Capacity Building Funds

Capacity Building Funds

Building the foundation for strong proposals

Developing collaborative, end user-driven research proposals requires coordination and significant investment in time and resources. Capacity building funding is intended to help ease that resource burden by providing up to $10,000 to enhance a reserve’s capacity to develop competitive collaborative research or catalyst proposals for Science Collaborative RFPs.

The Science Collaborative has set aside enough funding for all 29 reserves to receive capacity building funds once between 2020 and 2024. Applications will be reviewed internally to ensure plans align with program guidelines, but this is not a competitive, peer review process.

Download the Application Guidance: 2020-2021 Capacity Building Funding Guidance

Begin Your Application

Timeline

This year, applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until April 1, 2021. A similar opportunity will be announced for 2022 for reserves that have not yet accessed capacity building funds. In future years, we anticipate setting an annual application deadline of April 1 with review and funding decisions occurring by May.

Capacity building activities should occur over a 12-month period. 

Supporting virtual engagement

In addition to supporting personnel time, training, or needs assessments, these funds may also be used for expanding capacity for virtual engagement with partners. For example, webcam, microphone, web collaboration software licenses, or other related supplies under $5,000 are eligible expenses, as long as they will support activities that lead to the development of a proposal.

Collaborating with other reserves

Reserves may opt to participate in capacity building activities by pooling resources with other reserves such that the total award amount exceeds $10,000. They may also use portions of their allocation for multiple efforts, but the total for each reserve should not exceed $10,000.,

Accessing Funds

Depending on an applicant’s preference, these funds can be dispersed as either a contract or one-time reimbursement after activities are complete. Please note that indirect costs may not be applied to reimbursable funding.

References and Templates for Applications

Additional Resources

Contact

Questions about this funding opportunity can be directed to:
Email: NERRS-info@umich.edu
Phone: Nick Soberal (734-763-0034), Maeghan Brass (734-763-0727)