The Office of Research is pleased to announce the 2023 cycle of the Seed Funding for Center-scale Initiatives program. The program is intended to prepare collaborative teams to submit competitive “center-scale” proposals or make pitches to funders and promoters to advance major creative productions. “Center-scale” references scope rather than any current or future campus status.
Proposals may focus on scholarship or on implementing and evaluating institutional mechanisms to support the retention and success of faculty and students from underrepresented groups. Only proposals from multi-investigator teams will be considered; multi-disciplinary teams and those that include community partners (as appropriate) will be prioritized. Proposals should build on established work and relationships. Up to $150,000 may be requested to support activities over up to a two-year period. Proposals are encouraged from all divisions and disciplines on campus and are due through InfoReady by June 26 at 11:59 PM PT.
Examples of appropriate funding targets include the NSF Science and Technology Centers and INCLUDES programs; the NIHP-Series (not P20); Department of Education Title III and Title V grants; cultivated opportunities for large grants from foundations like Mellon or Luce; the DOD Centers of Excellence and MURI programs; large foundation or industry gifts; high-capacity private donors; the DOE EFRC program; and large ARPA-type initiatives. This list is meant to be indicative of the scale of opportunities towards which teams should be working rather than exhaustive. There are many opportunities that would align with program goals, and the scope may differ across disciplines.
See this linked document for additional information on eligibility, allowable costs, application requirements, and review criteria; we invite you to distribute it broadly. Please contact me with any questions.
Best regards,
Heather Bell, Ph.D.
Director of Research Development
University of California, Santa Cruz
(808) 268-1296 | hmbell@ucsc.edu
