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University of Wisconsin–Madison

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Deadlines

This competition is now closed.

Eligibility

Eligibility for UW2020 Lead PIship: You must be a UW–Madison faculty member or a UW–Madison permanent PI

CHS faculty and academic staff without permanent PI status may participate in UW2020 applications as co-PIs or co-investigators.

About the Application Process

Applications should explicitly address innovation, significance, risk, and impact. Funding will be provided for 1–2 years, depending on the needs and scope of the project. The average award will be approximately $300,000, with a maximum award of $500,000.

You may apply electronically by October 15. The brief on-line form will ask for:

  • Your project title
  • Your anticipated co-Principal Investigators and co-investigators
  • A one-page abstract that addresses the following topics in accessible language:
    • What are the problem(s) you are trying to solve? Why is this problem right for being addressed now?
    • What are the innovative features, the potential impact, and the significance of the research? How will it be transformative for the field?

Your abstract will be reviewed by an Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, who will send you notification about whether your abstract fits the criteria. Once notified, you may proceed with writing your full proposal. You will be able to submit your proposal electronically beginning in November. Complete proposals are due by 4:30 pm on Monday, December 9, 2019.

For questions regarding submitting an abstract or eligibility, please contact your divisional Associate Vice Chancellor for Research.

Technical questions should be sent to competitions@research.wisc.edu.

Instructions for submitting a full proposal

Once your abstract is approved, you may submit your proposal electronically. When submitting, you may wish to update some information you submitted previously:

  1. Edit your Cover Page to change the PI name or the information about your co-PIs and co-investigators.
  2. Edit your Abstract Form to change your project title or update the text of your abstract.

For your full proposal, be prepared to submit the following:

  1. The amount of funding requested
  2. A description of your proposed project, consisting of the following, all in a single PDF file:
    1. For a research proposal:
      1. A narrative, not to exceed five pages, that describes:
        1. The specific aims, major research questions, and hypotheses being addressed
        2. The innovative features, the potential impact, and the significance of the proposed research, including a statement about how this research will be transformative for the field
        3. The approach proposed to address these specific aims and research questions
        4. A statement of the expected outcomes of the proposed activities and an explanation of how these activities will provide the necessary foundation for seeking external funding
        5. A timeline of research activities for the funding period
        6. Plans for external grant submissions
        7. If graduate students will be involved, a statement describing their proposed role in the research project
        8. If other funding has been received for this or a closely related project, a description of the previously funded project
      2. Additional material, as appropriate:
        1. One page of figures or tables to accompany the narrative (or submit a six-page narrative with figures and tables embedded in the text)
        2. References (citations from the research literature)
        3. Letters of support or commitment to the project
    2. For the acquisition of shared instruments or equipment:
      1. A narrative, not to exceed five pages, that describes:
        1. The department, center, or core facility that will serve as the administrative home of the instrument or equipment
        2. An explanation of how the proposed instrument or equipment is distinct from current campus resources and how this request will add unique capabilities to the campus core infrastructure
        3. The department, center, or core facility that will serve as the physical home of the instrument or equipment
        4. The capacity of the instrument or equipment to serve multiple users (including graduate students) and/or multiple departments
        5. A plan to fund staffing and operational maintenance of the equipment after the period of UW2020 funding ends (e.g., plans for external grant submissions, user fees, chargebacks, or subsidies to support this resource as appropriate)
        6. A plan to publicize the new instrument or equipment and make its availability known to potential users on campus and beyond
      2. Additional material, as appropriate:
        1. One page of figures or tables to accompany the narrative (or submit a six-page narrative with figures and tables embedded in the text)
        2. References (citations from the research literature)
        3. Letters of support or commitment to the project
  3. A detailed budget request, indicating the individual staff to be supported and other categories of funding that will be needed. Although collaborations outside of UW-Madison maybe beneficial, UW2020 funds cannot be used to cover these expenses. The budget may include faculty salary for summer support only. Faculty with 12 month appointments are not eligible for faculty salary support. Use the UW2020 Budget Template, which you will upload to the on-line submission system.
  4. Create a PDF file for a budget justification that explains the rationale for each item in your budget. Proposals will not be reviewed if missing an itemized budget justification. An ideal budget justification is clear, complete, and concise. This is not a continuation of your project description, so lengthy explanations are not necessary.
  5. In a single PDF file: CVs or Biosketches for the principal investigator, co-principal investigators and co-investigators. Include all current and pending intramural and extramural research support for each investigator.

At the end of each year of UW2020 support, a progress report will be required. The report will provide a summary of the progress that was accomplished on the project. A final report will also be required within 3 months of the end of the UW2020 budget period. The final report should include citations to any published papers or conference presentations that derive from the research undertaken or the equipment purchased and any new grants that were awarded or submitted by the research team.

 

Note: A condition of receiving research funding administered by the OVCRGE is the obligation to disclose and assign to WARF resulting patentable intellectual property.