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REQUEST FOR RCMI RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT GRANT PRE-PROPOSALS

The NIH Research Centers at Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program is dedicated to the development of research infrastructure at minority serving institutions. UTSA has been a participant in the RCMI program for eight years and has received more than $15 million in infrastructure and research support from this program. The current program has funded major core facilities in imaging, proteomics and computation as well as individual faculty research programs and faculty development.

UTSA’s proposal for the next five year funding period (2009 – 2014) will include 2 ½ year pilot grants 5-year extended research projects that will be awarded to UTSA faculty on a competitive basis. The proposed total yearly budget for the pilot projects and extended projects is approximately $600,000 in direct costs. The purpose of these grants is to help investigators obtain preliminary data for competitive federal funding.

A. AM I ELIGIBLE?

  • You should be a UTSA full-time tenure-track, tenured or research faculty from any discipline.
  • Your proposal should have a relationship to biological research.
  • You cannot have current federal funding for the proposed research project. Currently funded investigators will be considered only if the research proposal reflectsthe development of a new research direction that the PI has not been previously funded for in the past.
  • You are encouraged to apply even if you have grant applications under review. If you receive a federal award, your application will be withdrawn.
  • Individual investigators may submit separate 2 ½ and 5 year pre-proposals.  

B. WHAT CAN I ASK FOR AND WHAT IS THE PRE-PROPOSAL FORMAT?

  • Equipment, supplies, student or technician support, animal care, or travel are all eligible expenses.
  • No more than one summer month of investigator support may be requested.
  • The amount of the 2 ½ year grant can be up to $50,000 per year in direct costs.
  • No indirect costs are charged to you.
  • You must provide detailed budgets for the proposed funded period (see instructions).
  • Specific Instructions and application may be found at instruction and application links.

C. WHAT ARE THE SELECTION CRITERIA AND WHO WILL DECIDE?

  • Proposal must have strong scientific merit.
  • The research should leverage the RCMI core facilities.
  • Preference will be given to proposals that utilize multiple RCMI Core Facilities. For a brief description of the RCMI Core Facilities, click the links for:
  • Your research plan should be well-thought out and feasible and must include:
    •      Hyphotheses
    •      Specific Aims
  • Your potential path to independent funding should be clearly described.
  • You must include a brief statement regarding your proposed Mentoring Plan
  • Pre-proposals will be evaluated by the RCMI Research Proposal Advisory Committee.

D. WHAT ARE THE DELIVERABLES?

  • If you are funded you will be required to:
    •      Provide three month progress reports to RCMI Program Director and NIH Program Officer.
    •      Provide data for the NIH Annual Progress Report
    •      Provide data and participate in the NIH non-competing renewal
  • You must also complete at least one grant proposal as part of your final report. The RCMI office will help you find outside reviewers for your proposal and will pay for an outside review.

E. WHAT IS THE TIME TABLE?

  • Pre-proposals are due February 1, 2008. Send completed application and supplemental materials described in the instructions to Dr. Matthew Gdovin, Department of Biology
  • Selections will be announced March 1, 2008.
  • Full proposals are due May 15, 2008.
  • Final selections of full proposals announced June 15, 2008.
  • Selected proposals sent for review July 15, 2008.
  • Final proposals due August 15, 2008.

F. OTHER INFORMATION: Awards are contingent on successful renewal of the RCMI program.

CONTACT:

Matthew Gdovin, Interim RCMI Program Director,
matthew.gdovin@utsa.edu
458-5768.