In addition to research funding from donors, corporations, foundations and federal sources, UAMS offers internal funding opportunities. Open to research faculty, they have various deadlines. (Note: Guidelines/requirements listed in the online submission forms are current.)
Campus-wide Funding
College of Medicine Research Grants – Learn more about COM funding.
Medical Research Endowment Fund – annual MRE grants provide pilot research funding ($25,000 max) for the development of scientifically significant, extramurally funded research projects. Support is focused on new research areas for junior investigators or new lines of investigation for established faculty members.
Development Enhancement Awards for Proposals (DEAP) Grant Program – addresses comments or needed revisions for faculty members who have received a score/comments on an unsuccessful proposal to a federal agency/foundation with full indirect costs. DEAP grants ($25,000 max) help PI’s obtain more data to address review comments and increase a revised application’s competitiveness. DEAP is strictly limited to strengthening reapplications following receipt of a scored proposal and must be submitted within 12 months of receiving review comments. Rolling Deadlines. (Note: No faculty salaries are allowed.)
Fellowship Initiative for Research Excellence (FIRE) – The FIRE program is designed to encourage UAMS trainees from all Colleges to apply for extramural fellowships. These include fellowships from the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, and the Department of Defense.
Translational Research Institute (TRI) – Innovative Clinical and Translational Research Award (ICTRA) program offers pilot awards which provide approximately $50,000 in direct funding for novel research projects within the translational spectrum.
Arkansas Breast Cancer Research Program – was created by the state legislature in 1992 – there are $800,000 available for research funding every year. It is a state program administered by UAMS. The RFP is announced yearly (late spring) through UAMS announcements, Cancer Institute communication avenues and via academic research institutions statewide.
Archived Funding Opportunities
Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation Equipment Awards -These awards support the purchase of state-of-the-art commercially available capital equipment to enhance the research capability of funded investigators. Instruments that are awarded are typically too expensive to be obtained by an individual investigator with a research project grant. Every instrument awarded by this program is to be used on a shared basis, which makes the program cost-efficient and beneficial to all UAMS investigators. Proposals will be evaluated and ranked based on scientific merit and the potential to lead to additional extramural funding. Funding is based on year-end fund availability.
Fund to Cure Stroke – $30,000 max (with extension potential). These stroke grants provide seed funds to advance/develop individual research programs. Support focuses on: 1) new stroke therapies and translation into clinical care; 2) improved diagnosis, diagnostic imaging and stroke care; 3) improved methods of stroke prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation; or 4) clinical and pre-clinical stroke-related research.
Core Facility/Service/Database Awards – augment the capabilities of UAMS researchers by providing up to ($5,000) in funding for use in Core facilities/services/databases. The associated director MUST approve the core/shared facility use and determine that the work can be completed prior to the end of the fiscal year.
Faculty Research Enhancement (FRE) Awards – for UAMS faculty to engage in a short-term activity to strengthen/enhance their research capabilities (e.g., participation in a structured, hands-on workshop; visit a university/research institute, or company to learn a new technique/method/data analysis). Eligible faculty (i.e., assistant professor or higher) may request up to $7,000 for transportation, lodging, meals, registration, supplies, and fees.
UAMS Equipment Grant
For the acquisition of new/replacement, shared use, and research equipment, UAMS faculty (LR and NW Arkansas) may submit an equipment application. Up to $100,000 may be requested, but funding is based on year-end fund availability.
VCRI Pioneer Awards – This new internal funding mechanism is designed to promote the development of pioneering research. It is intended for early- or conceptual-stage projects that lead to the development of highly innovative, untested and potentially groundbreaking concepts. The VCRI Pioneer Awards are open to all active UAMS investigators. The initial grant period is 12 months with opportunities for renewed support in subsequent years. (Note: PI salary not allowed in the budget.) No preliminary data are required but may be included if available.
Provost’s Innovator Awards – PIA funding is intended for exceptionally creative investigators who propose groundbreaking, innovative, high-impact projects that are likely to establish new clinical approaches or achieve rapid commercialization. Faculty salary is not allowed.
Long-haul COVID-19 Research Awards enable UAMS faculty members to launch timely research projects seeking to advance our understanding of the causes/impacts of Long-haul COVID-19 symptoms. Successful grant recipients received up to $50,000 (award period of Dec. 1, 2021 – March 1, 2023).
Easy Win-Early Victory (EWEV) Pilot and Core Facility Use Awards
The Division of Research and Innovation’s Easy Win-Early Victory pilot ($15,000) and core facility ($2,500) grants augment the capabilities of UAMS researchers. The 2020 EWEV funds have been awarded.
Time Sensitive Research Grants – enables UAMS faculty and their collaborators around the nation to launch research projects to advance our understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic, contributes to better clinical practices, and improves public health preparedness and responses, Vice Chancellor Shuk-Mei Ho, Ph.D. (VCRI) funded 6 highly relevant research projects in April 2020.