Provost Research and Teaching Innovation Grant (Prestige)

The Provost Research & Teaching Development Grants (Prestige) are designed to promote scholarly growth across multiple disciplines. These awards provide support for rigorous, high-quality projects that aim to enhance external funding opportunities, generate significant scholarly contributions, and advance innovative pedagogy that strengthens the institution’s reputation. Recipients of Provost Prestige awards are expected to submit proposals for external funding, publish work that contributes to their field, produce creative works or performances recognized at the national level, and/or develop innovative teaching strategies that improve student employment outcomes.

Types of Awards

There are three categories of awards; eligible faculty can only submit to 1 of the three awards as Principal Investigator or Co-investigator (no Co-PIs). Only faculty members who have not received a previous Faculty Seed Research Grant as PI or Co-PI in the past three academic years (2023-2024, 2024-2025, or 2025-2026) are eligible for Provost Prestige awards. Refer to the award category for specific eligibility requirements.

STEM Research Award

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medicine (STEM) Research Award aims to facilitate robust, high-caliber developmental initiatives that correspond with institutional objectives and prevailing state and federal funding priorities within the areas of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Recipients are required to submit an external grant application, and project results must include at least one significant publication. IRB approval is required for research involving human subjects that involves intervention or interaction with individuals or the collection, use, or analysis of identifiable private information.

STEM Faculty Eligibility

Tenure-track faculty and tenured associate professors with a primary appointment to a college under the Division of Academic Affairs with a research/scholarship workload of 30% (or more), and who currently do not serve as PI of an externally funded grant and have exhausted all their start-up support.
Faculty with primary appointments in Health Affairs are ineligible to apply.
Faculty must be in good standing.
Faculty members may be included in ONLY one proposal regardless of category, either as PI or Co-investigator (no Co-PIs).
Faculty members who have not received a Faculty Seed Research Grant as PI or Co-PI in the past three academic years are eligible.

STEM Deliverables

Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for all deliverables.
At least 1 submitted external grant proposal
At least 1 submitted peer-reviewed publication in a reputable journal.
Other deliverables as outlined in the proposal.
Participation in the Division of Research New Investigator Series and Write-Ins for Faculty Grant Development
Submission of final progress report
Failure to meet deliverables, PI will be ineligible for future submissions.

STEM Funding

Single Principal Investigators (PI) awards up to $50,000 each.
Up to 2 proposals will be selected.
No Co-Principal investigators (Co-PI) allowed.
PIs submitting proposals with Co-investigators (maximum 2) will be required to describe the necessity and the collaborative nature of the proposal in the application process.

SHAPE Research Awards:

The SHAPE Research Award (Social Sciences, Humanities, Arts, People, and Economy) is designed to promote rigorous, high-quality developmental initiatives that align with institutional objectives and state and federal funding priorities within the disciplines of social sciences, humanities, arts, people, and the economy. Receipients are expected to pursue external grant opportunities, generate at least one significant publication, or produce creative works or performances intended for national or international audiences. IRB approval is required for research involving human subjects that involves intervention or interaction with individuals or the collection, use, or analysis of identifiable private information.

SHAPE Faculty Eliginility

Tenure-track faculty and tenured associate professors with a primary appointment to a college under the Division of Academic Affairs with a research/scholarship workload of 30% (or more) and who currently do not serve as PI of an externally funded grant and have exhausted all their start-up support.
Faculty with primary appointments in Health Affairs are ineligible to apply.
Faculty must be in good standing.
Faculty members may be included in ONLY one proposal regardless of category, either as PI or Co-investigator (no Co-PIs allowed).
Faculty members who have not received a Faculty Seed Research Grant as PI or Co-PI in the past three academic years are eligible.

SHAPE Funding

Single Principal Investigator (PI) awards up to $20,000 each.
Up to 4 proposals will be selected.
No Co-Principal investigators (Co-PI) allowed.
PIs submitting proposals with Co-investigators (maximum 2) will be required to describe the necessity and the collaborative nature of the proposal in the application process.

SHAPE Deliverables

Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for all deliverables.
At least 1 submitted external grant proposal, or
At least 1 submitted peer-reviewed publication in a reputable journal, or
At least 1 new creative work/performance
Other deliverables as outlined in the proposal.
Participation in the Division of Research New Investigator Series and Write-Ins for Faculty Grant Development
Submission of final progress report
Failure to meet deliverables, PI will be ineligible for future submissions.

Teaching Innovation Award:

The Teaching Innovation Award recognizes early- and mid-career faculty who demonstrate exceptional commitment to teaching and fostering student achievement, both within and beyond their disciplines. Its purpose is to encourage innovative pedagogy and scholarship in teaching that prepares graduates for an evolving workforce. Recipients are expected to share their creative strategies with the university commmunity and provide data-driven evidence linking their successful practices to student outcomes. These efforts should lead to influential eduational publications or help secure external funding. IRB approval is required for research involving human subjects that involves intervention or interaction with individuals or the collection, use, or analysis of identifiable private information.

TEACHING Faculty Eligibility

Tenure-track assistant professors, tenured associate professors, Professional Track faculty at the rank of Lecturer II or higher, Associate (Clinical) Professor of Practice or higher with a primary appointment to a college under the Division of Academic Affairs, with a teaching workload of 60% (or more), and who currently do not serve any role on an externally funded teaching, research, or training grant.
Faculty with primary appointments in Health Affairs are ineligible to apply.
Faculty must be in good standing.
Faculty members may be included in ONLY one proposal regardless of category, either as PI or Co-investigator (no Co-PIs allowed).
Faculty members who have not received a Faculty Seed Research Grant as PI or Co-PI in the past three academic years are eligible.

TEACHING Deliverables

Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for all deliverables.
Presenting/providing a workshop through CTE or other venue to share best practices
A pedagogical method that improves student knowledge, retention, and/or graduation
Utilization of new technology (AI, LMS, etc.) that improves student success, or
Pedagogical method that fosters student well-being, or
Pedagogical methods that improve student job placement, or
At least 1 submitted external grant proposal, or
At least 1 submitted high-quality publication, or
Other deliverables as outlined in the proposal.
Submission of final progress report
Failure to meet deliverables, PI will be ineligible for future submissions.

TEACHING Funding

Single Principal Investigator (PI) awards up to $5,000 each.
Up to 3 proposals will be selected.
No Co-Principal (Co-PI) investigators allowed.
PIs submitting proposals with Co-investigators (maximum 2) will be required to describe the necessity and the collaborative nature of the proposal in the application process.

Timeline

Timeline
STEP	DEADLINE
Applicant's Intent to Submit	December 9, 2025
Submission Portal Opens (through FPT)	December 18, 2025
Proposals Due	February 2, 2026
Funding Decisions Announced	May 2026
All Funds Must Be Spent or Encumbered	May 31, 2027
Project Report Portal Opens	June 1, 2027
Project Report Due	August 31, 2027

Submit Your Letter of Intent Here

Prestige Policies and Procedures

Allowable Costs (all award types)

Wages for undergraduate, graduate students and/or focus group participants complying with the minimum wage
Reasonable outside consultant fees as determined by the review committee and are conditional based upon the documentation submitted by the grant
Travel that is essential and directly related to the project must be documented as essential and comply with State of Texas Guidelines.
Operations (office supplies, software, research supplies, computer costs, )
Capital Justification must be provided, and equipment use must be directly related to the proposed project.
PI Faculty Summer Stipend budget lines must not exceed 30% of the total request. Budget must include fringe benefits expenses of 16%.

Requests for the following will not be funded:

Work associated with the completion of a faculty member's master's thesis or doctoral dissertation, or current PI teaching development activities.
Travel to meetings, conferences, and training workshops to present research
Projects or topics that do not fall within current state and federal funding guidelines.
Course release buyouts.
Faculty/staff research personnel
Projects that received seed grant funding in the previous 3 academic years.

Costs must follow Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) guidelines regarding salaries, fees, and wages.

All proposals must comply with current state and federal funding requirements.

Proposal Preparation and Submission

An intent to submit form via Qualtrics must be completed by the deadline listed above. The announcement and intent to submit will be communicated via email from the Office of Faculty Affairs.
Faculty meeting eligibility requirements will receive a notification to submit their proposal via the Faculty Portfolio Tool (FPT) in Watermark by the deadline listed above.
Proposals will be reviewed, and recommendations provided to the Provost for final determination.
Please tailor your proposal language to an educated lay audience, NOT experts in your field. Applications that do not follow these guidelines and the specific guidelines below will be excluded from eligibility.
All applications must follow these specifications:
- Font: Must be Arial and no smaller than 11 point font

PART I: To be eligible for consideration, faculty must meet eligibility requirements for the award category they are applying for, and proposal submissions must include ALL the elements below:

PI and Co-investigators (only 1 PI and up to 2 Co-investigators maximum) names, titles/ranks, college(s)/school(s), and the project’s title
PI/Co-investigators Role Statement: Clearly outline the specific responsibilities and contributions of each within the proposed project.
Project Abstract: A short abstract that clearly identifies the project's specific objectives addressing a pressing issue in the field (max. 250 words).
Impact Statement: Describe impact to the field, university mission, alignment with research pathways, and the project’s role in the PI’s research agenda. For teaching innovation awards align with PI's teaching philosophy and impact on student success (max 250 words)

PART II: Project Description: Sections A. to D. must not exceed six pages (max 4250 words). Must include ALL the following sub-headings:

A) Specific Objectives Project Narrative (max 700 words): Clearly define the goals of the project, focusing on measurable outcomes that directly address a pressing issue or gap in the field. Each objective should be specific, achievable, and aligned with the broader purpose of the grant.

B) Rational and Significance: Explain the theoretical framework, prior research, or technical foundation that supports the project. Emphasize why the work matters—its potential to advance knowledge, solve a critical problem, or contribute to innovation in the discipline.

C) Methodology: Describe the research or project design, including data collection methods, tools, procedures, and analysis strategies. Justify your approach and explain how it will effectively achieve the stated objectives.

D) Timeline and Management Plan: Provide a realistic schedule of key activities and milestones over the grant period. Outline roles, responsibilities (including collaborators), and how the project will be managed to ensure timely progress and accountability.

Sections E. to F. (max 700 words)

E) Student/Trainee Involvement: Detail how students or trainees will participate in the project, including their roles, mentorship opportunities, and how the experience will contribute to their academic or professional development.

F) Deliverables: Outline the tangible outputs that will result from the project. These may include reports, publications, datasets, software tools, policy briefs, educational materials, presentations, or other products that demonstrate progress and impact. Be specific about what will be produced, when, and how each deliverable supports the project’s objectives and broader significance.

PART III: Budget (max 700 words)

Budget and Justification: Provide a detailed breakdown of the project’s anticipated costs, including personnel, equipment, materials, travel, and other direct or indirect expenses. Justify each item by explaining how it supports the project’s objectives and why the cost is reasonable and necessary. This section should demonstrate fiscal responsibility and alignment with the funding agency’s guidelines.

PART IV: CV (UPLOAD)

2-page CV(s) (or NSF or NIH biosketch) for PI and up to 2 Co-investigators:

Each CV (or biosketch) should demonstrate the faculty member’s ability to meet the goals and outcomes proposed.

Grant Awarding and Reporting

The Provost will make final funding determinations after consulting the recommendations of faculty evaluators. During reviews, proposals will be evaluated on clarity, significance, quality, impact to the field, alignment with state and federal funding stipulations, and strong probability of producing the stated deliverables.

Evaluation Criteria:

Specific Objectives

Are the objectives clearly stated and measurable?
Do they address a pressing issue in the field?
Are they achievable within the proposed timeline?

Rational and Significance

Is the proposal grounded in relevant theory or technical background?
Does it demonstrate a strong understanding of the field?
Is the significance of the work clearly articulated and compelling?

Methodology

Is the approach appropriate and well-justified?
Are the methods clearly described and feasible?
Does the methodology align with the stated objectives?

Timeline and Management Plan

Is the timeline realistic and well-structured?
Are roles and responsibilities clearly defined?
Does the management plan support successful execution of the project?

Student/Trainee Involvement

Are students or trainees meaningfully engaged in the project?
Does the proposal offer mentorship or professional development opportunities?
Is the involvement aligned with educational goals?

Deliverables

Are the expected outputs clearly defined and relevant?
Do the deliverables support the project’s objectives and broader impact?
Is there a plan for dissemination or use of the deliverables?

Budget and Justification

Is the budget reasonable and well-justified?
Are all requested resources necessary for the project’s success?
Does the budget align with the scope and scale of the proposed work?

Award Conditions

An award consists of (1) the award letter, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award; (2) funding in the amount of the approved budget; and (3) the following conditions:

A) Project Reports

A project report form must be submitted to the Office of Faculty Affairs no later than three months after the funding period. The Office of Faculty Affairs notifies PIs when the FPT reporting portal opens. Reports and outcomes will be shared with the Provost. Projects are delinquent if the PIs fail to comply with the reporting process and will not be eligible for future seed funding. Projects are considered delinquent if the report submitted fails to include evidence of submitted or completed deliverables.

B) Acknowledgment

Acknowledgment of the UTRGV Provost Prestige Award will be indicated in all publications, paper presentations, etc., resulting from the project. The following acknowledgment is suggested: "This project was supported by a University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Provost Prestige Research Grant, (enter starting and ending dates)."

C) Patents, Copyright, and Royalty Agreement

The same policies regarding patents, copyrights, and royalty agreements indicated in the most current UTRGV Handbook of Operating Procedures shall apply to any products resulting from the funded projects.

D) Equipment

Equipment and non-expendable supplies purchased with grant funds are the property of UTRGV and will be listed on the property inventory of the PI's respective department or division.