Vice President for Research & Economic Development
Proposal Services & Faculty Support
April Funding Focus Newsletter #2
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 in this newsletter, click on the link below and search for your competition listed on the page. Please refer to the Limited Submission Procedures page for a list of requirements.
Limited Submission Announcements

Building on the success of the previous rounds of Mathematical Multifaceted Integrated Capability Centers awarded in 2012, 2017, and 2018, this FOA seeks new Mathematical Multifaceted Integrated Capability Centers that address an interrelated set of mathematical research challenges arising from the DOE mission areas of energy, environment, and security.

This FOA seeks to support mathematical advances that address the increasingly complex challenges that arise in science and energy research, and that require new integrated processes across multiple computational and statistical disciplines. Such Mathematical Multifaceted Integrated Capability Centers (MMICCs) will enable greatly enhanced scientific discovery, design, optimization, or decision-support capabilities. These MMICCs will enable applied mathematics researchers to work together in large, collaborative teams to address grand challenge problems more effectively and from a mathematical perspective taken much earlier in the problem-solving process.

A proposed Mathematical Multifaceted Integrated Capability Center must:
1. Advance multifaceted, integrated mathematics that spans, as appropriate, novel formulations, discretizations, algorithm development, data analysis techniques, uncertainty quantification methodologies, optimization techniques, machine learning, and other mathematical and statistical approaches;
2. Address mathematical problems with clear relevance and significant impact for scientific advances; and
3. Actively engage in community building and disseminate research advances by making them readily accessible to the broader, diverse community.
In addition, it is expected that each MMICC will interact with applied and basic science research groups in need of the mathematical expertise being developed within the MMICC. This funding opportunity includes illustrative examples for MMICCs, and the organizational structure and management plan of a MMICC.

Institutional Limit: 2
Internal Deadline: May 6, 2022 4:45 pm

The DOE SC program in Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) hereby announces its interest in basic research in the design, development, analysis, and scalability of randomized algorithms for the challenging discrete and combinatorial problems that arise in the Department’s energy, environmental, and national security mission areas.

The overarching goal of randomized algorithms research, under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), is to find scalable ways to sample, organize, search, or analyze very large data streams, discrete structures, and combinatorial problems relevant to DOE mission areas. The five research topics of interest focus on algorithms for discrete and combinatorial problems as highlighted in the RASC workshop report [7, Section 3.3]:

  1. Randomized algorithms for discrete problems that cannot be modeled as networks
  2. Randomized algorithms for solving well-defined problems on networks
  3. Universal sketching and sampling on discrete data
  4. Randomized algorithms for combinatorial and discrete optimization
  5. Randomized algorithms for machine learning on networks

Note that connected structures such as graphs, hypergraphs and simplicial complexes are collectively referred to as “networks.” An important crosscutting theme is verification and validation for assessing the accuracy and reliability of the proposed randomized algorithms. Applications submitted in response to this FOA must substantively address one (or more) of the above five research topics and the following three facets of randomized algorithms for discrete and combinatorial scientific computing:

  • A. Impact: What are the most significant or compelling scientific or technical challenges that are driving the development of the randomized algorithms approach?
  • B. Methodology: In what ways does the randomized approach provide a new and/or significant enabling technology for scientific computing? What are the potential merits and limitations of the randomized approach, particularly with respect to current and emerging high-performance computing architectures and ecosystems?
  • C. Validation: What is a relevant set of non-trivial metrics for assessing the accuracy and effectiveness of the randomized approaches?

Institutional Limit: 2
Internal Deadline: May 6, 2022 4:45 pm
Important Updates

This course is designed to prepare new grant writers in pursuit of their research aspirations. Research and grant writing are valuable skills, helping technical communicators to practice identifying, researching, and solving communication problems and making grant writers more marketable. This course is ideal for early career faculty and doctoral students in all research disciplines. Supplementing the course are keynote speakers invited from sponsor agencies. These virtual presentations are optional, though participants are strongly encouraged to tune in to those that align with their research aspirations. The course will walk through the proposal development, submission and peer review process. Participants learn how to frame their research proposal and have the opportunity to draft a grant application that will resonate with peer reviewers. Over the course of the 100% virtual, asynchronous summer program (June & July) participants receive:

  • The Monday Message, an organizing message each Monday for that week’s activities that includes that week’s resources (e.g., templates, sample proposals, grant opportunities)  
  • The Training Activity Guide (TAG) is a grant writing guidebook (print/mailed to the participant).  
  • The Wednesday Workshop delivered from 12-2pm ET live via Zoom, recorded and posted in Canvas. 
  • The Funding Friday interactive workshop to tour grant application systems, discuss the writing activities and apply activities to your grants.

Early Bird pricing ends April 30, 2022
Hanover Research Queue Proposal Review Availability

Dates available: After August 1, 2022

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 grant-seeking 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 ).
Hanover Research Funding Calendars

Hanover Research has put together several specialized funding calendars that include federal funders, foundations, descriptions of the programs and the associated deadlines.


Auburn subscribes to several training modules via the CITI Program website that may be of interest to researchers and research administrators. Each module is self-paced and can be finished in one or multiple sessions. Click on the link above to read descriptions.
  • Essentials of Grant Proposal Development
  • Essentials of Research Administration

Auburn maintains an annual subscription to this monthly newsletter published by Academic Research Funding Strategies, LLC. Access is available only for Auburn University faculty, staff and students with a valid user ID.
Federal Agency Coronavirus Resource Hubs
Funding Opportunities

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites applications for center grants to support Advanced Laboratories for Accelerating the Reach and Impact of Treatments for Youth and Adults with Mental Illness (ALACRITY) Centers. The purpose of these research Centers is to support transdisciplinary teams of clinical and mental health services researchers, behavioral scientists, social scientists, health information and communications technologists, health systems engineers, decision scientists, and mental health stakeholders (e.g., service users, family members, clinicians, payers) to engage in high-impact studies that will significantly advance clinical practice and generate knowledge that will fuel transformation of mental health care in the United States. Successful ALACRITY Centers will address major mental health problems observed among children, youth, and/or adults (including older adults), and foster innovative research aimed at increasing the effectiveness of existing interventions, improving delivery and quality of evidence-based services, and accelerating the diffusion, implementation, and continuous improvement of new practices in diverse settings. Center-supported research should reflect a deployment-focused model of intervention and services design and testing that considers key characteristics of the settings and providers where optimized mental health interventions and services will be implemented.

Proposals Due: May 17, 2022 5:00 pm

The ADDF seeks to support studies of cognitive symptoms due to health conditions, comparative effectiveness research, and epidemiological studies that probe whether the use or choice of drugs alters the risk for dementia or cognitive decline.

The Prevention Pipeline RFP supports:
  1. Studies of Cognitive Decline and Risk Reduction: Cognitive decline through aging and health conditions has been linked to an increased risk of dementia. The ADDF will consider funding programs to prevent and treat these conditions, including menopause-related cognitive symptoms, postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive decline, mild and/or repetitive traumatic brain injury, and chemotherapy-induced decline. Methods may include epidemiology or clinical trials. For clinical trial proposals, please see below detailed instructions and priorities under “Expectations and Evaluation”.
  2. Comparative Effectiveness Research: For many health conditions, physicians have a choice of clinically equivalent drugs. Some of these drugs are being investigated for repurposing to treat Alzheimer's or related dementias, due to potential disease-modifying properties that go beyond the treatment of their approved disease indication. The ADDF will consider funding research to generate an evidence base on whether choices in the routine clinical care of pre-existing conditions could protect from dementia. Priority will be given to the comparison of drugs that are otherwise clinically equivalent for the pre-existing condition (see Box 1 in the ADDF 2016 position paper). Methods may include randomized trials or epidemiology.
  3. Studies Leveraging the Consortium of Cohorts for Alzheimer's Prevention Action (CAPA): Epidemiological studies contribute unmatched information on whether the risk of dementia or cognitive decline may be influenced by long-term exposure to supplements or medications. However, high-powered studies are needed, ideally with dose, duration, and responder profiles, in order to translate epidemiological research into actionable interventions for testing. Through the CAPA Consortium, the ADDF funds collaborative analyses on dementia prevention using a minimum of five longitudinal cohorts, either harmonized or analyzed through parallel analysis of cohorts using a shared analysis script. More information here.

Letter of Intent Deadline: May 20, 2022 5:00 pm ET

This funding opportunity announcement seeks to expose students at the undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and graduate levels who are from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups, to the foundational sciences relevant to genomics to enable them to pursue careers that span all areas of interest to NHGRI - genome sciences, genomic medicine and genomics and society. For the purposes of this FOA, the term “genomics” encompasses issues and activities in these three areas.

To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this FOA will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on Research Experiences during either the summer or academic year. The research experiences must be based on the foundational sciences relevant to genomics: genomic sciences (e.g. technology development, data science); genomic medicine (e.g. epidemiology, pharmacogenomics, clinical implementation); and genomics and society (e.g. bioethics, social and behavioral sciences, law, the humanities). A secondary focus is on Courses for Skills Development. Complementary didactic activities are encouraged, especially those academic courses that have the potential to increase opportunities for success at the next career level. The proposed research education programs must include both courses for skills development and research experiences with primary emphasis on research experiences. Proposed courses should be developed in conjunction with and support research experiences to enhance skills development.

Proposals Due: May 25, 2022 5:00 pm

The Research Demonstration and Dissemination Grant (R18) is an award made by AHRQ to an institution/organization to support a discrete, specified health services research project. The project will be performed by the named investigator and study team. The R18 research plan proposed by the applicant institution/organization must be related to the mission and priority research interests of AHRQ.  

The AHRQ mission is to produce evidence to make health care safer, higher quality, more ac­cessible, equitable and affordable, and to work with HHS and other partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used. Within the mission, AHRQ’s specific priority areas of focus are:
  • Research to improve health care patient safety.
  • Harnessing data and technology to improve health care quality and patient outcomes and to provide a 360-degree view of the patient.
  • Research to increase accessibility and affordability of health care by examining innovative market approaches to care delivery and financing.

Proposals Due: May 25, 2022 5:00 pm
Funding Opportunity Reminders

The Digital Projects for the Public program supports projects that interpret and analyze humanities content in primarily digital platforms and formats, such as websites, mobile applications and tours, interactive touch screens and kiosks, games, and virtual environments. 

All projects should demonstrate the potential to attract a broad, general, non-specialist audience, either online or in person at venues such as museums, libraries, or other cultural institutions. Applicants may also choose to identify particular communities and groups, including students, to whom a project may have particular appeal. 

(Optional) Drafts Due: May 5, 2022 11:59 pm
Proposals Due: June 8, 2022 11:59 pm
Reserve the Corner today for collaborative meetings, proposal development or to learn more about AU research resources.
The flights on the AU shuttle connect faculty to other researchers or agencies to further their research goals.
Auburn University PI Handbook, agency guides and more to help you write a successful proposal.
Subscription-based service that Auburn University provides faculty to find funding opportunities pertinent to their research. 
Proposal Services & Faculty Support
844-5929 / clc0165@auburn.edu