Funding opportunity announcement: Research Enhancement Grant

Updated Sept. 2025

Proposal deadlines

Oct. 13, 2025 by 5 p.m., Pacific Time, submitted via InfoReady Review.

Program description

Research Enhancement Grants (REG) support research activities that are necessary to revise a previously submitted grant proposal in preparation for resubmission to an external sponsor. Activities may include preliminary data collection, background research, stakeholder outreach, or anything identified by the review panel as critical to a successful resubmission. Research & Innovation seeks REG applications from faculty members who plan to resubmit a proposal that was submitted to, but not funded by, a federal agency or other sponsor. Resubmission does not have to be to the same program or agency as the original if the applicant determines that the revised project would be more competitive in another program or agency.

Leadership contacts

Administrative contacts

Award information

Anticipated funding amount: Up to $20,000. See budgetary information for details.

Cost share is allowed but not required.

Project period

The project period will be one year from the date of the award and will be stipulated in the award notice.

Eligibility information

Applicants must hold at least a 50% academic faculty appointment at the University of Nevada, Reno and have a current role statement that includes research or professional development responsibilities.

Proposal preparation and submission instructions

The application must consist of:

The application must consist of the following four elements (a through d below) and optionally, e:

  1. Cover page and abstract: On the cover page, please provide the project title, PI and co-PI names, and total requested amount.
  2. Project description (three page limit) that includes the following content:
    1. Specific aims or objectives: Outline the central research question or goals and the strategic questions you plan to answer.
    2. Background and significance: Describe why the project matters, how it fills a gap, and how it aligns with the PI’s broader research goals.
    3. Approach/methodology: describe your study design, data collection methods, analysis plans, etc.
    4. Project timeline
    5. Collaborative strategies: if applicable, describe your plans for engaging with collaborators.
    6. Future funding strategy: describe how these seed funds will enable successful applications for funding from external sources. Be specific about what funding programs you will seek out to continue this work, and include a timeline for requesting those funds.
  3. Budget and budget justification (two page limit): In a table format, provide a budget request that itemizes costs in each category relevant to your request. In addition, a budget narrative must be included to describe each component of the budget and explain how each item is required to achieve the aims of the project.
  4. CV or biosketch in the format customary in the field
  5. Optional: If the project includes voluntary cost share, include a letter that indicates where the matching funds will come from, signed by the individual with authority to commit those funds.

Applications must be submitted through InfoReady Review.

Applications must be received by 5 p.m. by the due date in the deadlines section.

Submission questions should be emailed to researchdevelopment@unr.edu.

Budgetary information

Cost share: Cost share is allowed but not required. If the project includes voluntary cost share, include a letter detailing where the cost share will come from (e.g., Start Up or department funds), signed by the individual with authority to commit those funds.

Equipment is not an allowable expense unless it is supported by cost share from the department or college.

Unallowable expenses:

  • Course buyouts
  • Summer salary
  • Hosting
  • Equipment – unless it is supported by cost share

Review and selection process

Applications for the Research Enhancement Grant will be reviewed by an external review service and evaluated on the criteria below. The external review service contracts with subject-matter experts to provide comments on the relative merit of each proposal. The Associate Vice President for Research and the Vice President for Research and Innovation review the comments and ranking recommendations from the external review service before making the final determination.

Review criteria

Applications for Research Enhancement Grants will be reviewed using the following criteria:

  • Intellectual merit
  • Clarity and presentation
  • Feasibility
  • Benefits to the researcher/faculty member
  • Potential for future external funding
  • Potential for further interdisciplinary research, creative or scholarly activities

Grant administration information

Notification of the grant award

Notifications of funding will be made by email from the Associate Vice President for Research. Notification of funding will be made to the faculty applicant, their chair, and to the relevant department administrator. Award notifications will be made to the applicants within two weeks after receipt of the review committee’s recommendation.

Award conditions

The purpose of this funding is to support activities that will lead to successful award of external funding for research. It is expected that this funding will support future preparation and submission of proposals for external research funding.

Funding is for a 12-month performance period for the fiscal year indicated in the notice of award. Awarded funds are retained by Research & Innovation and not transferred to another cost center.

A worktag will be assigned after notification of funding. All submitted expenses must comply with University and NSHE policies and be related to the work described in the approved application.

Reporting requirements

Awardees are required to respond to an annual survey requesting details on the outcome of their award.

Deliverables

Awardees must submit their revised proposal to an external review agency prior to resubmission to the sponsor.

The proposal must be resubmitted to the same or a different agency within 12 months of the end of the project period. The PI must notify Research & Proposal Development Services at researchdevelopment@unr.edu upon completion of this requirement. The Associate Vice President for Research will submit a letter to the PI’s dean and department chair once this notification has been received.

If Research & Innovation holds a showcase poster session, the awardee must present their relevant work.