FACULTY RESEARCH INITIATION GRANTS

Applications for 2025–26 will open in early 2025

Our Faculty Research Initiation Grants are intended to support new faculty just starting out in their careers or established faculty who are embarking on a significantly new research direction. These grants are intended to give proposers a “leg-up” in future proposals to other funding agencies (including NASA and NSF). Women, faculty from underrepresented groups, and early career faculty are especially encouraged to apply.


ELIGIBILITY

  • Proposals may be submitted by faculty members at the University of Wyoming or Wyoming community colleges
  • Proposals must be of a nationally competitive nature
  • Faculty must hold the rank of assistant professor, associate professor, professor, research associate, full-time faculty/instructor at a community college, or equivalent (sorry, adjunct faculty members and post docs are not eligible)

AWARD

  • Grant requests can be made up to a maximum of $20,000
  • Funding may be used for:
    • Faculty summer salary, including benefits
    • Materials and supplies
    • Travel within the United States
    • Salary support for students, post-docs, or research scientists
  • The award may NOT be used for page charges, international travel, tuition for special institutes or off-campus programs
  • Projects may begin in June and must must be completed by the end of the following May (unless other arrangements are made in advance). Any amount of money that remains unspent by the end of May of the following year will be relinquished!
  • Cost share is required in an amount equal to the award and is preferred in the form of University or Community College faculty time spent on the project

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Completed applications must be submitted through the ONLINE APPLICATION FORM prior to the deadline. You should receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your application within two business days. If you do not receive this confirmation please contact our office.

There are two parts required for a complete application:

  1. Online Application Form
  2. Proposal Document (Instructions) – Must be uploaded with the online application form. Please write for a general audience!

Examples of past proposals that were funded:   Example 1  |  Example 2
(Note: Previous proposals were allowed 5 pages for the body of the proposal. However, the current requirement is a maximum of 3 pages. Cost share is also now required. All other requirements are the same.)


AWARD SELECTION CRITERIA


EXPECTATIONS

  • Recipients are expected to keep the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) informed of their progress
  • Research programs are expected to result in publication in a refereed journal and/or a proposal to another funding agency (i.e., NSF or NASA)
  • Presentation of research on campus is expected; presentation at national scientific meetings is highly encouraged
  • Recipients will be expected to notify WSGC of any publications or presentations resulting from WSGC funding, even if they are made many years after the grant period
  • If additional proposals are submitted to other funding agencies resulting from WSGC funding, you are expected to notify the WSGC office of these proposals (either successful or not successful)
  • A short final report survey will be sent to you towards the end of your funding period. This information is required for reporting purposes and must be submitted in a timely manner following the completion of the grant.

QUESTIONS?

E-mail:  wsgc@uwyo.edu
Phone:  (307) 766-2862 or (307) 766-2987

View Past Recipients