Vice President for Research & Economic Development
Proposal Services & Faculty Support
June Funding Focus Newsletter #1
What is a Limited Submission?
A limited submission solicitation (RFA, RFP, etc.) places a cap on the number of proposals that Auburn may submit to a sponsor. Auburn coordinates limited submissions by sending out a notification via this newsletter and creating competitions in the Auburn University Competition Space (also known as InfoReady ).To apply to any limited submission posted below, click on the above link and search for your competition reflected on the page. Please refer to the Limited Submission Procedures page for a list of requirements.
Limited Submission Announcements

This FOA solicits applications responsive only to the COVID-19 public health emergency through support of the  CARES Act . All other Early Independence Award applications must be submitted in response to RFA-RM-20-014.
The  NIH Director's Early Independence Award  (a component of the  High-Risk, High-Reward Research program  of the  NIH Common Fund ) supports exceptional junior investigators who wish to pursue independent research soon after completion of their terminal doctoral degree or post-graduate clinical training, thereby forgoing the traditional post-doctoral training period and accelerating their entry into an independent research career. For the program to support the best possible researchers and research, applications are sought which reflect the full diversity of the research workforce. Individuals from diverse backgrounds and from the full spectrum of eligible institutions in all geographic locations are strongly encouraged to apply to this Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Common Fund will dedicate funds provided by the  CARES Act  to support a total of 5-10 Early Independence Awards (through this FOA) or  Transformative Research Awards  (through RFA-RM-20-020) that bring new, innovative perspectives and approaches to the prevention of, preparation for, or response to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, domestically or internationally. Any relevant area of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 research is welcome, including behavioral/social science research, research on health disparities, novel therapeutics, and other related topics. As with all High-Risk, High-Reward Research program applications, innovation may be technological or conceptual.

Institutional Limit: 2 Proposals
Internal Deadline: June 12, 2020, 4:45pm

The  NIH Director's Early Independence Award  supports exceptional junior investigators who wish to pursue independent research soon after completion of their terminal doctoral degree or post-graduate clinical training, thereby forgoing the traditional post-doctoral training period and accelerating their entry into an independent research career. For the program to support the best possible researchers and research, applications are sought which reflect the full diversity of the research workforce. Individuals from diverse backgrounds and from the full spectrum of eligible institutions in all geographic locations are strongly encouraged to apply to this Funding Opportunity Announcement. In addition, applications in all topics relevant to the broad mission of NIH are welcome, including, but not limited to, topics in the behavioral, social, biomedical, applied, and formal sciences and topics that may involve basic, translational, or clinical research. The NIH Director's Early Independence Award is a component of the  High-Risk, High-Reward Research program  of the  NIH Common Fund .  Those wishing to apply for the NIH Director's Emergency Early Independence Award for SARS-CoV-2-related research must apply in response to RFA-RM-20-021.

Institutional Limit: 2 Proposals
Internal Deadline: June 12, 2020, 4:45pm
IMPORTANT UPDATES
NSF Update

As you may know, beginning June 1, NSF will implement the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 20-1) for proposals submitted or due on or after this date. As you may also be aware, NSF has delayed the requirement to use NSF-approved formats for the biographical sketch and current and pending support sections of NSF proposals until October 5, 2020. Proposers must continue to format these documents in accordance with PAPPG requirements (see PAPPG sections II.C.2.f and II.C.2.h). NSF encourages the community to use these formats and continue to provide valuable feedback as we enhance them for future implementation.
NSF has made updates reflecting this implementation to the following policy guidance, websites and frequently asked questions:

In addition, webinars covering the use of NSF-approved formats as well as all of the significant changes to the PAPPG are available on the NSF Policy Outreach website.


The site includes information on resources and funding for researches, datasets, the latest news, government resources, and information on off-campus access to resources (VPN, etc.).
Facebook Now Accepting Requests for Non-Aggregated Data for Research Purposes

Facebook and partners now offer a portal where researchers from academic and nonprofit institutions can request access to non-aggregated symptom survey data from Carnegie Mellon University and University of Maryland. Signed data use agreements are required for this access.
 
The sharing of non-aggregated data is intended to help facilitate more advanced modeling and forecasting efforts by researchers aiding public health responses around the world. Interested academic and nonprofit researchers can submit a request here .

Researchers should contact the Office of Research Compliance regarding IRB compliance.
NEH Summer Stipend Applications Available

Auburn University can nominate two applicants for NEH Summer Stipends (summer 2021). Dr. Paula Backscheider is head of the five-person committee that selects our nominees. Last year we had several competitive applicants, and we hope to have another successful cycle. 
 
Summer Stipends carry an award of $6000 for scholarly projects including books, articles, digital materials, translations, editions and other scholarly resources.
 
Applicants should read the NEH guidelines carefully and submit an electronic copy of a polished draft of the NEH application form to the Auburn NEH Committee by the deadline:  5:00 p.m., 10 July 2020.  The official form is available on the NEH Summer Stipends website .
 
The application is composed of
The cover sheet
3-page narrative
1 page bibliography (which should demonstrate preparation for the project)
2-page resume (in editing the full resume, proof of competence for the project should be a priority)
Appendices if relevant
 
Applications should be submitted to Ginny Clary at vsc0004@auburn.edu , who will be collecting them and coordinating with the committee this summer. The committee will make its selections after that and will work with the selected nominees to refine their proposals by 16 August. The NEH deadline is 23 September 2020. NEH accepts applications only from those nominated by their university or organization.
Hanover Research Queue has Openings Available for Proposal Review after August 1st
 
In order to provide resources for faculty and staff, Auburn University has partnered with Hanover Research for a number of grant development solutions including: Pre-proposal Support; Proposal Development; and Capacity Building. Their full-service grant development solutions are available to set goals, build strategies to achieve key grantseeking objectives, and develop grant proposals that are well-planned, researched, and written. For information regarding Hanover’s core capabilities and project time lines, click here . If you are interested in a slot in the queue, please e-mail Tony Ventimiglia ( ventiaf@auburn.edu ).


  • You must use FORMS-F forms for grant application due dates on or after May 25, 2020 and FORMS-E for due dates on or before May 24, 2020. If you aren’t sure what an application package “Competition ID” is or where to find it, check out Do I Have the Right Form Version For My Application?
  • The biosketch, data table, and other format pages have also been updated with FORMS-F versions. Format pages are approved formats to be used with specific grant application attachments.
As information is being shared by sponsors, it is being collected/posted here so please check back often for updates.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Major goals of NSF’s D-ISN include:
  • Improve understanding of the operations of illicit supply networks and strengthen the ability to detect, disrupt, and dismantle them.
  • Enhance research communities that effectively integrate operational, computational, social, cultural and economic expertise to provide methods and strategies to combat this complex and elusive global security challenge.
  • Catalyze game-changing technological innovations that can improve discovery and traceability of illicitly sourced products and illicitly sourced labor inputs to products.
  • Provide research outcomes that inform U.S. national security, law enforcement and economic development needs and policies.
This solicitation is the first of what is envisioned to be a three-year program, based on availability of funds, to support the research needed to inform the economy, security, and resilience of the Nation and the world in responding to the global threat posed by illicit supply networks. The solicitation calls for fundamental research across engineering, computer and information science, and social science with two proposal submission tracks. Track 1 research proposals should address at least one or more of the five focus domain areas listed below. Under Track 2, D-ISN calls for proposals for planning grants to support activities leading to convergence research team formation and capacity-building within the research communities interested in addressing larger-scope challenges in the future.

Full Proposals Due: July 1, 2020 5pm (Central)

The IUCRC program provides a structure for academic researchers to conduct fundamental, pre-competitive research of shared interest to industry and government organizations. These organizations pay membership fees to a consortium so that they can collectively envision and fund research, with at least 90% of Member funds allocated to the direct costs of these shared research projects.

IUCRCs are formed around research areas of strategic interest to U.S. industry. Industry is defined very broadly to include companies (large and small), startups and non-profit organizations. Principal Investigators form a Center around emerging research topics of current research interest, in a pre-competitive space but with clear pathways to applied research and commercial development. Industry partners join at inception, as an existing Center grows or they inspire the creation of a new Center by recruiting university partners to leverage NSF support. Government agencies participate in IUCRCs as Members or by partnering directly with NSF at the strategic level.

Universities, academic researchers, and students benefit from IUCRC participation through the research funding, the establishment and growth of industry partnerships, and educational and career placement opportunities for students. Industry Members benefit by accessing knowledge, facilities, equipment, and intellectual property in a highly cost-efficient model; leveraging Center research outcomes in their future proprietary projects; interacting in an informal, collaborative way with other private sector and government entities with shared interests; and identifying and recruiting talent. NSF provides funding to support Center administrative costs and a governance framework to manage membership, operations, and evaluation.

Successful IUCRCs require:
  • A capable research/management team with an entrepreneurial mindset;
  • Universities, faculty, and students interested in engaging in research of interest to industry;
  • A community of industry partners seeking pre-competitive, use-inspired research projects.

Each IUCRC is expected to grow and become independently sustainable by the end of the NSF support.

Preliminary Proposals Due: July 7, 2020 5pm (Central)

The Discovery Research PreK-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and computer science (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of STEM education innovations and approaches. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. Projects should result in research-informed and field-tested outcomes and products that inform teaching and learning. Teachers and students who participate in DRK-12 studies are expected to enhance their understanding and use of STEM content, practices and skills.

The DRK-12 program invites proposals that address immediate challenges that are facing preK-12 STEM education as well as those that anticipate radically different structures and functions of preK-12 teaching and learning. The DRK-12 program has three major research and development strands: (1) Assessment; (2) Learning; and (3) Teaching. The program recognizes the synergy among the three strands and that there is some overlap and interdependence among them. However, proposals should identify a clear focus of the proposed research efforts (i.e., assessment, learning, or teaching) consistent with the proposal’s main objectives and research questions. The program supports six types of projects: (1) Exploratory, (2) Design and Development, (3) Impact, (4) Implementation and Improvement, (5) Syntheses, and (6) Conferences. All six types of projects apply to each of the three DRK-12 program strands.

Applications Due: October 7 2020 5pm (Eastern)

The office of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) recently released Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) funding opportunities for the Department of Defense (DoD) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP), Melanoma Research Program (MRP), Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP), and Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP).

Facebook is pleased to invite university faculty to respond to this call for research proposals on exploring unique challenges, threats, attacks, mitigations, and other considerations in the burgeoning space of AR, VR, and smart devices.
We believe in “trust” and trustworthiness as suitable terms for encompassing security, privacy, integrity, and ethics in the products and platforms we build. More and more unique products, use cases, and devices are coming to bear in this new space. It follows that with an entirely new category of technologies come entirely new possibilities and models for considering trust.
Facebook is soliciting proposals to help accelerate research in these fields with the hope of helping to foster a world of trustworthy mixed-reality and smart device products. There are fairly robust research fields in traditional computing paradigms from cloud to mobile, and we hope to drive similar progress in the fields of AR/VR.
We are interested in a broad range of topics relating to applications like AR glasses, VR headsets, other AR or VR form-factors, smart home products, and more. Examples might include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Novel threats, attacks, mitigations, or features in the areas of silicon, hardware, supply-chain, or anti-tamper in this space
  • Privacy-preserving techniques and engineering in the context of unique sensors and use cases
  • Developments involving trust in voice assistants, smart devices, smart home cameras, biometrics, and so on
  • Proposed operating system, platform, or device system concepts that offer improvements in the technological space
  • Novel concepts in terms of identity, authentication, authorization, abuse-prevention, and more, as they pertain to said devices and technologies
  • Perspectives on unique ethical or societal considerations and challenges posed by this technology, and suggested mitigations
  • Any novel or new concepts in trust as applied to the AR/VR and smart devices space that warrant further exploration
Applicants should submit a proposal detailing what contribution their research is expected to make, how the research domain will benefit from the work, a project timeline, and a budget overview of how the proposed funding will be used. Proposals are highly encouraged to focus funding of project personnel, especially PhD students. Proposals from small collaborative teams, particularly with PIs bridging necessary technical areas, are also encouraged.
A total of up to four awards are available, up to $75,000 each, depending on the specific requirements. Payment will be made to the proposer’s host university as an unrestricted gift.

Applications Due: June 12, 2020
COVID-19 Funding Opportunities












The Vilcek Foundation will award three Creative Promise Prizes of $50,000 each to young foreign-born biomedical scientists who demonstrate outstanding early achievement. Eligible work may be in basic, applied, and/or translational biomedical science.

Eligibility Requirements:
  • Applicant must have been born outside the United States;
  • Applicant must not be more than 38 years old as of December 31, 2020 (born on or after January 1, 1982);
  • Applicant must: be a naturalized citizen or permanent resident (green card holder) of the United States; be a holder of an H1B or O-1 visa and have been living and working in the United States for at least 5 years; or have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) relief;
  • Applicant must have earned a doctoral degree (MD, PhD, or equivalent);
  • Applicant must hold a full-time position at an academic institution or other organization. Eligible positions include the following: assistant or associate professor, or equivalent independent position. The applicant must be directly responsible for the design and execution of the work submitted for consideration. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows working under the supervision of a mentor are not eligible;
  • Applicant must intend to pursue a professional career in the United States;
  • Applicant must not be a past winner of the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise.

Applications Due: June 10, 2020 5pm (Eastern)
Reserve the Corner today for collaborative meetings, proposal development or to learn more about AU research resources.
The monthly flights on the AU shuttle connect faculty to other researchers or agencies to further their research goals.
AU PI Handbook, agency guides & more to help you write a successful proposal.

Auburn University subscription based funding service that provides faculty with funding opportunities pertinent to their research areas. 
Proposal Services & Faculty Support
844-5929 / c ls0071@auburn.edu