, norms, and practices that determine the distribution of resources and opportunities, which in turn influence individuals’ options and behaviors. Research should center on the needs and experiences of communities exhibiting the greatest health burdens and be motivated by real-world priorities. It should be able to inform a specific course of action and/or establish beneficial practices, not stop at characterizing or documenting the extent of a problem.
Eligibility: Preference will be given to applicants that are either institutes of higher education, public entities, or nonprofit organizations that are tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are not private foundations or Type III supporting organizations. 
Link: https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/funding-opportunities/2021/evidence-for-action--innovative-research-to-advance-racial-equity.html?rid=0034400001rm1xJAAQ&et_cid=2479482

Arnold Ventures - Randomized Controlled Trials of Criminal Justice Programs and Practices

Deadline: Rolling (LOI)
Funding: Varies
Purpose: Arnold Ventures seeks grant applications to conduct randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of criminal justice programs and practices (“interventions”) that fall into one of three tiers: (i) The intervention is backed by promising prior evidence suggesting it could produce sizable impacts on important criminal justice outcomes (e.g., prevent violence, reduce recidivism, minimize injustice, improve health/employment of persons formerly involved in the justice system); (ii) The intervention is widely adopted in practice, but has not yet been rigorously evaluated and its impacts on key criminal justice outcomes are thus largely unknown; or (iii) The intervention is growing in use and likely to become widely adopted, but has not yet been rigorously evaluated.
Eligibility: Not specified
Link: https://craftmediabucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/RFP-for-RCTs-in-Criminal-Justice-CJ-EBP.pdf

Arnold Ventures - Randomized Controlled Trials to Evaluate Social Programs Whose Delivery Will Be Funded by Government or Other Entities

Deadline: Rolling (LOI)
Funding: Varies
Purpose: Arnold Ventures’ (AV) Evidence-Based Policy team invites grant applications to conduct randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of social programs in any area of U.S. policy in which: (i) AV will fund the RCT, and government or another entity will fund the program’s delivery; and (ii) The RCT meets the additional selection criteria set out in the RFP. Our goal in funding such RCTs is to build the body of programs rigorously shown to produce sizable, sustained benefits to participants or society, and to do so in a cost-efficient manner by leveraging program funds contributed by government, philanthropic foundations, or other funders.
Eligibility: The applicant’s team include at least one researcher in a key substantive role who has previously carried out a well-conducted RCT.
Link: https://craftmediabucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/Request-for-Proposals-RCTs-of-programs-that-others-are-funding-March-2019.pdf

Arnold Ventures - Rigorous Impact Evaluations of Student Success Programs and Practices in Higher Education

Deadline: Rolling (LOI)
Funding: Varies
Purpose: This Request for Proposals—a joint effort of AV’s Higher Education and Evidence-Based Policy initiatives— seeks grant applications to conduct rigorous impact evaluations of programs and practices (“interventions”) to promote college success in the United States that fall into one of three tiers: (i) The intervention is backed by promising prior evidence suggesting it could produce sizable impacts on important student success outcomes (e.g., student learning, persistence, degree or certificate completion, job placement, post-college earnings, and debt burden); (ii) The intervention is widely adopted in practice, but has not yet been rigorously evaluated and its impacts on key student success outcomes are thus largely unknown; or (iii) The intervention is growing in use and likely to become widely adopted, but has not yet been rigorously evaluated. Whenever possible, Arnold Ventures has a preference for funding randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We will also consider certain rigorous quasi-experimental designs that can credibly demonstrate a causal relationship when random assignment is not feasible.
Eligibility: The applicant’s team should include at least one researcher in a key substantive role who has previously carried out a well-conducted RCT or quasi-experimental study.
Link: https://craftmediabucket.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/Student-Success-RFP_Final.pdf

Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation

Deadline: Rolling
Funding: average grant size $20,000
Purpose: The Foundation intends to further the humanities along a broad front, supporting projects which address the concerns of the historical studia humanitatis: a humanistic education rooted in the great traditions of the past; the formation of human beings according to cultural, moral, and aesthetic ideals derived from that past; and the ongoing debate over how these ideals may best be conceived and realized. Programs in the following areas are eligible: history; archaeology; literature; languages, both classical and modern; philosophy; ethics; comparative religion; the history, criticism, and theory of the arts; and those aspects of the social sciences which share the content and methods of humanistic disciplines. The Foundation welcomes projects that cross the boundaries between humanistic disciplines and explore the connection between the humanities and other areas of scholarship.
Eligibility: The Foundation supports U.S. not-for-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and organizations utilizing a U.S. fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status. The Foundation does not support capital campaigns and building projects or overhead and indirect costs.
Link: https://www.delmas.org/programs-for-organizations

Smith Richardson Foundation

Deadline: Rolling (concept paper)
Funding: Average $100K-$150K
Purpose: The mission of the Smith Richardson Foundation is to contribute to important public debates and to address serious public policy challenges facing the United States. The Foundation seeks to help ensure the vitality of our social, economic, and governmental institutions. It also seeks to assist with the development of effective policies to compete internationally and to advance U.S. interests and values abroad. Programs include:

  • International Security & Foreign Policy - The objective of the International Security and Foreign Policy Program is to assist the U.S. policy community in developing effective national security strategies and foreign policies. The Foundation is committed to supporting projects that help the policy community face the fundamental challenge of ensuring the security of the United States, protecting and promoting American interests and values abroad, and enhancing international order.
  • Domestic Public Policy - The Domestic Public Policy Program supports projects that will help the public and policy makers understand and address critical challenges facing the United States.  To that end, the Foundation supports research on and evaluation of existing public policies and programs, as well as projects that inject new ideas into public debates. There is special interest in projects focused on economic opportunity, pre-and-post-secondary education, and the criminal justice system.

Eligibility: N/A
Link: https://www.srf.org/

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