Research Development: Select Funding Opportunities and Announcements

Oct 28, 2022 | Awards & Funding, Research

To: All Divisional Faculty and Researchers
From: Research Development Office
Subject: Funding Opportunities

Research Development is a unit within the Office of Research. Research Development Specialists collaborate with researchers and assist with developing concepts, building strategies and teams, finding relevant funding opportunities, and preparing competitive proposals.

Eva Hrabeta-Robinson, PhD (evarobin@ucsc.edu)

American Diabetes Association Innovative Research to Improve the Lives of Women with Diabetes Across the Lifespan – LOI Nov 14, Invited full Mar 13

Supports research on clinically important sex and gender differences. Early Career Development: $168K/3yrs; Translational: $600K/3yrs; Basic: $345K/3yrs. 

Brain Research Foundation – 2023 Seed Grant Program – Limited submission, UCSC internal competition deadline Nov 28

$80K/2yrs for new and innovative research projects in the field of neuroscience that will likely lead to extramural funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or other outside funding sources.

DoD Toxic Exposures, Translational Research Award – Dec 1

$500K for translational research that will accelerate the movement of promising ideas in toxic exposure research into clinical applications.

Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Quantitative Biology Fellowship Award – Dec 1

3 years of support for quantitative postdoctoral scientists to pursue research under the joint mentorship of leaders in both computational science (“dry lab”) and cancer biology (“wet lab”). 

NIAID Research Opportunities for New and “At-Risk” Investigators to Promote Workforce Diversity (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) – Dec 7

Provides support for (a) New Investigators who have not previously competed successfully for substantial, independent funding from NIH, or (b) ‘At-Risk’ investigators (had prior support as a PD/PI, but without securing an award in the current fiscal year, will have no substantial funding in the following fiscal year) from diverse backgrounds. 

BRAIN Initiative: Theories, Models and Methods for Analysis of Complex Data from the Brain (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) – Dec 15

Support for the development of theories, computational models, and analytical tools to derive understanding of brain function from complex neuroscience data.

NIH Basic/Translational Research on Health Disparities in Underrepresented People Living with HIV (PLWH) and Cancer NIH R21 and R01 – LOI (optional) Nov 15, full proposal Dec 15

Support for projects addressing NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priority “Reduce HIV-associated co-morbidities and co-infections” in underserved populations with an underlying HIV infection. 

NIH Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society (ComPASS): Coordination Center (U24 Clinical Trial Optional) – LOI Dec 27, Full Jan 27, 2023

$24M/5yrs; one award will be made. A technical assistance webinar will discuss the FOA, the review process, and the use of the cooperative agreement (U24) mechanism.

NIH Biological Basis for how Environmental Exposures Impact Risk for Psychiatric Disorders NIH R21 and R01 – LOI (optional) Jan 22, full proposal Feb 22

Support for exploratory and developmental research projects that are high-risk and/or use novel approaches  to understand psychiatric conditions where there is less evidence of an environmental exposure link.

Stephanie Haddad, PhD; (sthaddad@ucsc.edu)

NOAA Marine Fisheries Initiative (MARFIN) – Nov 29

Supports research and development projects that optimize the use of fisheries in the Southeast Region involving the U.S. fishing industry (recreational and commercial), including fishery biology, resources assessment, socio-economic assessment, management and conservation, selected harvesting methods, and fish handling and processing. Up to $525K over 3 years.

EPA People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3) National Student Design Competition  – Feb 1

Program highlights the use of scientific principles in creating innovative technology-based projects that achieve the mutual goals of improved quality of life, economic prosperity and environmental protection in four research areas: Clean and Healthy Air,  Clean and Safe Water, Safeguard and Revitalize Communities, Ensure Safety of Chemicals. $75K over 2 years. Webinar slides available

NSF – OPP Postdoctoral Fellowships – February 06, 2023

The Office of Polar Programs (OPP-PRF) provides opportunities for early career scientists, including social scientists. $300K over 2 years. 

NSF DCL Planning Proposals to Catalyze Innovative and Inclusive Wildland Fire Science through Diverse Collaborations – anytime until May 31, 2023

$200K/24mo for catalyzing innovative and inclusive wildland fire science through collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Webinar recording is available (starts at 2:05) or register for Nov 30 webinar.

University of California Climate Action Initiative – Oct 22 webinar recording and FAQ have been posted.

resdev@ucsc.edu or contact RD Director Heather Bell at hmbell@ucsc.edu

Simons Foundation 2023 Simons Collaborations in Mathematics and the Physical Sciences – LOI Nov 1

$8M/4yrs for collaborations on topics of fundamental scientific importance, where a new development creates a novel area for exploration or provides a new direction for progress in an established field.

DCL: ANR – NSF/MCB/PHY Opportunity at the Molecular and Cellular Biosciences – Physics Interface – Rolling Deadline FY23

Integrate approaches from theoretical and experimental physics and biology to develop testable and quantitative understanding of biological questions. ANR: French Agence Nationale de la Recherche.

NASA Multidomain Reusable Artificial Intelligence Tools (MDRAIT) – NOIs due Nov 9, Full proposals due Jan 13

To support innovative adaptations and applications of existing AI techniques to show their feasibility and potential to increase science return, and to inform both Heliophysics and Earth science research.

NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (MPS-Ascend) – Jan 25

Supports postdoctoral Fellows who will broaden the participation of members of groups that are historically excluded and currently underrepresented in MPS fields in the U.S. $100K/yr for up to 3 years. 


Cross-Cutting Opportunities and Other Announcements

The Moore Inventor Fellows 2023 – Limited submission campus internal deadline Oct 30

$675K/3yrs for early-career scientist-inventors to create new tools, technologies, processes, or approaches. Further information about the award and the campus nomination process is available through InfoReady.

NSF TIP Entrepreneurial Fellowship – Oct 31

Two-year fellowship to turn a concept into a product. Fellows receive training and at least $350,000 in direct support, plus access to specialized research facilities and equipment through Activate.org.

NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program: Instrument Acquisition or Development – UCSC internal competition deadline Nov 2; funder deadline for selected projects Jan 19

UCSC may submit up to two Track 1 ($100K<$1M) and one Track 2 ($1-$4M) proposals. Cost share of 30% of Total Project Cost required; letter of support from chair or dean required for internal competition. Submit proposals for UCSC competition via InfoReady.

NSF Virtual Grants Conference – Nov 14-17

CITRIS and the Banatao Institute Tech for Social Good Program – Nov 30

$5K project and $1K event grats to support UCSC student and postdoc-led projects and events that explore technology-based solutions to significant societal challenges.

NSF Racial Equity in STEM Education – Jan 17

Up to $5M/5yrs for projects that institutionalize effective research-based practices, advance scholarship and promote racial equity in STEM, and diversify project leadership and NSF-funded institutions.

NSF Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 – Required pre-proposal Jan 5, invited full proposal May 5

Design track $400K-$4M; Implementation (acquisition and/or construction) $4 million up to but not including $20 million. See solicitation for project exclusions and limits on PIs.

DoD NRL Long Range BAA for Basic and Applied Research – in effect through Sep 29, 2023

DoD Long Range BAA for Navy and Marine Corps Science and Technology – in effect through Oct 2, 2023

NSF Policy Office Webinar: Concept Outlines at NSF – Sep 27 webinar on this new class of proposals is now available.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has released a Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights with five pillars, including safety, discrimination protection, privay, explanation, and human alternatives.

UCSC single sign-on has been enabled for Research.gov as an alternative to logging in with your NSF User ID/password; select UCSC as the institution on the login screen (you’ll need your Gold password for setup).


Submitting a proposal intake form will help streamline the proposal process. This initiates a proposal in Cayuse, notifies OSP, and enables Research Development Specialists to connect with you. For best support, contact us early and ensure you meet institutional deadlines.  

Feel free to reach out to us with questions; we look forward to working with you!

Eva, Stephanie, and Heather

If you have any questions or comments, please contact evarobin@ucsc.edu, sthaddad@ucsc.edu, or hmbell@ucsc.edu.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact please see emails listed in the announcment