The Research Incentive Seed Grant Program supports investigators in collecting preliminary data in new, innovative research areas that will be leveraged for extramural grant applications. Starting FY25, Colleges will have significantly more flexibility and responsibility in the process used to identify, review, and fund Seed Grant projects. This is to ensure that each college can create a process that is aligned with the college’s specific research goals and needs.

The FY25 program will function as follows:

1. The VPR Office approves a set amount of funds for each college based on the extramural award performance of the college.
2. The VPR Office notifies each college of current fiscal year program details via Research Incentive Seed Grant Program invitation letter sent to the Associate Dean for Research (ADR). The VPR Office communicates the college’s seed grant budget for that fiscal year, all required institutional funding restrictions, required program guidelines, and any other conditions/details that the College must agree to and incorporate in their college-level seed grant competition process.
3. The College will independently conduct a competitive, college-specific seed grant process that aligns with their specific research focuses, needs, portfolio, etc. All colleges have been asked to complete their college-level competition by the second Thursday of February, annually.
   • Colleges may utilize/include deadlines, focuses, restrictions, etc. that are specific to the college-level competition, but must adhere to all VPR applicant eligibility & budget requirements listed on this webpage.
   • Colleges may conduct a program that is unlike a traditional seed grant program process (i.e. a program that assists in training faculty in obtaining extramural funding, an incentive program to encourage faculty response to a specific funder/program, etc.) but the primary goal and outcomes of the program MUST be to increase the extramural funding portfolio of the college.
4. The College will conduct the competition, provide fair and transparent review of all applications, determine awards, prepare and send award letters (using the VPR award template), and assist faculty with DSS submission and Project setup, etc. All colleges must complete award process for all selected awardees by March 20^th, 2025 (the third Thursday of March, annually).
   • 10/16/2024 Note: the VPR office is working with OSP to update this process on the webpage.
5. The VPR Office and ADRs will review program details, results of program, etc. annually to ensure proper use of funding and maximum effectiveness of college-level program.
   • Final Report details and deadlines will be determined by the colleges. Colleges are responsible for collecting final reports.
   • No-Cost Extensions (NCEs) will be reviewed and approved by college leadership. Colleges may permit one NCE per seed grant awardee. If a second NCE is requested in extenuating circumstances, the request will be forwarded to the VPR office for review and approval.

• Tenure, career, clinical, or equivalent level faculty with 0.75 FTE are eligible to apply.
• Faculty must be in-residence at the University of Utah to be considered for Seed funding.
• Faculty in Institutes/Centers/Programs and the Honors College will need to apply via their home colleges.
• Proposals must exhibit high potential for leveraging extramural funding and PIs must commit to submitting at least one external proposal based on the pilot project.
• All applicants must clearly and convincingly demonstrate that the proposed project represents a new research direction in an area that is likely to generate extramural funding. Research that is already supported by other sources is not eligible for Seed funding. (For example, PIs cannot receive funding from the URC program and the Research Incentive Seed Grant Program for the same or similar projects.)
• Proposals that have already been submitted to an extramural agency (ex. Applications already awarded or awaiting response on award) OR those already reviewed and found noncompetitive by an extramural agency will not be considered for funding. Incentive programs are allowed.
• Awarded PIs must be prepared to start project by the published start date. If the PI is not prepared to start work on the project by the published start date, the award will be revoked, and the PI will need to reapply next year.

Note: Colleges may utilize/include other applicant eligibility requirements that are specific to the college-level competition, but must adhere to all VPR applicant eligibility & budget requirements listed on this webpage.

All VPR-required budget/funding restrictions are listed below and must be included in the College’s internal competition. The following activities are not allowed:

• Travel that is not directly related to successful completion of the project. Travel to present project findings at conferences/meetings is not allowed.
• Faculty salaries
• Graduate student-initiated projects, stipends, or fellowships
• Support to write dissertations or theses
• Curriculum development
• Career development (e.g., taking courses, attending professional meetings/conferences, etc.)
• Benefits on hourly wages except those required by law
• Computers or computer hardware, unless the applicant can provide strong evidence that the project cannot be pursued without procuring that specific computer hardware or workstation. A request for funds to purchase a computer requires evidence that the project cannot be pursued without procuring that specific computer or workstation. The VPR will fund the acquisition of computer hardware and software that are vital and necessary components of an approved project.
• Society/group memberships
• Consultant costs

Note: Colleges may utilize/include other budget restrictions/requirements that are specific to the college-level competition, but must adhere to all VPR applicant eligibility & budget requirements listed on this webpage.

Please contact the Associate Dean for Research in your home college for details on applying to the Research Incentive Seed Grant Program. You can identify your Associate Dean for Research HERE.

Please contact the Associate Dean for Research in your home college with questions related to this program. You can identify your Associate Dean for Research HERE. For questions specific to the VPR Office, please contact vprgrants@utah.edu.

Past Awardees

Information on past Research Incentive Seed Grant Program awardees (2019-2023) is available HERE.