This call is for: Early Career Faculty

Submission deadline: October 12, 2023 (CLOSED)

The Archer Early Career Seed Grant is an important program that provides funds to build and boost the research programs of UF/IFAS assistant professors (up to $50,000 each). It was recently renamed in honor of Dr. Douglas Archer, who was UF/IFAS Associate Dean for Research and a staunch champion of faculty development. Please note that the submission deadline is        October 12, 2023.

Awards: A total of up to $750,000 will be awarded. The maximum individual award will be $50,000 and there is no minimum award size. Successful grants will be announced in early December 2023 with anticipated starts in January 2024 and funding provided for 18 months.

Eligibility: PI of the proposal must be a tenure-track Assistant Professor with a tenure home in UF/IFAS, have an official research appointment, and not be in their final year of the probationary period. Faculty status is based on rank on July 1, 2023. Faculty who previously received an Archer Early Career Seed Grant as PI are not eligible. Faculty must have a Capacity Project in the NIFA Reporting System that has been approved by NIFA prior to submission. Please contact Dana Holt (danasu@ufl.edu) with any questions about NRS capacity projects.

Scope and Criteria: The Archer Early Career Seed Grant program helps facilitate the development and future success of UF/IFAS early career scientists’ research programs. Awarded funds should be spent (within 18 months) by PIs to help “jumpstart” their research programs and provide a platform for future success with extramural grant funding by supporting pilot projects, collection of new data, or analysis of existing data. Proposals should focus on work led by the PI, but work that takes place in the context of broader partnerships is also acceptable.

Proposals will be evaluated on:

1) Overall proposal quality and research design

2) Potential of the project to advance basic, applied, and/or translational research discoveries that are impactful to society

3) Impact of funding on faculty research program development

4) Potential for the seed funding and pilot research to lead to future extramural funding

How to Apply: To apply for this award, please submit the requested materials here: https://ufresearch.infoready4.com/#ifas by October 12, 2023. The information requested includes:

• • Online cover sheet:

1. 1. Project title
   2. Faculty information (name, unit, email, and budgeted appointment split)
   3. The PI’s NIFA Reporting System Project title and number (includes Hatch Regular, Hatch Multistate or McIntire-Stennis)
   4. RCR Training status (completion of federal Responsible Conduct of Research training; if not, you must complete training here before submission)
   5. IRB and/or IACUC protocol requirement status (indicate only if needed to conduct the study)
   6. Abstract (general audience abstract limited to 200 words)
   7. Estimated % effort that the faculty member will spend on this project, and will report to their NIFA Reporting System Project
   8. Budget information

• Narrative as PDF attachment with the following information (maximum 5 pages excluding literature cited, one-inch margins on all sides, at least 11 point font including tables and figures):

a.      Title, PI name and unit, and if applicable collaborator names and units

b.      Introduction: An overview of the pertinent literature, justification, and relevance of the project to the faculty member’s broader research program and goals

c.       Expected impact: A description of the potential impacts to stakeholders, to advancing science, and to the faculty member’s research program

d.      Methodology: A description of the proposed research plan, objectives, hypotheses to be tested, methods, and the research timeline

e.      Extramural funding strategy: A summary of specific sponsor(s) and program(s) that will be targeted for funding (include web links if possible) using the data collected through this grant, and the anticipated time of submission

f.        Budget summary and justification: A description and justification of budget items for personnel costs, tuition, travel, research materials and supplies, and other expenses. Faculty salary is not supported by this program.

g.      Literature cited (does not count toward the page limit)

Proposal Evaluation: Proposals will be evaluated by a faculty panel using the criteria listed above. Proposals not adhering to the specified format or not submitted by October 12, 2023 will not be considered. The panel will make recommendations for funding to the Dean for Research, who will be responsible for final award decisions.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email Damian Adams (dcadams@ufl.edu) or give my office a call at 352-392-1784.

Budget Template