UFCD Faculty Seed Grant

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The primary purpose of the UFCD Seed Grant Program is to provide short-term support, collect sufficient preliminary data, submit a competitive application to NIH (including K, R, P, U or other types of awards), or to other organizations, which utilize rigorous peer review as part of their award process. The goal of this grant program is to enhance extramurally-funded interdisciplinary research conducted in the College. Research projects may be hypothesis-driven or alternatively may entail a proof of concept. In any case, it is anticipated that preliminary data derived from a seed grant award significantly strengthens a future application for extramural funding.

Amount of Funding:$5,000 to $20,000
Award Period:1 year
Eligibility:Full time UFCD faculty members
Proposal Deadlines:Rolling – Total funds committed by the Office of Research are restricted to $75,000 per fiscal year
Contact:Valeria Gordan

Application Instructions

Applications not conforming to the format instructions will be not be reviewed.

APPLICATION DOCUMENT FORMAT:
Applicants must observe the font and page format limitations as well as PDF guidelines below:
•Arial font, black color, 11-point font size, single space
•1/2 inch margins
•No header, but with consecutive page numbers in the center of footer
•No fillable fields in any included documents
•Print text documents to PDF, but do not scan documents to PDF.
•Disable all security features in the PDF document
•When naming your PDF file, do not use special characters or spaces in the file names.

APPLICATION CONTENTS

Cover Page (1 Page)
On Department letterhead specify the request for seed grant support and provide the following information: 
•Title: (14 words or less)
•The application is a modification of the presentation and key information within the NIH application. (There is no form to complete; although, the instructions for the NIH application are helpful in defining the contents requested for sections 1, 2, 4 and 5.)
•Applicants must submit the entire package as one PDF file, via email.
•Principal Investigator: Full Name, Position/Title, Department, Phone, Fax, Email
•Additional Key Personnel: Include First, Middle & Last Name, Position/Title, Department, Phone, Fax, Email
•Signatures: Signatures of PI and his/her Department Chair
Section 1 – Future Application Information (2 Page Maximum) 
•Type of Funding: Based upon the preliminary data obtained with the Seed Grant support. Indicate the funding source and type of funding (e.g. R01, K23, private foundation, industry, etc.) to be pursued in a future application, and indicate a timeline for its preparation and submission.
•Specific Aims: State the specific aims and any hypothesis to be tested in the application, which is submitted using data derived from the Seed Grant support.
•Significance: Describe the significance of the research goals of the future application.
•Innovation: Detail innovative aspects of the concepts and/or the approach of the future application.
•Bibliography & References Cited: Include a list of citations to those literature references pertinent to the proposed research. No page limits.
Section 2 – Seed Grant Experimental Information (3 Page Maximum)
•Preliminary Data: Describe the preliminary data to be collected with support from the seed grant and explain how this data will strengthen the proposed subsequent grant application.
•Research Strategy: Provide a general description of experiments to be performed. Include an overview of the methodology (detailed methodology is not required), controls, expected results and any statistical considerations.
•Timeline: Provide a timeline for obtaining the preliminary data.
Section 3 – Seed Grant Budget and Budget Justification (1 page Maximum)
A – Budget: Use the budget categories below to provide details of how the funds will be expended. Funds can be used for non-faculty salaries, supplies, equipment or analytical services.

B – Budget Justification: Provide a justification for the requested in each budget category.
Budget Categories:
•Total Budget and Period: Indicate the anticipated start and end date, and the total funds requested.
•Effort and Salaries: For non-faculty contributing to the project list: their name, position, full-time equivalent, percent effort to the project, and total salary plus, benefits requested for the project period.
•Equipment requested and cost: Equipment is defined as: an article of nonexpendable tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year, and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. Generally, funds for equipment are not given high priority, unless clearly documented that the equipment is absolutely necessary for the project and currently unavailable within the University. The availability of additional funds from other sources in order to help defray the total cost is beneficial.
•Materials and Supplies: List total funds requested for materials and supplies. In the budget justification, indicate general categories such as: glassware, chemicals, animal, and vivarium costs, including an amount for each category.
•Consultant Services: List the total costs for all consultant services. In the budget justification, identify each consultant, the services he/she will perform, total number of days, travel costs, and the total estimated costs.
•Computer and/or Biostatistical Services: List total funds requested for costs related to computer and/or biostatistical services. In the budget justification, include the established service rates.
•Contractual Costs: List total funds requested for support services, such as the laboratory testing of biological materials, clinical services, or data processing. Provide detailed information as part of the budget justification.
•Equipment or Facility Rental/User Fees: List total funds requested for equipment or facility rental/user fees. In the budget justification, identify each rental user fee and justify.
•Travel: Travel funds must be justified as necessary for the accumulation of data, such as obtaining samples from patients or to conduct unique assays at another institution.
•Other: Describe any “other” direct costs not requested above. Use the budget justification to further itemize and justify.
•Matching Funds: If you are receiving funds from Centers or Departments to augment this support, please describe the source, amount, and how these funds are used. Matching funds are not required.
Section 4 – Biosketches
Provide biosketches (4 Page Maximum) for the PI and any additional Key Personnel. Use the format as indicated in the NIH SF424 guidelines.
Section 5 – IRB or IACUC Information (for Studies Requiring IRB or IACUC approval ONLY)
If clinical studies are proposed, information is needed on the availability and appropriateness of study populations, the utilization of minorities and women as study subjects, and the provisions for the protection of human subjects. Animal study assurances must be provided with regard to the humane treatment of animals. Provide all appropriate information as defined and in the format described in the NIH SF424 guidelines.

REVIEW CRITERIA
The Research Committee of the College of Dentistry reviews all applications at the next available meeting. Major factors considered in the evaluation of an application include: the project’s significance, originality and feasibility, the qualifications of the investigator(s), the suitability of the environment, and appropriateness of the budget. The likelihood of securing future funding is a critical factor in the review process; proposals must show significant potential for securing external grants in the future. The aims of the proposed project must be distinctly different from those of grant applications under review or funded research projects. Requested funds are not used to supplement a project currently supported, or to provide interim funds for a project currently under review. For previous recipients of Seed Grant support, the contents of the associated final progress report(s) will be considered in the evaluation of future application for Seed Grant funds.

Post-Submission

RECEIVING AN AWARD
A proposal selected for funding is required to have all applicable approvals/certifications entered into PeopleSoft and routed for appropriate approvals/signatures. All documentation is sent to the College of Dentistry Office of Research (OR) for award processing. The OR then submits a request to the Division of Sponsored Research (DSR) to establish an account for the project. The Seed Grant awards are monitored by: UFCD, DSR, Contracts and Grants and the PI’s department.
AWARD GUIDELINES
•Seed Grants are funded for one year.
•A six-month to one-year no cost extension is possible if requested at least 30 days in advance. In justifying an extension the following information and format is necessary:
• How much additional time you need
• Why you still have unspent funds
• What you will use the unspent funds for in the additional time you asked for
• What have you accomplished so far with the funds spent?
•Any funds remaining in the seed grant account will be returned to the Office of Research at the end of the funding period.
•All UF policies related to IRB or animal subjects apply.
•Re-budgeting is limited to no more than 25% between categories.
•Notify the research committee if there is a significant change in the scope of the project that may affect the outcome of the project or necessitate re-budgeting.
FINAL PROGRESS REPORT
The final report is due within 30 days after the close date of the seed grant.
The Principal Investigator of a seed grant award is required to submit a progress report at the end of the award period. The report should include:
•The title, the PI, the award amount and award dates.
•The original aims and any substantive deviation from the original aims.
•A short (about ½ page) description of the research outcomes and significance of the findings.
•List of publications and abstracts (with full titles), either published or submitted.
•Title, funding mechanism type, funding organization, dollar amount requested, potential start and end dates, date of submission and outcome (if known) for grant applications resulting from the research.
•Names and degree program of any students who were supported by the award.