Vice President for Research & Economic Development
Proposal Services & Faculty Support
January 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

The Foundation is a nonprofit organization raising funds for childhood cancer research. The Scholar (career development) Award is meant to help develop the independent research of highly qualified individuals still early in their careers. Recipients are called St. Baldrick's Scholars. Research projects must have direct applicability and relevance to pediatric cancer. They may be in any discipline of basic, clinical, translational, or epidemiological research.

Current funding priorities are divided into four categories and six focus areas:
- New discovery research
- Translational research and early phase clinical trials
- Phase III clinical trials & infrastructure support of participating institutions (primarily the fall grant cycle)
- Education of new pediatric oncology researchers

In addition to research to understand the biology of childhood cancers and discover leads to more effective treatments, topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Adolescents & young adults
- Survivorship, outcomes, and quality of life
- Supportive care
- Epidemiology and pediatric cancer predispositions
- Precision medicine
- Alternative & complementary therapies

St. Baldrick's funds may not be used for human embryonic stem cell research.

Institutional Limit: 1 Proposal
Internal Deadline: January 17, 2020, 4:45pm

(Previously Announced 12/20/19)

The Alabama NASA EPSCoR Office has just released the submission process for the 2020 NASA EPSCOR Cooperative Agreement Notice.

The goal of NASA EPSCoR is to provide seed funding that will enable jurisdictions to develop an academic research enterprise directed toward long-term, self-sustaining, nationally-competitive capabilities in aerospace and aerospace-related research. This capability will, in turn, contribute to the jurisdiction's economic viability and expand the nation's base for aerospace research and development.
Based on the availability of funding, NASA will continue to help jurisdictions achieve these goals through NASA EPSCoR. Funded jurisdictions will be selected through a merit-based, peer-review competition.

The specific objectives of NASA EPSCoR are to:
- Contribute to and promote the development of research capability in NASA EPSCoR jurisdictions in areas of strategic importance to the NASA mission.
- Improve the capabilities of the NASA EPSCoR jurisdictions to gain support from sources outside the NASA EPSCoR program.
- Develop partnerships among NASA research assets, academic institutions, and industry.
- Contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities of higher education, and economic development of the jurisdiction.

Due to the tight turnaround, it may be advisable to create a skeleton of your full-length (15 page) Scientific/Technical/Management Plan section in the event you are selected.

Please note that the deadline for receipt of full proposals at the Alabama NASA EPSCoR office is January 24, 2020.

Step 1 : AU Internal submission and review:
January 9, 2020 , 4:45 PM : White papers due for university review and selection.  All white papers must be submitted electronically through  AU Competition Space .
January 15, 2020 :  Notification of decisions by AU committee will be disseminated.  One white paper will be selected. If selected, PSFS/David Beale will advise the State EPSCoR Director of the Title, Subject, Abstract and PI contact information. Alabama NASA EPSCoR Office will use this information to locate reviewers. PI will begin directly communicating with the Alabama NASA EPSCoR Office. PI begins writing full proposal according to CAN.  

Step 2 : External Submission to Alabama NASA EPSCoR Office at UAH
The selected PI prepares a full proposal for consideration by the Alabama NASA EPSCoR Office. Budgets should be for $675K over 3 years, with matching funds as described in the 2020 CAN. Budget and proposal must be approved by AU.
Deadline for receipt of full proposals at the Alabama NASA EPSCoR office: January 24, 2020.
Proposal review period by Alabama NASA EPSCoR Office: January 27 - February 10, 2020

Step 3 : Selection and submission to NASA National Competition:
Selection announcement: February 14, 2020.
Winner has time to make final adjustments with input from reviewers and Alabama NASA EPSCoR Office.
Final proposal to Alabama NASA EPSCoR office: February 21, 2020.
Submission to UAH OSP for preparation of package: February 28, 2020.
Submission from UAH to NASA: March 6, 2020.


Budget Amount
Budgets should be for  $675K  over 3 years, with matching funds as described in the solicitation.

Please note that the requirements differ from the standard limited submission.

Applications Due – January 9, 2020 (4:45pm Central)
IMPORTANT UPDATES & EVENTS
IRS Issues Standard Mileage Rates for 2020

The IRS has published a new mileage reimbursement rate for the use of personal vehicles in conducting business purpose travel. Effective January 1, 2020, the standard mileage rate is 57.5 cents/mile. The  AU Travel Policy  will be revised to reflect this rate.

The Office of Proposal Services and Faculty Support and Samuel Ginn College of Engineering are facilitating a 1/2 day workshop for the development of NSF CAREER Proposals.

The National Science Foundation’s CAREER program emphasizes the importance the Foundation places on the early development of academic careers dedicated to stimulating the discovery process in which the excitement of research is enhanced by inspired teaching, enthusiastic learning, and disseminating new knowledge. Effective integration of research and education generates a synergy in which the process of discovery stimulates learning, and assures that the findings and methods of research and education are quickly and effectively communicated in a broader context and to a large audience.

Agenda
8:15-9:00 am: Continental Breakfast
 
9:00-9:50 am: Introduction to NSF CAREER
- Purpose, Success Rates, A Look at What's Been Funded Recently, How to Find and Talk to the Right Program Officer, Proposal Planning and Timeline, and Brief Intro to SciENcv for Biosketches

10:00-11:30 am: Preparing a CAREER Proposal
- Examples of Funded Proposals, Formatting, Typical Outline, Writing for Your Audience, Hypothesis-Driven vs. Hypothesis-Generating Research, Best Practices for Education and Outreach, Workshopping Education and Outreach Ideas

12:30-4:30 pm: One-on-One Meetings with Investigators (limited slots available)
 
When: January 31, 2020
Where: Brown Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center - Grand Hall 2
Time: 8:15 - 11:30 am (includes continental breakfast)
Presenter: Dr. Bryan DeBusk, Senior Grants Consultant, Hanover Research, Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Mississippi

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES


Program Description 
  • The Marshall Aerospace Fellowship program is a residential research experience. Fellows are required to conduct their research, during the ten-week program, on-site at the Marshall Space Flight Center.
  • Participants cannot receive remuneration from other entities or other programs or other university or government sources during the Aerospace Fellowship 10-week period.
  • An oral presentation by the Fellow to the Marshall group with which s/he has been affiliated is required, near the end of the fellowship period.
  • A written final report is required at the end of the Fellowship.
  • A written evaluation of the program by the Fellow is expected at the end of the Fellowship.

Eligibility 
  • US citizen
  • Full time teaching or research appointment, or graduate student appointment at an accredited US university or college.
  • Fellowship is awarded for one summer period, but Fellow may apply again for a second year.
  • Women, under-represented minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Application Deadline – February 7, 2020
The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium is accepting applications for a number of fellowships for graduate and undergraduate students.

Deadlines for applications are in January or February. Find more details at http://masgc.org/funding/fellowships .

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development (OVPRED) announces the 2020 call for proposals for the Auburn University Intramural Grants Program (IGP). Proposals undergo a thorough evaluation by a peer-review panel. Funding for all IGP grants is for a two year period.

There are four grant categories:
  • Interdisciplinary Team Research Grant: Provides support for research that will significantly advance multiple research fields. The research project must be conducted by at least two investigators from different disciplines. Up to $25,000 contribution from OVPRED.
  • Good to Great Grant: Provides support to enhance the competitiveness of a research proposal that has been favorably reviewed by an extramural grant review panel but not funded. The likelihood of funding on resubmission would increase with the acquisition of additional data or proof of concept. Up to $25,000 contribution from OVPRED.
  • Early Career Development Grant: provides support for faculty embarking on their research program(s). PI eligibility is limited to faculty that have been at Auburn for five years or less. For this grant, any individual who holds one of the following positions may be identified as a principal investigator for sponsored activities: Tenure track faculty (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Librarian and Archivist ), Non-tenure-track research faculty (Assistant Research Professor, Associate Research Professor, Principal Research Scientist/Engineer) Clinical Professors (Assistant Clinical Professor, Associate Clinical Professor) · Research Fellow, Research Engineer. The proposer must be employed in one of the above-referenced positions as of the date of proposal submission and be untenured as of October 1 following the proposal submission.Up to $10,000 contribution from OVPRED.
  • *Cyber Research Grant: The University’s Cyber Initiative integrates cutting-edge engineering technology with research to develop innovative methods for protecting our nation's cyber security. This includes work to advance Auburn University’s technical expertise and leadership in cyber education and training; open source intelligence and analysis; and cyber security and forensics to include information assurance, intrusion detection and critical infrastructure protection. Up to $50,000 from funding sources.

*Offered with additional funding in conjunction with the IGP. 

All grant categories require a minimum 1:1 match to your funding request.


For additional assistance, please contact Dr. Bob Holm (programmatic assistance;  rzh0021@auburn.edu , 4-5877).  

Proposals Due – January 10, 2020 (4:45pm Central)
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