91°µÍř

Funding opportunity announcement: President’s Award for Research, Innovation and Scholarly Impact

Updated April 2026

Proposal deadline and timeline

Proposal submission deadline: Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 5 p.m. through
Project duration: July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026

Questions regarding eligibility, proposal development or submission requirements should be directed to Carrie Bushá, Director of Research Development, at researchdevelopment@unr.edu.

Program description

The President’s Award for Research, Innovation and Scholarly Impact supports 91°µÍř faculty and professional staff in launching new or significantly enhanced initiatives that advance the University’s mission in research, innovation, scholarship, teaching and community engagement. The program is intended to catalyze bold ideas with the potential for sustained impact, future extramural support or broader institutional adoption.

The program provides one-year funding through two complementary mechanisms. First, up to ten Catalyst Awards of up to $50,000 each will support projects that require targeted investments to move promising ideas from concept to implementation. Funded projects should demonstrate how a time-limited, presidential investment will enable meaningful advancement in instructional practice, scholarly or creative activity, or community-engaged work.

Second, up to two Convergence Awards of up to $100,000 each will support multidisciplinary teams of two to three investigators from distinct disciplinary areas pursuing high-impact research or creative activity addressing nationally significant challenges or strategically important opportunities for Nevada. Convergence projects should be positioned to compete for major federal, foundation or multi-institutional funding and to establish the 91°µÍř as a recognized leader in emerging areas of research and innovation of national importance. Research focused investments are intended to generate preliminary results, establish new collaborations or position projects for competitive external funding.

Leadership contacts

Administrative contacts

Award information

Catalyst Awards: Up to 10 awards of up to $50,000 each.
Convergence Awards: Up to 2 awards of up to $100,000 each.

Eligibility

Eligibility is open to 91°µÍř academic and administrative faculty and professional staff. Faculty Collaborative proposals are encouraged, particularly those that involve multiple departments or units or include substantive partnerships with community organizations or external stakeholders.

External collaborators may participate in project activities; however, only University personnel are eligible to receive funds directly through this program.

Allowable use of funds

Funds may be used for expenses that are directly and demonstrably necessary to implement the proposed project, including equipment, software, instructional technologies, materials and supplies, fees for core facilities or specialized services, and limited technical or professional staff support, and graduate and undergraduate student support related to project execution.

Funds may not be used for faculty or staff salary support, general conference travel, publication or open-access fees, or subawards or direct payments to external collaborators.

Project expectations and deliverables

Funded projects are expected to initiate a new or significantly enhanced activity during the one-year award period. At the conclusion of the grant period, recipients must submit a brief final report summarizing project activities and outcomes, describing the impact of the work, and outlining plans for sustainability, institutional adoption, or pursuit of external funding. Additional expectations specific to Catalyst and Convergence Awards are outlined below.

For Catalyst Awards, projects outcomes may include generation of preliminary data or proof-of-concept results, development of new collaborations, advancement of instructional practice, scholarly or creative activity, or community engaged work, or preparation of a competitive proposal for external funding.

For Convergence Awards, teams are expected to demonstrate meaningful multidisciplinary integration and progress toward positioning the collaboration for major federal, foundation, or multi-institutional funding, or toward establishing a sustained area of strategic strength for the 91°µÍř.

Grant recipients are also expected to share project outcomes with the University community through a presentation, workshop, or similar forum.

Review criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on innovation and quality of the proposed work; alignment with the University’s mission, strategic priorities, and presidential initiatives; anticipated impact of the proposed research, scholarship, creative activity, teaching and/or community-engaged activities; feasibility of the project plan, including scope, timeline, and budget; and likelihood of sustained impact or future external funding.

Application requirements

Applications must not exceed three pages and must include the project title and lead applicant information; a description of the proposed initiative and its objectives; an explanation of how the Award funds will be used; expected outcomes and sustainability plans; and an itemized budget with brief justification.

Biographical sketches for the PI and any co-investigators must be included on a single additional page. This page does not count toward the three-page application limit.

Additional Information

Questions regarding eligibility, proposal development, or submission requirements should be directed to Research & Innovation, through Research & Proposal Development Services, by emailing researchdevelopment@unr.edu.

Application template for the President’s Award for Research, Innovation and Scholarly Impact

Three page limit plus an additional page with PI/Co-investigator biographical sketches.