Research Hub

Announcements & events
Proposal support & funding opportunities
Research ethics, conduct & safety
Research commercialization
Connect & grow your research
Awards & fellowships

Division announcements

Research continuity: Updates regarding remote operation of R&I support services, and guidance for research programs and labs during the COVID-19 alternate operations of campus.
Limited submission proposals are currently open for a variety of grants.
Bay Area Regional I-Corps course: University faculty, startups, or teams with a startup idea are encouraged to apply for a one-week course based on Steve Blank's Lean LaunchPad method. Contact Cara Baird to apply.
Funding spotlight: The Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research will fund basic research projects up to $200,000 per year for three years.
On-Going External Reviews of Proposals: Submit your proposal for review by an expert consultant.

All division announcements, new external funding opportunities and division event invites are sent out through our researchnotes group email list.

Sign-up for researchnotes emails

Research & Innovation events

Jan 29

02:00 PM

Training and Workshops

Undergraduate Research Presents, Mastering Research Workshop Series: Benefits of Research as an Undergraduate

Feb 05

12:00 PM

Picture a Scientist - Groundbreaking documentary & University panel discussion

Feb 11

04:00 PM

Picture a Scientist - University panel discussion about the groundbreaking documentary

View all division events

Proposal support and resources

Submit a request form for capture management, external review, writing and editing services.

Proposal development services request

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Proposal development support
- Capture management
  The Research Development team provides proposal development services for large-scale, interdisciplinary projects. We are here to help and will work with you and your research team to develop a support strategy tailored to your needs and timeline.
- External review of proposals
  Have your proposal reviewed by another expert in your field via an external consulting firm. Use the feedback to increase your chances of success.
- Writing and editing support
  The Research Development team has edited hundreds of proposals and can provide critical feedback on a proposal’s structure or content, as well as copy editing.
- Graphic design support
  We can connect you with vetted graphic designers and scientific illustrators to capture the essence of your research in a powerful image.
Request proposal development support
Samples of successful grant proposals

Research & Proposal Development Services maintains a library of recent successful grant proposals written by University of Nevada, Reno faculty.

Learn more about obtaining a sample proposal.
Resources for writing
- Grant writing workshops
  We host seminars with external facilitators who comprehensively address both practical and conceptual aspects important to writing competitive grant proposals. Watch for email announcements through Researchnotes or check our calendar for dates.
- Data management plans
  Required in many proposals, these plans provide the framework for sharing and managing data. Find information and create a data management plan using our online resources.
- Institutional information for proposals
  This quick reference for proposal prep and submission includes basic information such as signature authorities, F&A rates, fringe benefit rates, institution numbers such as tax ID and Nevada vendor number, the University’s legal name and more.
- Institutional data and stats
  Institutional Analysis is a useful source of information on University operations and enrollment. Access descriptive reports and inferential studies, including enrollment reports for your proposal.
College support personnel

Find your college grant coordinator listed on the Sponsored Projects contact page.
Proposal submission
- Pre-award support
  The Pre-award team facilitates timely submission of sponsored project proposals, sponsor requests for revisions and additional information prior to issuing an award, and submission of sponsor approval requests during an active award. Contact your pre-award administrator.
- Guidelines and submission resources
  We review all proposals prior to submission to ensure accuracy, correctness and legal sufficiency considering agency requirements and the University’s policies. Submit your proposal to Sponsored Projects five business days before the proposal deadline using our guidelines.
- Proposal routing and approval
  View information about our pre-submission review and approval routing for proposals.
Awarded submissions, project management and reporting
- Award negotiation, acceptance and account setup
  We work with PIs to review, negotiate and accept awards with terms that are acceptable for a public entity of the State of Nevada and to establish an account for project expenses. Learn more about the process once an award is granted.
  - Award negotiation and acceptance
  - Account setup
- Fiscal management
  Find information about invoicing, electronic drawdown of federal funds, and financial reporting.
- Effort reporting
  Effort reporting is the process of certifying that salaries and wages charged to sponsored project accounts are reasonable in relation to the actual work performed. Learn more about effort reporting and training for effort certification.
- Record retention
  Find information about records necessary for a project, how long to keep them and where to store records.
- Project closeout
  Closing out a project involves ensuring that all conditions for the award compliance have been met. Learn more about the project closeout process.

Funding opportunities and resources

Close-up of two researchers working next to a microscope with a computer screen in the background

Internal funding opportunities via Research & Innovation

Research & Innovation provides competitive opportunities to fund scientific research, as well as creative and scholarly activities. These funding opportunities are intended to promote collaborative research, competitive resubmissions, and critical seed funding to support the research careers of the University’s faculty.

Dimensions grants for CLA and RSJ
Publishing Subvention
Research Enhancement Grants
Seed Funding

View all internal funding opportunities

An art professor holding some paper with a student in the background in front of a red wall covered with small pieces of artwork

External funding opportunities

For an individualized proposal and funding consultation please fill out the proposal development services request.

Research ethics, responsible conduct and safety

Whether you’re working with animal or human subjects, in an art studio or a lab, the University expects everyone to do their part to conduct ethical, safe and responsible research. Advisors and mentors need to assure that they are meeting regulations within their space and that students and trainees receive guidance in areas such as: research integrity, data acquisition and management, authorship, research collaborations, conflicts of interest, and others as appropriate.

Researcher standing with a test subject with their head held in position on a test stand working on an experiment relating to the neuroscience of vision

Research compliance and training

Working with animals

Visit Animal Resources for assistance with any research or teaching use of vertebrate animals.

Working with human subjects

Health and safety for your space

Visit Environmental Health & Safety for assistance with any of the topics listed below or any other health and safety related issues.

Establish a lab, studio or creative space
Your responsibilities in terms of safety
Required training for your research group
Waste disposal practices (chemical, biological, radioactive, electronic)
Injuries or exposure to hazardous materials
Working with biological agents
Wearing respirators
Certifying or repairing a biosafety cabinet
Building environmental permits

Commercializing research

The commercialization of technology is a multi-stage process with the goal of finding suitable application in the marketplace. The process starts with the researcher's discovery. From there, Enterprise & Innovation will work with the researcher to help protect the invention. This includes working closely with both the inventor and appropriate patent offices. The following shows a quick overview of the commercialization process.

More info on how to protect and commercialize your innovation

1: Research
Identifying a patentable innovation

2: Innovation disclosure
Providing basic, confidential information about your innovation

3: IP assessment
Assessing whether IP protection is needed

4: Protection
Filing for patent protection

5: Commercialization assessment
Evaluating the global market potential of the innovation

6: Spin-out or partnership?
Determining the best path for the innovation

6a: Start a company
Aiding in the creation of a spin-out company

6b: Find a partner
Attracting potential licensees for a partnership

7: Licensing
Negotiating terms for prospective licensing agreements

8: Revenue
Sharing royalties and revenues between the inventors and the University

9: Relationship management
Ensuring compliance with license obligations and royalty payments

What is tech transfer?

Tech transfer at the University is aimed at transferring researcher’s discoveries to entities that will further develop the technology into products or services. Below is a link to third party multimedia content. If you experience any issues accessing this content, please contact Enterprise & Innovation.

Watch a short video overview of technology transfer from AUTM (1:37 minutes)

Intellectual property

Research agreements

Innovator resources

Funding and grant support

Contact Enterprise & Innovation for: letters of support for grant proposals; commercialization plans for grant proposals; advice on SBIR/STTR grants

Subscribe to our researchnotes email group

Check the Research & Innovation calendar

Fill-out a quick event evaluation

We host events throughout the year to boost research, scholarly and creative activity and help with career advancement. Some examples of events are: proposal writing workshops and seminars for CAREER awards, NEH and NSF funding; “open-houses” to learn about the core research facilities and other R&I services; and networking events to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration.

Celebrating research through awards and fellowships

Research & Innovation is continually working on initiatives to recognize faculty and reward creativity, productivity and innovative research endeavors.

Foundation Innovation Award

We award two faculty or staff members annually for contributions to innovation or the commercialization of ideas that impact and benefit the public’s well-being. We consider innovation to be all forms of discovery, creation and production of inventive and progressive ideas, methods, and products that promote society’s growth. Our categories for the two awards are the Early Career Innovator Award and the Established Innovator Award. The recipients will be recognized at the Honor the Best Ceremony and receive $5000 for their work.

Foundation Innovation Award Details

Outstanding Researcher Award

One University faculty member is awarded annually for a distinguished record in research or creative activities over their academic career. The faculty member must have contributed a meaningful amount of their work while a member of the University of Nevada, Reno. The evaluation is based on records and supporting material supplied by the faculty member. An award of $5,000 will be presented to the recipient at the Honor the Best Ceremony.

Outstanding Researcher Award Details

Regents' Awards for Research

Nominations for the annual Regents’ awards for research are reviewed through Research & Innovation. The awards are given annually to NSHE faculty members at UNR, UNLV and DRI. Any NSHE employee or student can nominate faculty members for the campus selection process.

Regents’ Researcher of the Year Awards – $5,000 for distinguished records in research
- Regents' Researcher of the Year – Distinguished-Career
- Regents' Researcher of the Year – Mid-Career
Regents’ Creative Activities Award – $5,000 for a distinguished record in creative activities
Regents’ Rising Researcher of the Year Award – $2,000 for early-career accomplishments

Regents’ Researcher Awards Details

Research & Innovation Leadership Fellows Program

This professional development program offers faculty the opportunity to gain experience toward potential career opportunities in research administration. The Research & Innovation Leadership Fellow will develop a deeper understanding of the administration of a research enterprise; interact with University leadership and stakeholders at the local, state, national, and international level; and participate in the development of policies and procedures relevant to faculty members and the research enterprise. This is a five month appointment for an equivalent of one day per week (20% effort).

Leadership Fellowship Details

Awardee spotlight

Geoff Blewitt, Ph.D., at a field site with a GPS station on a mountain overlooking the valley of Reno and Sparks, Nevada

Using worldwide GPS data to study changes in Earth’s crust, from the Ice Age to today

By collecting and analyzing a staggering amount of Global Positioning System (GPS) data from stations around the world and satellites in space, Geoff Blewitt, professor of geosciences in the Nevada Bureau of Mines and the University’s 2020 Outstanding Researcher, is able to study changes in the Earth’s crust with great precision. The result is a series of significant discoveries, any one of which has changed scientific understanding and offers implications for the way we live and think. Considered together, they mark an impressive career and body of research.

Learn about Blewitt’s contributions to scientific understanding of climate change and Earth