In This Issue ...

Webinar to address pandemic impact on funded research

As part of OVPR's Pandemic Relief Program, Research Development & Proposal Services (RDPS) and the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (ORSP) will host a webinar to provide guidance on communicating and negotiating with sponsors on currently funded projects that have been affected by the pandemic. NIH Program Officer Marci Scidmore, PhD, from NIAID will discuss these issues from the perspective of the sponsor and answer questions from attendees. The event will be held May 10, noon-1 pm. Contact Rachel Wallace with questions.

New funding opportunities from DOE

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced several new opportunities with rapid deadlines. All of the opportunities are limited submissions and require OVPR approval to move forward; interested applicants must respond to the Call for Intent to Submit by the dates below.

Call for Intent due by TOMORROW, April 22:

• Data Visualization for Scientific Discovery, Decision-Making and Communication (LOI due May 10; invited proposals due June 21)
• EXPRESS: 2022 Exploratory Research for Extreme-Scale Science (LOI due May 12; invited proposals due June 23)
• Mathematical Multifaceted Integrated Capability Centers (LOI due May 17; invited proposals due June 28)

• Randomized Algorithms for Combinatorial Scientific Computing (LOI due May 19; invited proposals due June 30)

DOE also is supporting researchers in Ukraine. The Office of Science (SC) published a Dear Colleague letter encouraging university principal investigators who currently receive financial assistance from SC to consider requesting supplemental funds to host or collaborate with students or scientists who have been impacted by the war in the Ukraine. You can read the full letter here.
 
Questions about this effort can be directed to SC.DCL@science.doe.gov.

Summer deadlines for OVPR funding

OVPR's Research Catalyst & Innovation (RCI) program is seeking applications for two open opportunities.

• FY22 Anti-Racism Theme Grants: Developed in partnership with the Provost's Anti-Racism Initiative and jointly administered with NCID, this program will fund up to seven proposals–five at levels up to $50K and two at levels up to $100K. Applications are due June 1.
• Large-Scale Planning Grants: This program provides up to $100K for teams preparing proposals for large-scale (>$5M) external funding opportunities. Applications are due July 1. 

Learn more

Arts + Curriculum opportunity announced

The U-M Arts Initiative seeks proposals for curricular development projects, research that explores the application of the arts in classrooms, or programs that enhance the connection between teaching at U-M and the arts. Projects should promote integration of arts thinking, methodologies, or practices into student learning, through the curriculum. The proposed projects can be theoretical for wider dissemination or classroom-based for the development of the applicant’s own courses.

This opportunity will fund grants up to $20,000. Applications are due June 15.

Learn more and apply

Sloan launches new grant-making program

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has recently launched Matter-to-Life, a new grant-making program that spans the fields of biology, physics, chemistry and engineering.

Matter-to-Life focuses on understanding the physical principles and mechanisms that make living systems distinctive from inanimate matter. The research of interest spans efforts that focus on identifying novel physics exhibited by living systems, to identifying various mechanisms underlying biological function, to building life-like entities. In general, the program will support basic scientific research at the intersection of the four disciplines listed above. Grants range from $50k/year for 2 years to $500k/year for 5 years.

There are no deadlines for this new initiative. First contact will be a letter of intent (LOI) to the program officer. The LOI should be two pages or less and offer a brief statement (1-2 sentences) about the nature and purpose of the proposed project; a description of the proposed work to be supported; an estimate of the total cost of the project and the amount the applicant would likely seek from the Sloan Foundation; and an estimate of the duration of the project.

Faculty interested in applying for a Matter-to-Life grant should contact Maureen Martin, U-M's Foundation Relation Liaison to the Sloan Foundation.

International Engagement

Partnering with individuals and entities outside U-M allows teams across all three campuses to push the frontiers of knowledge and discovery so that researchers can work together to find solutions to the world’s most urgent problems. Disclosures of international collaborations can occur in multiple areas of research and scholarship activity. 

U-M’s current research administration and compliance processes assist researchers to appropriately identify and report their international collaborations. Researchers who are currently engaged with or starting a new project with colleagues abroad can explore the guidance and resources provided by OVPR and other service units. Among best practices, the guide describes how to address foreign components of federal funded research and Other Support reporting, outside interest disclosures, publications, gifts and international travel. The site also features a webinar recording from earlier this year and extensive FAQs.

Learn more

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

RD Shoptalk: Research Resources

Managing Your Online Researcher Identity

NORDP Annual Conference

ARIS Summit 2022

Liberate Your Research: Faculty Workshop

NSF Virtual Grants Conference