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Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research

Request for Nomination from Campus Provost

Funding:

Maximum Award Amount: $25,000

Project Duration:

Up to 12 months

Program Overview

STEM-NET is transforming CSU into a preeminent champion of inclusive access to research and learning experiences that equip diverse STEM students for thriving careers in STEM-related fields. STEM-NET strategically invests in research areas that increase the potential to garner externally sponsored grants and awards to support student retention and graduation and strengthen the STEM workforce in California.

This year, the EAGER program aims to support exploratory work in its early stages on potentially transformative research ideas or approaches in the areas of:

  • Climate change
  • Health equity
  • Environmental justice

Grant Funding

STEM-NET grants will fund activities that support the submission of large external grants, aligned with the program's mission and vision. The STEM-NET Steering Committee is seeking nominations from Campus Provosts for these grants. Funding amounts and directions may vary in subsequent years, depending on the Executive Director's direction and the Steering Committee's decisions.

Program Guidelines

Eligibility:

  • Faculty teams must consist of:
    • Two CSU faculty members
    • At least one student
  • Tenured/tenure-track (T/TT) CSU faculty eligible for NSF or similar federal grants.
  • Faculty members can be from the same department/discipline.
  • Project plans and budgets should be directly linked to the data collection efforts required for the future submission or resubmission of research grant applications that are external to the California State University (CSU) system.
  • Funding is to launch new projects and is not to be used to supplement ongoing funded programs.

Budget Restrictions:

  • Faculty salary budgets:
    • Up to three semester units (AWTU) ($2489/unit) per faculty member
    • Only during the academic year or summer
  • No faculty overload or travel funds allowed.
  • Student salaries should adhere to the salary policies of the Human Resources (HR) departments.
  • Requests for travel funds are not allowed in this program.

Procedures:

  • Application materials must be submitted by the respective research and sponsored programs office.
  • The Steering Committee will review nomination materials and submit funding recommendations to the STEM-NET consortium presidents.
  • Award notification will be forwarded to campuses by the CO Sponsored Program office.
  • Funding for selected proposals will be in place by January.

Nomination Materials

  • The proposal is not to exceed four (4) pages single-spaced (font size 11) and should address the outline of the proposal detailed below. References do not count toward the four (4) page-limit proposal.
  • The biosketches are not to exceed two (2) pages per faculty member and should include current or pending support.

Proposal Outline for Application

The proposal should include the following information:

  • Faculty information (name, title, department, campus)
  • Title of proposal
  • Project description
  • Objectives
  • Intellectual merit
  • Broader impact
  • Budget and justification
  • Targeted external grant opportunities (name and submission date)

Post-Award Reporting Requirements and Deliverables:

  • Final report within 90 days of the project end date.
  • Complete external grant submission by July 1st.
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