Faculty Seed Research Grants
The purpose of the Faculty Seed Research Grant (FSRG) is to provide seed funding for faculty beginning new research, scholarly projects and creative works intended for publication, presentation/performance, and/or getting preliminary data to strengthen new proposals for external funding. All full-time UTRGV faculty with research/scholarship expectations are eligible to serve as Investigators (Pls and Co-PIs).
All proposals must be submitted via the Faculty Seed Research Grant Portal.
The deadline for Submission of Proposals is: July 14, 2023, 11:59 PM CST
More information can be found in the Faculty Seed Research Grants Guidelines.
- All full time UTRGV faculty with research/scholarship expectations, based on their institutional faculty workload, are eligible to serve as Investigators (Pls and Co-PIs).
- Faculty members can be only on one proposal, either as PI or Co-PI.
- Proposals that are requested in support of existing projects are not eligible.
- Faculty members who have not received a Faculty Seed Research Grant as PI or Co-PI in Academic Years 2021-2022 or 2022-2023 are eligible.
Applicants may request awards up to $5,000 for single-discipline proposals or up to $10,000 for multi-disciplinary proposals. PIs submitting multi-disciplinary proposals will be required to explain the multi-disciplinary nature of the proposal in the application process. Costs must follow Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) guidelines regarding salaries, fees, and wages. For guidance, please contact Dr. Thomas Spencer at thomas.spencer@utrgv.edu.
Allowable Costs:
- Wages for student or clerical assistants and focus group participants complying with the minimum wage
- Reasonable consultant fees as determined by the review conditional on the documentation submitted by the grant applicant.
- Travel that is essential and directly related to the project, travel must be documented as essential, and comply with State of Texas Guidelines.
- Operations (office supplies, software, computer costs, )
- Capital Justification must be provided, and equipment use must be directly related to proposed research.
- Faculty Summer Stipend. Not to exceed 50% of the total request. Must include fringe benefits expenses: 16% for faculty.
Requests for the following will not be funded:
- Work associated with the completion of a faculty member's master's thesis or doctoral dissertation, curriculum development, or teaching
- Travel to meetings, conferences, training workshops or to present research
- All costs not related to the immediate project under
- Course release buyouts.
- Projects that received seed grant funding during the 2021-2022 or 2022-2023 academic year.
The proposal must be submitted via the Seed Research Grant Qualtrics portal by the deadline listed above. Proposals will be reviewed by UTRGV’s Faculty Research Council. Please tailor your proposal’s 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.
To be eligible for consideration, proposal submissions must include ALL the elements below:
1. PI/Co-PI names, titles/ranks, college(s)/school(s), and the project’s title
2. Project Abstract (UPLOAD): A short abstract (150 words or less) that clearly identifies the project's major features.
3. Project Description file (UPLOAD) must include ALL the following SUBHEADINGS:
- Word Count (2000 max): Provide a word count for your project description file.
- Project Narrative: Summarize what your project aims to do/achieve.
- Multi-Disciplinary Nature of the Project (if applicable): Multi-disciplinary proposals should articulate why the project calls for a multi-disciplinary approach and how collaboration will be accomplished.
- Methodology: Describe your conceptual or disciplinary framework and
- Outcomes/Impacts: What are the anticipated outcomes/impacts of the work? How will they be achieved? How will they be measured or otherwise demonstrated?
- Project Significance: Summarize the significance of your proposed research, scholarship, or creative work. Describe its broader intellectual, scholarly, or creative merit and impact. How will this project contribute to your professional goals and the broader mission of your discipline, department, college, and/or UTRGV?
- Audience/Dissemination: Describe plans for disseminating or publicizing your work/results.
- Project Timeline: Provide an estimated timeline for your project.
4. Budget and Justification form (UPLOAD)
Seed Grant Budget Form (Word) Seed Grant Budget Form (PDF Fillable Form)
5. Abbreviated CV (2 pages max) or NIH biosketch for all participating faculty combined into as a single PDF. (UPLOAD)
- Each 2-page CV (or NIH biosketch) should demonstrate the faculty member’s ability to meet the goals and outcomes proposed.
Reviews of the proposals will be completed by the Faculty Research Council as outlined in HOP ADM 06-304. During reviews, proposals will be evaluated for their clarity and understandability in explaining the significance of the scope of the proposed research work, methodology, and budget. The proposals will be reviewed on the below criteria on a scale from 1 to 5:
(1 = Not Acceptable; 2 = Acceptable; 3 = Good; 4 = Excellent; 5 = Outstanding)
Evaluation Criteria:
- The research, scholarly project, and/or creative work and objectives are clearly and succinctly explained in simple and direct language for non-specialists.
- The role of multi-disciplinary scholarship/creativity and collaboration between faculty is clearly explained and justified (if applicable).
- The proposal clearly identifies the scholarly/creative significance of the project and how it contributes to one or more fields.
- The proposal clearly indicates how the work/results will be disseminated/publicized.
- The budget is reasonable in relation to the expected research, scholarly project, or creative work and its outcomes.
- The PI and Co-PIs have demonstrated the ability to meet the goals and outcomes proposed.
An award consists of (1) the award letter, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award; (2) the funding to be provided based on the submitted budget by which the review committee has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); and (3) the following conditions:
Project Reports
A project report form must be submitted to the Office of the Provost no later than 60 days after the end of the fiscal year. The Office of the Provost will subsequently share the project report with the Office of Research. Projects are delinquent if the PIs fail to comply with the reporting process and will not be eligible for funding so long as the delinquency prevails. Projects are considered delinquent if the PIs fails to submit either report that includes updates on the deliverables outlined in the proposal.
Acknowledgment
Acknowledgment of the UTRGV FSRG 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 Faculty Seed Research Grant, (enter starting and ending dates)."
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.
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.
Proposal FAQ
Can I apply for, or be a Co-PI, on more than one seed grant application?
No, faculty should prioritize which type of application best serves their needs at this time and apply for only one grant.
Can I submit a previously used grant application for a different program or agency?
Please follow the directions for the UTRGV seed grants and only submit the material that is requested, in the formats requested. Applications that do not follow the directions will not be considered.
Who is the audience for my application?
Your application will be reviewed by the Faculty Research Council. Please tailor your content to generalists who are not experts in your field by explaining the project/research and discussing its contribution or significance.
Does the word count include references and/or footnotes, appendices?
Please submit only the information requested by the application.
Can I just email my application?
Please utilize the submission link provided for your application. You can copy and paste information into that form and also attach your CV and budget form.
I do creative work, not research, am I eligible for this program?
Yes, this program is intended to help provide seed funds to faculty undertaking artistic and creative work as well as those pursuing research for presentation and publication. Who can be listed as a Co-PI?
This seed grant program is intended for faculty only, so full-time UTRGV faculty members are the only people eligible to be listed as PI or Co-PI. Please see the allowable costs for information on paying other wages from your seed grant.
Do I need to submit IRB approval with my application?
It is not necessary to submit that paperwork with your seed research grant application, but for more information about the IRB process, please contact the Office of Sponsored Research.
When will I find out if I received a seed grant?
Decisions will be sent to applicants as soon as possible. We anticipate all award decisions being out by the end of August.
Can I have a seed grant and an external grant for the same project?
Yes, there is nothing prohibiting faculty from using seed grant funds for a project that is also funded from an external source. Can I buy release time with my seed grant?
No, at this time it is not possible to use seed grants to purchase course release time. Please see the funding call for additional information on permissible uses of funds.
I received a seed grant last year, can I apply again?
In order to provide opportunities for as many qualified applicants as possible, faculty are only eligible once every three years.
Recipient FAQ
Can I change an item in my budget? Yes, the budget can be adjusted after the award, but it is not possible to award a faculty stipend once the grant process is underway. The only allowable changes are to expenses for the project, i.e. different materials or equipment, or a change in research travel plans.
If I do not spend all the money during the fiscal year, can I still use it for the following year?
No. Funds need to be spent during the current academic year.