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University Research Awards

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The principal aim of the University Research Award (URA) program is to provide seed money to enable the development of new, innovative research projects with a high probability of attracting external support in the short term. Proposals that seek to establish or further develop new collaborations and multidisciplinary research teams will be favorably received. Recipients of a URA are expected to show that they have applied for external funding within 18 months of the end of their URA project period.

The URA program is primarily meant to further stimulate the research of faculty who have moved beyond research support provided by the University as part of their initial start-up period. Faculty who still hold such funds are eligible to apply, but an explanation as to the unique necessity for additional funds (e.g., why their existing funds are insufficient for the new project) should be provided.

The URA program is a matching program, which means that the University matches funding provided by an applicant’s home school. Currently, the School of Arts & Sciences, the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, the School of Medicine & Dentistry, the School of Nursing & Health Sciences, and the Warner School of Education & Human Development participate.

Check out past winners of the University Research Award program.

Apply for the 2027 University Research Awards

RFP Details

Timeline

Proposals for the URA program are invited once a year, during the fall semester with a winter submission deadline (typically end of January). Selected proposals will be announced in mid-May for projects starting the following fiscal year (July 1).

The application for FY27 is now open and will close January 31, 2027.

Scope

Proposals may cover any disciplinary areas represented within the University.

Eligibility

Proposals should originate from one or more faculty members who are eligible to be Principal Investigators on grants as defined by the Principal Investigator Eligibility Policy.

An application may be submitted by a University faculty member (as the first-named Lead Investigator) for a collaboration with faculty outside of the University of Rochester, as long as matching funds can be guaranteed from the US institution(s) in which non-University faculty member(s) hold their primary appointment(s). International collaborations also may be entertained with the same criteria, some of which may be in-kind support, if demonstrated before the submission review.

Award Amount

Proposals may request up to $75,000 in total (with up to $37,500 from URA, matched by an equal contribution from the applicant’s/applicants’ home school/s).

The school(s) responsible for the match is/are part of the initial review process. Approval at that level implies a commitment to provide the matching funds if the proposal is awarded. Lead investigators are not required to obtain financial approval prior to proposal submission.

Project Period

Proposals may request funding over one or two years.

Review Criteria

Proposals are evaluated by a review committee consisting of a representative group of faculty from all schools who cross major subject areas. Evaluation criteria for URA proposals is as follows:

  1. The project’s intellectual merit (i.e., the potential to advance knowledge).
  2. Is the project well-designed and feasible, given the resources already available and the budget and time requested?
  3. Does the project clearly show how outcomes lead to external funding?

The Vice President for Research, and other senior research leadership, make final award determinations.

Post-Award Follow-Up

Recipients of an award are required to complete a final progress report within three months of the end of their project period to help in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the URA program.

Recipients are also expected to participate in peer review of future University Research Award proposals.

Application process

Fill out the online application form in InfoReady (https://rochester.infoready4.com/).

Upload the required documentation (templates included in the InfoReady post):

  • A brief overview (an abstract), no more than 350 words, written for the educated non-specialist.
  • A description of the proposal (project narrative) that explains what you intend to do, why it would be important to scholars and/or society generally, and how the research will attract external financial support.
  • An itemized budget, with justification. Funds may be requested for graduate or undergraduate student stipends, for salary for assistants, for postdoctoral scholars, and/or technical staff. Summer salary support for faculty on 9 month appointments may be requested to the extent that it replaces salary that would be foregone (e.g., from summer teaching).
  • The curriculum vitae (or biosketch) and Current and Pending (Other) Support for each investigator working on the project.
  • If the research involves human subjects, animals, biohazards, or otherwise raises regulatory issues, the application should identify those concerns and provide documentation that they will be addressed. If Institutional Review Board, University Committee on Animal Resources, and/or Environmental Health and Safety approval is required, it may be sought after the project has been approved but must be in place before the project can start.

Submit the online application form and proposal documents by the deadline. Changes may be made to proposals and the online application form until the submission deadline.