Research Funding Opportunities

What's New

UTSA-IIMS/CTRC Pilot and Collaborative Translational and Clinical Studies Awards

The University of Texas San Antonio, the Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science (IIMS), and the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC) are soliciting proposals for FY12-13 Pilot Project Awards. The primary goal of these programs is to support early-stage collaborative translational and clinical studies that will lead to increased interdisciplinary, institutional, and community-based research likely to compete successfully for national grant support and ultimately to improve human health.

Guidelines and applications may be downloaded at http://iims.uthscsa.edu/pilot.html. Deadline for letters of intent is January 17, 2012 at 5pm. Letters of Intent should be submitted electronically in PDF format directly to Ms. Cindy Russel (russel@uthscsa.edu).

UTHSCSA’s deadline for full applications is Tuesday February 21, 2012 at 5pm, however, UTSA’s internal proposal policy deadlines (ref 5 January 2012 letter) still apply. Fully completed proposals should be in PDF format and submitted through Cayuse to the Office of Grants, Contracts and Industrial Agreements (OGCIA). OGCIA will then electronically submit proposals to Ms. Cindy Russel (russel@uthscsa.edu).

Unlike UTHSCSA, UTSA PIs Level of effort must be commensurate with work performed with a minimum commitment of 1%; awardees MUST contact UTSA’s Office of Research, Integrity and Compliance once notified they have won; and awardees must follow all state (14) account rules.

The maximum budget allowed for these proposals is $50,000. Two awards will be given. A separate state account will be set up and managed in the PI’s department. UTSA’s contribution is $25,000 for each award. After UTSA’s funds have been depleted, UTHSCSA will be invoiced for up to an additional $25,000.

Any questions regarding the overall program may be directed to Ms. Cindy Russel, Institute for Integration of Medicine and Science, 210-562-4010. Questions specific to UTSA procedures should be directed to Mr. Jim Massaro, 210-458-6691.


Norman Hackerman Advanced Research Program

The Norman Hackerman Advanced Research Program is a competitive peer-reviewed grant program created in 1987 by the 70th Texas Legislature. The purpose of the program is to encourage and provide support to faculty members and students in Texas institutions of higher education, both public and independent, to conduct basic research.

*** 2011 NHARP Update ***

The Norman Hackerman Advanced Research Program (NHARP) funding was significantly reduced from $16 million to $1,000,000 for the 2012-2013 biennium. The following changes have been reviewed and are recommended by the Board's Strategic Policy and Planning Committee and will be considered by the Board at their July 28 meeting:
  • Only "Early Career Investigators" may submit a proposal
  • Targeted research areas are:
    • Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, and Genetics (excluding cancer-related research)
    • Materials Science/Nanoscience
  • Maximum award of $80,000 for the two-year grant period
  • Principal investigators are limited to one submission
  • Only single investigator, single institution proposals may be submitted
  • Notice of intent and pre-proposal are required for each submission
  • Budget cannot include faculty summer salaries
  • Budget must include support for undergraduate/graduate students, depending on eligible institution
For the 2011 NHARP competition, an "Early Career Investigator" is a non-tenured, tenure track faculty member or a research professional (not including post-doctoral students, research assistants/associates, or instructors) from an eligible institution who has been employed at the institution in that capacity for not less than two years and not more than five years, as of the pre-proposal submission date.

NOTICE OF INTENT DEADLINE: September 1, 2011, 5:00 PM C.D.T.

For more information, visit the Foundation website http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/index.cfm?objectid=E55F9EE7-E488-6873-7D535561D9B426B8 or contact Claudia G. Garcia (claudia.garcia1@utsa.edu) at x5199.


Baptist Health Foundation - Responsive Grants

Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio is currently inviting submission of Letters of Inquiry (LOI) for their Responsive Grant Program from organizations who are committed to providing healthcare services and health education throughout Bexar County and contiguous counties in South Texas. The primary goal of the Foundation is to provide funding for those organizations who provide a direct community service. However, it will entertain research-oriented proposals that have a significant direct community engagement component. For 2011, the four (4) strategic areas of focus are: Efforts that address health issues of high incidence in our communities; Reduction of gaps in service and improving access to care; The elimination of disparities in health; Services that address the needs of the medically vulnerable.

The range for Responsive Grants is $25,000 to $250,000. The University may submit one (1) letter of intent. Interested investigators should contact their colleges/units for additional limited submission review details, and visit the Limited Submission website for additional information to download: http://research.utsa.edu/funding/limitedsub. The internal OGCIA deadline is April 21, 2011.

For additional information, interested applicants may visit the Foundation's website (http://www.bhfsa.org/apply_responsive.html) or contact Marcos Moore (marcos.moore@utsa.edu) at x7765.


Gates Foundation Grant Opportunities - New Grand Challenges Explorations

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $100 million to encourage scientists worldwide to expand the pipeline of ideas to fight our greatest health challenges through the Grand Challenges Explorations program. The grant program is open to anyone from any discipline, from student to tenured professor, and from any organization - colleges and universities, government laboratories, research institutions, non-profit organizations and for-profit companies. The initiative uses an agile, accelerated grant-making process with short two-page applications and no preliminary data required. Applications are submitted online, and winning grants are chosen approximately 4 months from the submission deadline. Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded two times a year. Successful projects have the opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to $1 million.

The foundation is currently accepting proposals for Grand Challenges Explorations Round 7 until May 19, 2011 at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time on the following topics:

  • The Poliovirus Endgame: Create Ways to Accelerate, Sustain and Monitor Eradication
  • Create the Next Generation of Sanitation Technologies
  • Create Low-Cost Cell Phone-Based Solutions for Improved Uptake and Coverage of Childhood Vaccinations
  • Design New Approaches to Cure HIV Infection
  • Explore Nutrition for Healthy Growth of Infants and Children
  • Apply Synthetic Biology to Global Health Challenges
Additional information is available at: http://www.grandchallenges.org/explorations.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is currently inviting the submission of research abstracts as part of its 2011 How Housing Matters to Families and Communities research competition. How Housing Matters is a five-year, $25 million research initiative to deepen the literature on the effect that investments in affordable housing have on social and economic outcomes, beyond shelter. It explores the notion that affordable housing may be an essential "platform" that promotes positive outcomes in education, employment, and physical and mental health, among other areas.

Submissions are due no later than Friday, April 8, 2011.

For more information, visit the Foundation website here.

  • NSF Scholarships in STEM

    • The NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program makes grants to institutions of higher education to support scholarships for academically talented, financially needy students, enabling them to enter the workforce following completion of an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate-level degree in science and engineering disciplines.

    For details, please visit:
    http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09567/nsf09567.htm?govDel=USNSF_25

    This opportunity might be subject to the limited submission process. Please contact OSP for additional information.

  • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

    • The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century.

    The Recovery and Reinvestment Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression. The federal agencies charged with implementing the Recovery Act are preparing to roll out funding announcements, the vast majority of these being competitive research grants. In an effort to keep our research community informed of these new grant announcements, we have set up a Stimulus Funding website to enable quickly access to ARRA-related information as we receive it.

    These opportunities might be subject to the limited submission process. Please contact OSP for additional information.