Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Effective immediately: Prepare and submit all internal grant proposals in InfoReady using your mySFA credentials. For step-by-step guidance, watch this video tutorial on proposal submission.
Research Enhancement Program
Tenured and tenure-track faculty are eligible for the internal Research Enhancement Program.
Effective FY26, the Research Enhancement Program is consolidating into two overall categories: Minigrants and Competitive Grants. The internal funding award cycle begins September 1st and ends August 31st. Refer to InfoReady for information regarding current award periods and availability status.
Refer to the ORGS announcements page for internal funding updates.
Eligibility and Other Considerations
Eligibility: Newly recruited and currently employed faculty in a full-time tenured or tenure-track position at the rank of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor are eligible to apply. Non-tenure track faculty are not eligible.
Except under extenuating circumstances, individuals are not eligible to receive a minigrant during the same semester(s) that they are on faculty development leave or sabbatical.
Limitations: Applicants are limited to a maximum of one minigrant award, one competitive grant award, and one UTS STARs award per fiscal year. Eligibility does not guarantee applicants will receive awards.
Travel: Applications must be submitted at least three weeks in advance of travel start date. Travel support is not intended for professional development. Those seeking professional development funds should reach out to their academic unit or college.
Grant Categories
Minigrants - up to $1,000
Description: Minigrants provide up to $1,000 in support of faculty research, scholarly activities, or creative activities. Funds may be used to support travel to collect data, present research or creative work, meet with a grant program officer, or collaborate on grant writing; to cover publication costs associated with peer-reviewed scholarly output; or to assist with project-related expenses for specific research, exhibits, or creative endeavors. Applicants may receive only one minigrant award per fiscal year.
Award limit: $1,000
Minigrant submission deadline: Rolling (or until funds are depleted)
What is covered:
- Travel
- Proposals must be submitted at least three weeks in advance of travel start date.
- Publication/Indexing fees
- Project-specific supplies and materials
- Exhibitions and performances
- Specific services (contract services, sample analysis, translator, etc.)
Deadline for spending funds: July 31 of the fiscal year of the award
Travel support considerations:
- For travel support, applications must be submitted at least three weeks in advance of the travel start date.
- Travel support is not intended for professional development. Those seeking professional development funds should reach out to their academic unit or college.
Publication support requirements:
- For publication support, a copy of the peer-reviewed journal’s acceptance should be provided.
Competitive Grants - up to $15,000
Description: Competitive grants provide up to $15,000 in support of faculty research, scholarly, or creative activities. Funds are intended for larger research and creative projects that require more support and time than minigrants. This may include resources to support writing grant proposals for external sponsors, initiating pilot studies, or organizing exhibitions/performances. Applicants may receive only one competitive grant award per fiscal year.
Award limit: $15,000
Competitive grant submission deadline: November 1
What is covered:
- Salary (not to exceed $10,000)
- Salary is included in the overall $15,000 award limit. Ex. If a $15,000 award includes $10,000 allocated to salary, only $5,000 is available for other expenses.
- Travel to collect data
- Project-specific supplies and materials
- Equipment
- Hourly student wages
- Contractual expenses
Deadline for spending funds: July 31 of the fiscal year of the award
University Research Council
The University Research Council, or URC, develops guidelines for the Research Enhancement Program and makes all award recommendations. The council also advises ORGS on policies and procedures to encourage research activities and to improve the research environment of the university; developing and recommending university research policies based upon state and federal laws and regulations; and recommending adjudication to variances to policies and procedure.
The council meets approximately six times a year to evaluate and award grants.
Compliance
Research proposing the use of human subjects, laboratory animals, or hazardous materials must be approved by the appropriate university committee prior to the initiation of the research project. In addition, projects awarded through the Research Enhancement Program must conform to all other applicable SFA policies and guidelines, and local, state, and federal regulation.