Internal Grants & Awards

The SEC Faculty Travel Program was established in 2012 and aims to foster relationships that stimulate collaboration between SEC member universities relative to exchanging ideas, developing grant proposals, presenting lectures, conducting research and delivering performances. In support of the SEC Faculty Travel Program, the SEC provides up to $10,000 in travel awards to each SEC university to assist participating faculty.

Click here for the current 2024-2025 UGA competition submission form in UGA’s InfoReady Portal.  Deadline: June 14, 2024.

UGA Program Contact: limsub@uga.edu

SEC Faculty Travel Program website

SEC Guidelines and Procedures

The Southeastern Conference Faculty Travel Program is intended to enhance faculty collaboration that stimulates scholarly initiatives between SEC universities. It gives full-time faculty members (as defined by the home university) from one SEC university the opportunity to travel to another SEC campus to exchange ideas, develop grant proposals, present lectures, conduct research and deliver performances. The program may not be used in conjunction with outside employment. An account of how funds are spent must be detailed in the travel summary that is submitted to the SEC no later than September 1 of the program year.

General program procedures are as follows:

• Each SEC university will be able to access up to $10,000 per year from the SEC for faculty members participating in the travel program.
• Travel program checks will be written from the SEC in November to the faculty member’s home institution and will be applicable to all program participants. The faculty member’s home institution is responsible for distributing the travel funds for transportation, room, board, etc.
• The faculty member may visit any SEC institution, and consideration must be given to how many other SEC faculty will be on a particular campus that year and/or in the same timeframe. (All travel must occur between August 1 and July 31 each year.)
• The travel funds should be used during an appropriate period, such as a sabbatical leave, the summer, a designated university break, etc., and, faculty members are responsible for arranging coverage of their duties at their home institutions.
• The faculty member should contact a host unit (e.g., department, research center, school, etc.) that he or she wishes to visit to determine that unit’s receptivity and availability. During the visit, the faculty member may consult with faculty and/or students, offer lectures, present concerts, conduct research, etc.
• After the visit, the faculty member should submit a brief report to the university’s SEC Faculty Travel Program contact (limsub@uga.edu) describing outcomes of the visit. A standard form for this report is available from the university point of contact.

Please note that the SEC Faculty Travel Grant funds apply to travel expenses only (airfare, lodging, meal per diems, shuttle/taxi service, etc) for the faculty member applicant. Funds awarded may not necessarily cover all of the trip’s travel costs; this program is intended to lessen the financial burden associated with travel, lodging, and meals.

Eligibility

Faculty members can only submit applications on their own behalf, as these funds cannot cover teams, groups, or staff working with the faculty member. Travel funds may not be used for non travel-related expenses. The program is intended to lessen the financial burden associated with travel, lodging and meals.

Limitation Details

UGA typically divides this $10,000 grant amongst 4-10 recipients. To be considered for a portion of this grant, please submit an internal application here, following the required internal submission instructions found in UGA’s InfoReady Portal here. Note that faculty members can only submit applications on their own behalf, as these funds cannot cover teams, groups, or staff working with the faculty member.

SEC Member Universities

• University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
• University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, Arkansas
• Auburn University – Auburn, Alabama
• University of Florida – Gainesville, Florida
• University of Georgia – Athens, Georgia
• University of Kentucky – Lexington, Kentucky
• Louisiana State University – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) – Oxford, Mississippi
• Mississippi State University – Starkville, Mississippi
• University of Missouri – Columbia, Missouri
• University of South Carolina – Columbia, South Carolina
• University of Tennessee – Knoxville, Tennessee
• Texas A&M University – College Station, Texas
• Vanderbilt University – Nashville, Tennessee

Please submit ALL questions to limsub@uga.edu.

Faculty Seed Grants in the Sciences and Engineering (Social Sciences, Life Sciences and Physical Sciences)

Guidelines for FY2025 Grants

• Deadline: Friday, March 1, 2024 at 11:59 pm
• Program Contact: Office of Research Internal Grants – ovprip@uga.edu
• Detailed guidelines below. Updated January 2024. 
• Proposal Submission Form via UGA’s InfoReady Portal
• Budget Template
• Budget Justification Sample
• FAQs – Review, Award and Reporting Information

 Program Description

The goal of the Faculty Seed Grants in the Sciences and Engineering is to enable faculty to launch new, promising lines of research for which resources are currently not available. Grants are intended to fund pilot research that will generate preliminary data to leverage extramural research grant opportunities and contribute to a sustainable program of research or scholarship.  Basic and applied research in the social, life, physical, and engineering sciences are eligible for funding through this program.

Eligibility

• All faculty (tenure-track and non-tenure track) with research EFT are eligible.
• Submission limited to one proposal per eligible individual per year.
• Any faculty member that received an FSG within the last three years (an FY22 grant or later) is not eligible.
• Availability of additional funds:
  • Applicants may not have access to more than $25,000 in institutional or discretionary research funding (e.g. Start-up, Salary returns or IDC returns) in the award year (the award year being FY25).
  • Tenured applicants may not have received more than $50,000 in institutional research support in the past three years (FY22 or later).  Examples of institutional research support include bridge funding, a Presidential Seed Grant or other internal seed grant.
  • An applicant that currently has extramural funding must clearly explain why that funding cannot be used for the proposed work, and how the proposed project represents a distinct, new direction.
• FSGs are not intended to provide support for an ongoing research program that has developed to a level that justifies support from external agencies.

Budget

• Maximum request: $25,000.
• The appropriateness of the budget will be considered during the evaluation process.
• Award amounts may be adjusted during the review and funding phases.
• See the Budget Development section below for budget details.

Review process and funding

• Proposals are peer reviewed by discipline-focused faculty committees.

• The scientific merit and potential to lead to a new, sustained research program will be the primary evaluation criteria by which reviewers rank applications and make funding recommendations.
• Reviewers will also comment on the appropriateness of the budget and availability of existing resources. The availability of other funds may be considered in final funding decisions.
• Preference may be given to fund proposals from assistant professors.

• The committee’s recommendations for funding are provided to the Office of Research; final decisions are made by the Associate Vice President for Research, Director of Internal Grants and Awards.
• Funding is typically provided to successful applicants on the next July 1 for a duration of one year.

Required Proposal Content (submitted via the UGA InfoReady online submission form):

1. Submission Form
   1. PI name, rank, unit, email, initial year at UGA and EFT distribution
   2. Title of project
   3. General discipline category of proposal
   4. Keywords (to guide assignment to appropriate reviewers and review committee)
   5. Recommended faculty peer reviewer(s) (Limit of 3. Recommendations must be at rank of Associate Professor/Associate Research Scientist or higher. Do not recommend supervisors or collaborators as reviewers.  Recommendations are considered by Office of Research but cannot be guaranteed, as review service is voluntary.)
   6. Budget amount requested.
   7. Summary of compliance assurances and information. Please list the compliance area required. If no compliance is needed, please write “No compliance needed.” If compliance approval is pending, indicate as such and, if awarded, the PI is responsible for obtaining applicable compliance approvals before funding.
   8. Description of how support by the FSG program will lead to extramural grant support for the new research area. List specific mechanisms and plans for future grant submission.
   9. Certification that all compliance and reporting requirements will be met. (Click here for report timing and requirements.)
2. Proposal Components
   1. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH that includes education, job history, publications, funding history (internal and external) and internal and external grant proposal submission history.  For currently funded projects, give dollar amounts in addition to active dates. A personal statement is not required.  Applicants may use any standard funding agency recommended format as long as it addresses the sections above.
   2. BUDGET SUMMARY. (See Budget Development section for detailed instructions. Budget template here.)
   3. DETAILED BUDGET JUSTIFICATION. (See Budget Development section for detailed instructions. Sample here.)
   4. SUPPORT LETTER. 1 page limit. This should be completed by the applicant’s department head and include:
      1. Confirmation of the applicant’s eligibility (especially history of institutional research support and current availability of funds).
      2. Endorsement of the project and its significance.
      3. If applicable, approval of course buyout for PI/co-PI (see Budget Development).
   5. PROJECT SUMMARY. 1 page limit. Arial, size 12 font, 0.5” margins. Using generalist language that can be understood by faculty peers outside of your research area, briefly describe the following in the order specified:
      1. The proposed research question(s)
      2. The significance of this research
      3. Unique and innovative features of the proposed work
      4. How this project will contribute to a new significant program of research beyond the term of the seed grant support
   6. RESEARCH PLAN. 3 page limit. Arial, size 12 font, 0.5” margins. Organize this section as follows (using provided headings):
      1. Introduction: provide relevant background information, including the significance of the problem and gaps in knowledge or capacity.
      2. Importance of Proposed Work: identify relevant research questions and establish the merit and feasibility of the project. Describe how this area of research addresses a critical need or problem.
      3. Specific Aims/Objectives: provide a detailed description of proposed work and how/why the proposed approach is optimal to address the research question(s).
      4. Approach: describe proposed methods and procedures, including relevant techniques, resources, and data collection instruments, facilities available to conduct the work, and a timetable.
      5. Expected Outcomes: describe the expected results and how successful completion of the proposed work will contribute to the field, advance knowledge, and provide a robust foundation for the applicant’s new research program.
   7. REFERENCES CITED (does not count toward page limit).

Budget Development Guidance

• Click here for a standard form that must be used for budget preparation.
• Each line item must be justified in a separate document, see sample justification here.
• Only allowable expenses should be requested (see below). Inclusion of non-allowable expenses will automatically trigger budget reduction by the associated amount.

1. ALLOWABLE EXPENSES
   1. Personnel support
      1. Research Staff salary and benefits. Benefit costs MUST be included for all categories. (Check here for fringe benefit rates.)
      2. Graduate student and other trainees assistantships. Benefit costs MUST be included for all categories. (Check here for fringe benefit rates.)
      3. Other personnel (non-UGA employees such as professionals, undergraduates and graduate students who are not eligible for Graduate Assistant Health Insurance). Benefit costs are not allowable for such personnel.
      4. PI/Co-PI course release buyout in Academic Year or Summer (summer course buyout only allowed if the applicant has an instructional EFT in summer). This budget item must be developed in consultation with department or college’s business manager for the correct course buyout and benefit amount. Certification of this process is an essential element of the proposal cover letter (see item 4c in “Proposal Components”).
   2. Equipment essential for conduct of proposed research. For Assistant Professors, justification must explain why equipment was not covered by startup funds.
   3. Supplies/general expenses/honoraria.
   4. Travel that is integral to conduct of the proposed research and travel to meet program officer.

2. NON-ALLOWABLE EXPENSE

1. 1. PI or Co-PI salary
   2. Sole-source support of a student’s thesis/dissertation completion.
   3. “Matching” funds for a submitted or planned external proposal.
   4. Travel to attend a professional meeting

Proposal Submission Instructions

Proposals must be submitted via the UGA InfoReady online submission form by the deadline.

The goal of the Junior and Senior Faculty Research Grants in Humanities and Arts Program is to support and encourage the development of a strong program of research or creative practice and activity by faculty in the humanities and arts. Grants are considered “seed money” for research, in that they should lead to the growth and development of continuing research or creative programs. The Faculty Research Grant (FRG) program is funded by the Office of Research through the University of Georgia Research Foundation.

• Program Contact: Willson Center for Humanities & Arts – wcha@uga.edu.
• See the Willson Center website for detailed guidelines.

Provides grant support to researchers in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences to promote the development of new plant cultivars.

• Deadline: First Wednesday in October
• Eligibility: Full and part-time faculty, USDA adjunct positions, and permanent research scientists in the University’s “Research Professionals” classification system. Visiting faculty and postdoctoral research associates are ineligible.
• Amount: No upper limit, however funding proposals with large budgets (above $80,000) must have unusually strong justification.
• Contact: Innovation Gateway – shelleyf@uga.edu
• Detailed Guidelines
• Application

Program Description: President Jere W. Morehead sponsors this internal seed grant program for interdisciplinary team proposals. Team proposals are asked to address a significant challenge at the local, national or global level, and to support UGA’s 2025 Strategic Plan goal of growing research, innovation, entrepreneurship and partnerships with communities.’

Read the 2023 call for proposals

Funded projects through the Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grant Program:

• 2017 projects
• 2019 projects
• 2021 projects

For more information, please visit the Pre-Seed Program webpage or contact Alex Exco, project manager, at alex.esco@uga.edu. 

For more information about teaming science programs, please visit the Integrative Team Initiatives webpage.

This program will be administered through the Office of the Provost. Check the website for the most up-to-date information.

This program will be administered through the Graduate School. Further information coming soon.