Vice President for Research & Economic Development
Proposal Services & Faculty Support
October Funding Focus Newsletter #2
What is a Limited Submission?
A limited submission solicitation (RFA, RFP, etc.) places a cap on the number of proposals that Auburn may submit to a sponsor. Auburn coordinates limited submissions by sending out a notification via this newsletter and creating competitions in the Auburn University Competition Space (also known as InfoReady ).To apply to any limited submission posted below, click on the above link and search for your competition reflected on the page. Please refer to the Limited Submission Procedures page for a list of requirements.
Limited Submission Announcements

The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is designed to fulfill the mandate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote scientific progress nationwide. A jurisdiction is eligible to participate in EPSCoR programs if its level of NSF research support is equal to or less than 0.75 percent of the total NSF research and related activities budget for the most recent three-year period. Through this program, NSF establishes partnerships with government, higher education, and industry that are designed to effect sustainable improvements in a jurisdiction's research infrastructure, Research and Development (R&D) capacity, and hence, its R&D competitiveness.

RII Track-2 FEC builds inter-jurisdictional collaborative teams of EPSCoR investigators in scientific focus areas consistent with NSF priorities. Projects are investigator-driven and must include researchers from at least two RII- eligible jurisdictions with complementary expertise and resources necessary to tackle those projects, which neither party could address as well or rapidly alone. The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) research and education activities should seek to broaden participation through the strategic inclusion and integration of different types of individuals, institutions, and sectors throughout the project. Proposals must describe a comprehensive and integrated vision to drive discovery and build sustainable STEM capacity that exemplifies diversity of all types (individual, institutional, geographic, and disciplinary). The development of diverse early-career faculty is a critical component of this sustainable STEM capacity. For FY 2020, RII Track-2 FEC proposals are invited on a single topic: "Harnessing the Data Revolution to solve problems of national importance."

Institutional Limit: 1 Proposal
Internal Deadline: November 1, 2019, 4:45pm

The 2020 Innovators in Science Award recognizes a promising Early-Career Scientist's and an outstanding Senior Scientist’s research in Rare Diseases, and is intended to support their commitment to innovative research.

Two prizes of US$200,000 will be awarded, one to an Early-Career Scientist and the other to a well-established Senior Scientist from across the globe. The winning scientists will have distinguished themselves for the creativity and impact of their research.

Nominees for the Early-Career Scientist Award must:
  • Be 10 years or less from gaining their doctorate degree or equivalent.
  • Hold a doctorate degree (PhD, DPhil, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.).
  • Currently hold a junior level Post-doctoral or Faculty position
  • Have made impactful research contributions and show exceptional promise for significant future achievement in the Award field.

Nominees for the Senior Scientist Award must:
  • Be more than 10 years from gaining their doctorate degree or equivalent.
  • Hold a doctorate degree (PhD, DPhil, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.).
  • Currently hold a senior level Faculty position
  • Have made multiple, extensive, and impactful research contributions to advance the Award field.

Individuals in receipt of current or prior research support from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, or its affiliates, are not eligible for nomination. This conflict of interest (COI) encompasses direct Takeda support/engagement with the nomination candidate, as well as direct Takeda support/engagement of a specific project or research that the nomination candidate is involved in.
  • General support from Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, or its affiliates, for a nominee’s institution/organization or laboratory (including donation or general funding) does not constitute a COI.
  • For a comprehensive listing of affiliates, please visit: http://www.takeda.com/company/worldwide/

Institutional Limit: 1 Proposal in each Category
Internal Deadline: November 1, 2019, 4:45pm

A well-educated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce is a significant contributor to maintaining the competitiveness of the U.S. in the global economy. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program addresses the need for a high quality STEM workforce in STEM disciplines supported by the program and for the increased success of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who are pursuing associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The program seeks: (1) to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need obtaining degrees in STEM and entering the workforce or graduate programs in STEM; (2) to improve the education of future scientists, engineers, and technicians, with a focus on academically talented low-income students; and (3) to generate knowledge to advance understanding of how factors or evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities affect the success, retention, transfer, academic/career pathways, and graduation in STEM of low-income students.

The STEM disciplines supported by the S-STEM program include:
  • Biological sciences (except medicine and other clinical fields);
  • Physical sciences (including physics, chemistry, astronomy, and materials science);
  • Mathematical sciences;
  • Computer and information sciences;
  • Geosciences;
  • Engineering; and
  • Technology areas associated with the preceding disciplines (for example, biotechnology, chemical technology, engineering technology, information technology, etc.)

Institutional Limit: 1 Proposal per school or college
Internal Deadline: October 25, 2019, 4:45pm

Our commitment to enriching the research skills and professional growth of young faculty members at ORAU member institutions is embodied in the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards Program. These competitive research awards provide seed money for junior faculty members that often result in additional funding from other sources. 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).

If there is a question about eligibility, your  ORAU Councilor 's Designee ( Chase Schaum ) makes the final determination.
Research projects must fall within one of these five disciplines:
  • Engineering and Applied Science
  • Life Sciences
  • Mathematics/Computer Sciences
  • Physical Sciences
  • Policy, Management, or Education

Institutional Limit: 2 Proposals
Internal Deadline: October 25, 2019, 4:45pm
IMPORTANT UPDATES & EVENTS
FastLane and Research.gov Downtime

Please be advised that FastLane and Research.gov will be unavailable from Friday, November 8 at 8:00 PM EST until Tuesday, November 12 at 6:00 AM EST.
 
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is migrating its business applications to a modern and flexible platform from November 8 at 8:00 PM EST through November 12 at 6:00 AM EST. As part of this effort, NSF will also upgrade the alpha-numeric character set used by the FastLane and Research.gov systems to correct textual errors, such as special characters displaying as question marks ("?") in proposals and project reports. This migration has been scheduled over the Veterans Day holiday weekend to minimize the impact of the systems downtime on the research community and NSF staff.
 
During this outage, there will be no access to these websites, proposals cannot be prepared or submitted in FastLane and Research.gov, and project reports and cash requests cannot be submitted in Research.gov. However, previously saved information and uploaded documents in FastLane and Research.gov, including in-progress proposals and project reports, will be accessible after the migration is completed.
Experience the Fall 2019 National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants Conference virtually!
The plenary sessions of the upcoming conference in Boston, MA on November 18-19, 2019 will be webcast live to the research community.There is no cost or limit on participants to view the live stream.

View the plenary sessions to gain key insights into a wide range of current issues at NSF including: the state of current funding, proposal preparation and merit review policies and procedures, and pertinent administrative issues.



Check out the webcast agenda for more information on the sessions that will be covered.
These sessions will be recorded for on-demand viewing once the conference has concluded. Presentations will also be available on the conference website.

Guidelines for Reviewing 2020 IGP Proposals are now Uploaded

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities is one of 56 Councils across the United States and its territories to address identified needs by conducting advocacy, systems change, and capacity building efforts that promote self-determination, integration, and inclusion. The Council’s mission is to support independence, advocacy, productivity, and inclusion for Alabamians with developmental disabilities.

The Council’s grant and contractual investments are designed to advance its mission and support the philosophy of full inclusion by working with organizations and communities to achieve our goals. Through this RFP, the Council seeks to support the formation and/or strengthening of self-advocacy organizations and activities led by individuals with disabilities, including cross-disability advocacy initiatives.

Projects should be designed to strengthen the efforts of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to advocate for systems change that will transform fragmented approaches into a coordinated and effective system which ensures that individuals with I/DD and their families participate in the design of, and have access to, needed community services, individualized supports, and other assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in all facets of community life.
Projects should also be designed to strengthen an existing self-advocacy organization or program or establish a new self-advocacy organization or program led by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, by improving an organization’s skill set, organizational structure and/or work to effect policy change. Organizations responding to this RFP may be a local, regional or statewide self-advocacy organization whose purpose is to advocate for changes to policies, programs and systems for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities that encourage inclusive communities.

Full Proposal Due – November 1, 2019 (12pm Central)

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development (OVPRED) announces the 2020 call for proposals for the Auburn University Intramural Grants Program (IGP). Proposals undergo a thorough evaluation by a peer-review panel. Funding for all IGP grants is for a two year period.

There are four grant categories:
  • Interdisciplinary Team Research Grant: Provides support for research that will significantly advance multiple research fields. The research project must be conducted by at least two investigators from different disciplines. Up to $25,000 contribution from OVPRED.
  • Good to Great Grant: Provides support to enhance the competitiveness of a research proposal that has been favorably reviewed by an extramural grant review panel but not funded. The likelihood of funding on resubmission would increase with the acquisition of additional data or proof of concept. Up to $25,000 contribution from OVPRED.
  • Early Career Development Grant: provides support for faculty embarking on their research program(s). PI eligibility is limited to faculty that have been at Auburn for five years or less. For this grant, any individual who holds one of the following positions may be identified as a principal investigator for sponsored activities: Tenure track faculty (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Librarian and Archivist ), Non-tenure-track research faculty (Assistant Research Professor, Associate Research Professor, Principal Research Scientist/Engineer) Clinical Professors (Assistant Clinical Professor, Associate Clinical Professor) · Research Fellow, Research Engineer. The proposer must be employed in one of the above-referenced positions as of the date of proposal submission and be untenured as of October 1 following the proposal submission.Up to $10,000 contribution from OVPRED.
  • *Cyber Research Grant: The University’s Cyber Initiative integrates cutting-edge engineering technology with research to develop innovative methods for protecting our nation's cyber security. This includes work to advance Auburn University’s technical expertise and leadership in cyber education and training; open source intelligence and analysis; and cyber security and forensics to include information assurance, intrusion detection and critical infrastructure protection. Up to $50,000 from funding sources.

*Offered with additional funding in conjunction with the IGP. 

All grant categories require a minimum 1:1 match to your funding request.


For additional assistance, please contact Dr. Bob Holm (programmatic assistance;  [email protected] , 4-5877).  

Proposals Due – January 10, 2020 (4:45pm Central)

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development is now accepting applications for the 2020 LAUNCH Innovation Grants Program. 

The LAUNCH program, now in its fourth year, was conceived by the Auburn University Research and Economic Development Advisory Board as a mechanism to bridge the gap between innovative research and the market. The program was created in 2015 with the support of the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development with the goal of creating an endowment of $10 million that would provide annual funding for LAUNCH Innovation grants. To date, the LAUNCH program has awarded a total of $470,000 to entrepreneurial Auburn faculty.

The awards process begins when faculty interested in commercializing university research submit proposals to a LAUNCH evaluation panel, who, through a series of reviews, narrow submissions to a group of up to five finalists. Those finalists will then make presentations to the evaluation panel at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center in the spring of 2020 as part of Auburn's Entrepreneurship Summit. 

LAUNCH Award recipients have the opportunity to work with experts in entrepreneurship from Auburn's Raymond J. Harbert College of Business and with the members of the Innovation Advancement and Commercialization Office to develop the plans and assemble the resources necessary to translate scientific achievement into commercial success. Researchers may also be partnered with Auburn alumni and friends with extensive experience in industries related to the projects.


Applications Due – October 28, 2019 (4:45pm Central)
Proposal Services & Faculty Support
844-5929 / c [email protected]