Physical Sciences FAQs

WHAT IS NEW THIS YEAR?

The Fall Research Competition has changed for 2025!  For Physical Sciences, the 2025 Fall Research Competition will ONLY support:

1. projects submitted for continuation or completion of a research project that has experienced or is likely to experience an interruption to or cancellation of federal funding, and 
2. research projects that serve as “insurance” for pending external grant applications. 

Pilot studies will not be funded through the 2025 Fall Research Competition.  A separate initiative, Reimagining Next Phase Research [https://research.wisc.edu/reimagining-next-phase-research-initiative/], will accept applications for pilot studies.

Applicants may apply to the Fall Research Competition OR to the Reimagining Next Phase Research Competition [https://research.wisc.edu/reimagining-next-phase-research-initiative/], but not both. Applications to both mechanisms from the same faculty member/permanent PI will result in the withdrawal of both applications.

WHO FUNDS THE FALL RESEARCH COMPETITION?

The Fall Research Competition is funded by a gift from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). Since its founding in 1925, WARF has served the UW–Madison scientific community by patenting research discoveries at the UW–Madison and licensing such technologies to leading companies in Wisconsin, the U.S., and worldwide. WARF distributes the income from these commercial licenses in an appropriate manner between the UW–Madison Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, the inventors, and their departments. The Research Competition is one means by which the OVCR distributes the gift to faculty and permanent PIs on campus.

WHO MAY APPLY?

The Fall Research Competition is open to tenured professors and associate professors, tenure-track assistant professors, and permanent PIs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. A current list of academic staff with permanent PI status that are eligible to apply can be found online.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SEEK A FALL RESEARCH COMPETITION AWARD FOR “CONTINUING/COMPLETING” RESEARCH? 

Tenure-track faculty and permanent PIs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison can apply for continuation/completion support if they have experienced or are highly likely to experience an interruption to or termination of federal funding based on your research area or the federal mechanism through which the project was funded. If you apply in this category, your application must demonstrate how a) Fall Research Competition support will allow you to continue or complete the interrupted or terminated research and b) that you do not have access to other funds (e.g., flexible research funds such as startup, retention, faculty award, chaired/endowed professorship, or donor/gift funds) that can be used to support the research. Awards based on anticipated funding interruption/termination will only be activated in the event that an actual loss or interruption of funding occurs.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SEEK A FALL RESEARCH COMPETITION AWARD AS “INSURANCE” FOR ANOTHER GRANT?

Asking for “insurance” commits you to apply for funding from an external sponsor. You can ask for insurance only if you will have a funding decision about the extramural proposal before the fall research competition award would begin, that is, by July 2026. In most cases, this means that your proposal must have been submitted by summer or fall 2025. The FRC insurance application provides a place to enter the dates of the expected submission and decision, and the dates must be provided for the committee to consider your application as “insurance.” The budget of the external grant that you are requesting insurance for must be significantly greater than your request from the Fall Research Competition. If you do not submit the external proposal, Fall Research Competition funds will not be released.

AM I ELIGIBLE TO APPLY IF I HAVE RECRUITMENT OR START-UP FUNDS?

New faculty receive  recruitment packages to help them launch an externally funded research program. A rule of thumb is that at least 75 percent of the start-up package must be spent before funding from a new Fall Research Competition award may be activated. Thus, if more than 25 percent of the start-up package is available, the Fall Research Competition application must include a specific and realistic plan to spend the remaining start-up funds before July 1 of the year in which the award would be activated. The committee evaluates the spend-down plan (e.g., has an order been placed for a piece of equipment that will reduce the startup package) in deciding eligibility. At its discretion, the committee may review the status of start-up funding again before activating an award; Fall Research Competition funds can be denied if remaining start-up funds exceed 25 percent of the original amount or the amount of the Fall Research Competition request, whichever is higher.

DO I NEED TO BE IN RESIDENCE FOR MY AWARD?

Travel away from UW-Madison needed to conduct research is fully appropriate. Remember, however, that Research Committee salary support is an investment in University tenured or tenure-track faculty and Permanent PI development. It is available only for persons who will be UW–Madison staff members in residence on the Madison campus in the semester following that support.

MAY I ENTER THE COMPETITION IF I HAVE UNSPENT FUNDS FROM A RETENTION, VILAS ASSOCIATES, ROMNES, KELLETT, OR WARF NAMED PROFESSORSHIP?

Balances in these accounts are considered “non-prejudicial” for Fall Research Competition insurance awards and are not considered in deciding eligibility for an insurance award. See the separate FAQ on start-up funds for information about how they are considered.  All unspent research funding is considered in determining eligibility for “continuing/completing” research awards.

MAY MULTIPLE COLLABORATORS SUBMIT FRC INSURANCE REQUESTS FOR THE SAME EXTERNAL PROPOSAL?

No. Only one FRC insurance request will be awarded for a single external proposal. Coordinate with your collaborators to prevent FRC requests from multiple PIs for the same external proposal.

WHAT ARE THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COMMITTEE PRIORITIES FOR FALL COMPETITION INSURANCE FUNDING?

This year the Research Committee will make two types of awards: “continuing/completing” research and “insurance,” with priority given for the former.  Insurance awards are intended to support preliminary research to strengthen planned external proposals for more extensive studies in compelling research areas, and plans for future external proposal submissions must be included in the Fall Competition project description. The Research Committee prioritizes insurance awards for proposals to federal agencies for multi-year research efforts that will be subject to a selection process based upon peer review. If you have multiple pending external proposals, the Research Committee reserves the right to select a different proposal to insure from the one listed in the application, or it may insure multiple proposals.

Pilot study support will not be funded this year.

Requests for support for a graduate student are encouraged. Travel support is provided only in circumstances where the travel is integral to execution of the research.

The committee will consider instrumentation and equipment requests with costs less than approximately $50,000.

WHAT ARE THE AWARD AMOUNTS IN THE FALL COMPETITION?

For the 2024 Competition, the average award was $56,000, which included fringe benefits and tuition remission. This is roughly the amount needed to support a 12-month Research Assistant at the 50% level. Only a handful of awards were for substantially more than this amount, and awards for less than the requested amount are common. Please request a budget appropriate to the scope of work.

HOW WILL FRC APPLICATIONS BE  REVIEWED?

After the application deadline, your file will be assigned to a member of the Physical Sciences Research Committee (most likely not an expert in your research discipline), who will contact you or your department administrator to set up an appointment to interview you, only if you are applying for insurance funding. At the interview, your assigned reviewer will ask any questions they may have about your proposal. The purpose of the interview, however, is not an opportunity for the investigator to fill in for missing information on a hastily written proposal.  The entire committee (which has representation from across the physical sciences) will evaluate both continuation/completion proposals and insurance proposals.  They will base their evaluations on the information in the written proposal.

At a meeting of the research committee, the assigned reviewer will present your proposal and will lead a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal. After the discussion, each committee member confidentially scores your proposal, and once all reviews have been completed, funding decisions will be made by the committee as a whole. You will be notified of the competition results via email in December.

WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF AN APPLICATION?

The application process begins with an online application form, including short abstract, budget, project description, and other information. This form serves as the primary mechanism for describing your proposed research to the reviewers.

HOW MUCH DETAIL IS NEEDED IN THE BUDGET JUSTIFICATION?

Budgetary decisions are based on the overall merits of the application as evaluated by the committee as a whole and on the strength, clarity and detail of your budget justification. In your justification, clearly articulate the relationship between each budget item, corresponding amount and the nature of the effort and materials needed for the research you plan; partial awards are not uncommon. Adjustments for annual increases in RA and PA rates will automatically be made at the time of award; do NOT include estimated increases in your submitted budget.

THE APPLICATION ASKS HOW I USED RECENT RESEARCH COMMITTEE AWARDS AND WHAT PRODUCTS RESULTED. WHAT SHOULD I PUT IN THIS SECTION?

The Committee wants to know whether you accomplished the goals for which previous awards were given and what outcomes have ensued. For each Fall Competition award that you have received in the past 3 years, list products and outcomes directly relevant to the award, including conference presentations, papers published, in press, or under review, and any grants that have been awarded and proposals submitted.  Provide complete citations for papers published or in press.  The Research Committee prioritizes both positive outcomes from prior awards (especially submission of external research proposals) and new research directions distinct from those previously supported via the Fall Research Competition.

HOW CAN I BEST PRESENT MY PROPOSED WORK IN THE LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE ON THE APPLICATION?

Use headings to structure your application (i.e., context/motivation, your innovation, potential significance, research approach/methods, etc.). Be sure to make a case for the importance of your research for your discipline and how the project further advances knowledge in your field in general, as well as for your program of research. In particular, explain the strategic role the Fall Competition award would play in enhancing sustainable future external research funding for your research agenda.  In the case of an insurance proposal, further explain how your FRC proposal relates to the insured proposal and how FRC funding will enhance future external funding for the proposed topic; the scope of the FRC proposal will be narrower than that of the insured external proposal and will focus on key results that will bolster future external proposals.  In the budget section, please provide a detailed justification for each budget item as it relates to the research goals described in the project description.

Remember that your proposal will be reviewed by scholars in a broad range of physical sciences disciplines. Most will not be familiar with your field and it is unlikely that anyone on the committee will be an expert in your particular research area. Avoid jargon.

Please note that the interview is not meant to compensate for a hastily written proposal. The interview is meant only to clarify any questions that the research committee member may have about your written application. In evaluating your proposal, the committee will give the greatest weight to the written application.

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW ITSELF?

Before the interview, review the application requirements and be prepared to answer related questions posed by the reviewer who interviews you. Remember that your reviewer is unlikely to be an expert in your field. The reviewer’s job is not to serve as your advocate on the committee but it is the primary reviewer who will summarize your project and its potential for enhancing sustainable future external research funding for your research agenda, for the benefit of other committee members. In the case of insurance applications, if available, provide a copy of the Project Description for the insured proposal.  Be prepared to rank your budget items in order of importance in achieving proposal goals.

DOES THE COMMITTEE CONSIDER PREVIOUS RESEARCH COMMITTEE FUNDING WHEN MAKING A DECISION ON AN APPLICATION?

The pattern and frequency of Research Committee utilization is one factor typically considered when reviewing individual applications to the Fall Research Competition. The number of applications made is not particularly relevant, but the frequency with which Research Committee funds are expended, in combination with the impact of prior awards on enhancing sustainable future external research funding for your research agenda, can have an impact on funding decisions. As a general rule, frequent use of Research Committee funds reduces the probability of funding in any given competition. Funds awarded, but not expended (i.e. insurance was not necessary) are not prejudicial.

WHAT CRITERIA ARE USED IN DECIDING WHICH PROPOSALS TO FUND AND FOR HOW MUCH?

The most important criteria are the significance, excellence, feasibility and potential impact of the proposed research in enhancing sustainable future external research funding for your research agenda. The committee also considers the appropriateness of the budget, whether the investigator is a probationary faculty member, and whether recruitment research funds remain unspent.

I HEARD THAT PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO JUNIOR FACULTY. IS IT WORTH MY WHILE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION IF I AM ALREADY TENURED?

The Physical Sciences Research Committee does prioritize support for assistant professors working to establish strong research programs. However, the committee does make a significant number of awards to tenured faculty.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO BE SEEKING EXTERNAL FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT AT THE TIME OF MY APPLICATION?

A major goal of the Fall Research Competition is to help leverage outside research dollars. Most awards in the physical sciences will be “insurance” awards for proposals submitted to external sponsors. In previous years, outright awards were made  for pilot studies in a new research area, but proposals for pilot studies will not be accepted this year..

WHAT BUDGET ITEMS MAY I REQUEST?

Support may include a graduate student project or research assistant, research associate, student hourly, or funds for data, research-related travel, supplies, or equipment. See separate FAQs regarding PI salary support. Provide a justification for each item and rank according to importance.

MAY I REQUEST A BUDGET THAT EXCEEDS THE TOTAL DIRECT COSTS FOR THE INSURED PROPOSAL?

No. The total FRC requested amount must be significantly less than the direct cost budget of the external proposal being insured.  FRC funds are NOT intended as replacement funds in the event funding is declined for the insured proposal.

HOW CAN I ENTER THE APPROPRIATE GRAD STUDENT STIPEND RATE IN MY FRC APPLICATION?

When you fill out your budget page you can now choose between the four types of graduate assistant appointments: Academic Project Assistant, Annual Project Assistant, Academic Research Assistant and Annual Research Assistant.  Please check with your department administrator to find out how graduate assistants are appointed in your department.  Then use the appropriate title: Project Assistant or Research Assistant, and appointment type: Academic or Annual for this section of your budget.

We will be using the current year rates for RA/PA for your department.  We know rates will change next year and will be adjusted at a later date based upon the Graduate School published stipend rate.

WHAT TYPES OF TRAVEL MAY I REQUEST?

Travel necessary to accomplish the proposed research can be supported. The PI should make clear the role of travel in completing the project in the budget justification section. Travel to report research findings at meetings or other venues will not be considered a legitimate request. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) maintains a separate program to support conference travel; please see the OVCR Conference travel website for further details.

WHAT TYPES OF EQUIPMENT MAY I REQUEST?

You may request funds to purchase research equipment necessary for the proposed research but that would not be purchased in the normal course of your occupational duties. The Research Committee does not fund standard computer packages, which are the responsibility of the individual’s School or College, or software that is a normal component of one’s office computer.

WHEN DOES THE FALL RESEARCH COMPETITION PROVIDE SALARY SUPPORT FOR FACULTY AND PERMANENT PIS?

The Fall Research Competition cannot be used to buy out from teaching a course or to supplement a sabbatical.  The Fall Research Competition rarely provides one or two months of summer salary support for Permanent PIs or faculty in the physical sciences on a 9-month pay cycle.  For example, some summer salary support has been awarded to faculty who must travel in order to themselves conduct primary data collection.  Awards seldom include both summer salary and a 12 month research assistant appointment.

Salary supplementation for faculty fellowships is handled outside the Fall Competition.

HOW IS ELIGIBILITY FOR SUMMER SALARY CALCULATED?

Information on determining summer salary eligibility limits can be found here: https://research.wisc.edu/funding/administration-of-awards/research-committee-policies/

WHAT DOES THE POLICY OF PROVIDING SALARY SUPPORT ONLY IF THE PI IS CONDUCTING “FULL-TIME RESEARCH” MEAN?

The policy means that, during a time when you are receiving salary support from the OVCR (i.e., summer or supplementation for a faculty fellowship during an academic term) you must be working on research full time rather than combining research efforts with other obligations such as teaching or administration. Thus, if you are awarded a month of summer salary, it is the expectation that you will not be the instructor of record for a course offered during that month.