In This Issue ...

OVPR launches Bold Challenges to spur collaboration 

A new research initiative from OVPR will integrate social and technical sciences from across U-M to address societal challenges that intersect equity, health, infrastructure and sustainability.

Bold Challenges, led by Associate Vice President for Research Dawn Tilbury, is a two-year strategic endeavor that aligns U-M's research strengths with global challenges and emerging priorities across government, industry and philanthropy. OVPR, in partnership with 18 existing interdisciplinary research centers and institutes across U-M, will aim to integrate social and technical researchers with external stakeholders so that together they can generate impactful solutions to six societal challenges:

• Resilient, equitable & carbon-neutral physical infrastructure
• Sustainable & equitable solutions for the housing crisis
• Healthy adaptation to climate change
• University access to healthy water
• Better health outcomes through better built environments
• Smart health care systems for equitable access

In an effort to develop and refine convergent solutions to these six challenges, OVPR has designed support structures and programs to advance these bold ideas, including a research accelerator to support up to 12 interdisciplinary teams in the first year.

The research accelerator will connect faculty across disciplines and provide facilitation for teams as they develop research ideas, engage with stakeholders and seek external funding support. Teams will produce white papers that outline the challenges their research seeks to address.

Pollination phase: OVPR will organize six workshops during the winter semester, each co-sponsored by multiple U-M partners. Facilitated in partnership with the Center for Academic Innovation, the workshops will help faculty connect with other U-M experts, identify external partnerships and spur ideas to address research challenges.
Team formation phase: Beginning summer 2022, OVPR will give selected teams the support they need  to focus their research problem, bring in new team members and engage external partners, culminating in white papers that can be used in partnership with government relations, university development and other units across U-M. Selected teams will participate in the Incubation phase.
Incubation phase:  This option features a facilitated semester-long program for up to six teams that will help collaborators develop and articulate the value and potential impact of their shared vision so they can build toward potential research proposals.
Continuation phase: OVPR will provide select research teams with staff resources and seed funding to continue their important work towards an external funding opportunity.

All U-M faculty are eligible to apply for participation in the program.

Teams selected to participate in the team formation, incubation and continuation phases will receive funding from OVPR, as well as critical facilitation and project management support. Funding can help teams develop ideas, produce white papers to inform policy and funding priorities, and submit external proposals that integrate both social and technical research approaches, and perform research that has significant impact in the broader community.

Informational webinar: October 27, 3 pm, Register 

Learn more and apply to Bold Challenges

NSF seeks input on merit review process

Join the RD Community of Practice Slack

The U-M Research Development Community of Practice (RDCP) is now on Slack. Research Development is a broad field encompassing proposal development, grant writing and editing, funding expertise, science communications, research impact and more. Simply, it can include anyone who supports investigators in obtaining research funding and in achieving research goals. 

Our RD community has been active since 2014. The new Slack outlet provides a forum for anyone at U-M to learn more about research development, share best practices, post about events and resources, and engage colleagues.

Join the conversation here

Innovation Partnerships

The Corporate Research Alliances (CRA) team within the newly reorganized Innovation Partnerships office (formerly known as the Office of Technology Transfer), specializes in facilitating industry collaborations that commercialize the novel work of researchers. From initial discussions and deal negotiation to final execution and alliance management, the team supports and streamlines the establishment, implementation and ongoing management of research collaborations. The team is providing alliance management support for ongoing large research collaborations, working to broaden these relationships across the research enterprise.  Directed by Chris Fick, the new CRA team CRA will also provide faculty-facing service to aid in converting strategic industry relationships into successful sponsored research collaborations. 

Internal Funding 

​All currently open U-M campus-wide internal funding programs are posted in Research Commons.

• OVPR Limited Submissions Policies and Procedures
• Medical School Limited Submissions Homepage
• Questions: UMORlimitedsubmissions@umich.edu

• U-M Library’s Research Funding & Grants Guide or PIVOT Database
• U-M Research Development 
• U-M Foundation Relations

Understanding the Grant Review Process

Designing Effective Presentations

Finding Funding for Your Research

Faculty Forum on Outreach & Engagement: A Conversation on Critical Race Theory

NIH Virtual Grants Seminar 2021

How to Write & Implement a Data Management Plan

Storytelling with Data: Building Knowledge through Visualizations

Broader Impacts 101

Responsible Conduct of Research for K
Scholars

Broader Impacts (BI) Partnerships

K Writing Workshop