Opportunity Overview
This funding opportunity supports teams of ISU researchers collaborating on the development of a large-scale, long-term, multi-million-dollar research proposal. Funding is intended to support preparatory efforts that enhance the proposal’s competitiveness and alignment with the targeted funding opportunity.
Eligibility
- The research team must consist of 4 to 8 ISU researchers with aligned and complementary expertise.
- The team must be working on the development of a large-scale proposal for a 3-5 year funding opportunity with a multi-million-dollar budget.
- The targeted proposal submission date must be within 4.5 to 9 months.
Project Justification
Applicants must demonstrate that the research team is working toward a major funding opportunity with a target submission date and that preliminary efforts are necessary to:
- Highlight common research thrusts and synergies among team members.
- Demonstrate the feasibility of proposed methods.
- Perform due diligence through broad literature reviews and potential review paper publications.
- Clarify the proposed effort’s primary research needs, directions, and potential impacts.
- Develop integrated “broader impact” programs that align with the funding agency’s priorities.
Funding Justification
The requested support should enable focused preparatory efforts to enhance the proposal’s competitiveness by refining research directions, establishing feasibility, and ensuring alignment with the funding opportunity’s evaluation criteria.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit the following:
- Project Summary – A description of the proposed large-scale research effort, including:
- The primary scientific or engineering challenge to be addressed.
- The targeted external funding opportunity, including the agency, solicitation details, and proposal deadline.
- The interdisciplinary nature of the team and how their expertise aligns with the project needs.
- Proposed Work Plan – A detailed outline of the preliminary research and planning activities, including:
- Key research thrusts and team synergies.
- Feasibility studies and validation efforts.
- Literature review and potential review paper development.
- Primary research needs and expected outcomes.
- Broader impact programs and outreach initiatives.
- Evaluation Criteria Alignment – A discussion on how the proposed research aligns with the stated evaluation criteria of the targeted funding opportunity.
- Potential Scientific/Engineering Impact – A statement on how the proposed work could lead to transformative advancements.
- Benefit to the College of Engineering (COE) and ISU – An explanation of how this project will contribute to ISU’s research reputation, collaborations, and funding success.
- Budget Justification – A detailed breakdown of how the funding will be used to support the proposed efforts.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on:
- Alignment with Funding Opportunity – How well the proposed work meets the evaluation criteria of the targeted external funding opportunity.
- Scientific/Engineering Impact – The potential significance and innovation of the research.
- Institutional Benefit & Funding Likelihood – The potential for securing external funding and the broader impact on the College of Engineering and ISU.
Submission Deadline & Process
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Submit materials to COEfunding@iastate.edu
- Awards will be announced as soon as the review is completed.
Final Report
- A brief report must be submitted within three months of completion with the follow-on proposals’ details.
- Submit the final report to COEfunding@iastate.edu
For any questions, please contact Arun K.Somani