Description

The Office of Research Development is committed to supporting faculty in their research, scholarship, and creative inquiries. These inquiries can include knowledge making in any area, including creative endeavors, pedagogy, and inclusive excellence. The UML Researchers and Scholars Investment (RSI) Fund supports faculty in their professional trajectory, providing opportunities to test new ideas, implement initiatives, and strengthen their skills and craft. These funds are meant to provide immediate assistance for short-term projects and goals that will provide great benefit to the scholar, their team, and the university.

Starting in May 2025, the RSI fund will accept applications on a rolling basis and, while all request for funding will be considered, we are especially interested in:

  • Applicants without any current grant funding, start-up, or Research Investment Funds (RIF) available;
  • Bridge support for ongoing research activities disrupted by federal funding cuts;
  • Early career faculty projects;
  • New projects with strong potential competitiveness for future non-federal funding opportunities (e.g. industry, state, and philanthropic funders).

Examples of appropriate use of funds include:

  • Research activities that drive progress from a recently disrupted federal grant, such as data analysis, sample archiving, or manuscript publication costs
  • Hourly wages for a currently enrolled graduate student affected by funding disruption 
  • Collecting preliminary data
  • Subscription to a digital tool or resource
  • Hiring an editor for a new book
  • Purchasing supplies for an art installation
  • Support for student travel to a conference with the project lead to present collaborative work

The list above is not exhaustive and applicants may request funding for activities as long as they demonstrate the direct benefit of the project to the individual researcher/scholar and the university. Students can be supported, but the research project must advance the work of the applicant. Priority for funding is given to projects that directly support the UML 2028 Strategic Plan, for applicants with recently disrupted federal grant awards, and applicants with no current grant funding, start-up, or RIF funds available.

Anticipated Funding Amount

The Office of Development intends to fund up to $5,000 per project.

Application Timeline

Applications will be accepted through InfoReady on a rolling basis starting May 21, 2025 until RSI funds are exhausted. Funded projects will commence within 1-2 months of proposal submission.

On InfoReady, you may download the full solicitation under “Supporting Documents.” Please review the solicitation thoroughly for eligibility, guidelines and proposal requirements.

Eligibility

  • UML tenured, tenure-track, and emerit faculty are eligible to apply.
  • Applicants must demonstrate that they have no other available source of funding including startup funds, research investment funds (RIF), etc. If you have funds earmarked for other activities, you may still apply for the RSI Fund. However, you must clearly show how each pool of funds will be used in the budget section of the application.
  • Lead principal investigators (PIs) can only hold one award sponsored by the Office of Research Development at a time. An exception will be made for PIs seeking bridge funding to continue research from a disrupted federal grant; we may award funding even if the PI currently holds an ORD-sponsored award.
  • PIs may only apply for awards with project periods that do not overlap with the project period of their current award (exception granted for those applying for bridge funding to continue research from a disrupted federal grant). Applicants may only submit as lead PI on one application for any award sponsored by the Office of Research Development per fiscal year. If multiple applications are received from the same lead PI applicant in the same fiscal year, only the first submission will be considered for funding.

Guidelines

  • Review the guidelines for all ORD-sponsored funding
  • Funds are awarded for a one-year period.
  • No extensions will be granted on RSI awards.
  • Funds must not be used for summer salary or other additional compensation for faculty.
  • Funds must not be used to fund Research Assistants/tuition waivers (funds may support student hourly wages).

Deliverables

  • Awardees are required to submit a final report outlining activities and outcomes. Instructions for the report will be provided near the end of the award period.
  • Awardees must serve as a reviewer for at least one future cycle of ORD applications, if asked.
  • Awardees must present a lightning talk about their project at the annual Faculty Symposium following the end of their award period.