Deadline: April 15 and October 15 annually

The University of Nebraska places a high value on its work in the area of diversity, striving to create a learning community of faculty, students and staff members with different cultural backgrounds. Creating this learning community includes recruiting and retaining excellent faculty and staff. The Faculty Diversity Fund represents a tangible commitment to achieving these goals and is targeted toward the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty in all academic units on the UNMC Campus. Measurable outcomes include increased faculty diversity across campus and successful professional development of these faculty.

Amount: $50,000/year for up to two years, restrictions apply

Eligibility is limited to the recruitment of potential new faculty or retention of current faculty members in UNMC Colleges and Institutes. The criteria for eligibility include BOTH of the following:

• Applicant/Nominee contributes diverse cultural experiences, background or special talents that lead to a richer and more diverse campus environment that can be evaluated on an individual basis 
• Applicant/Nominee must demonstrate a track record of commitment to the service of underserved communities and/or patients

The goal of these funds is to hire or retain diverse faculty at UNMC. This funding is for faculty development and research and not for salary support, to compensate for revenue losses, or replace other funding. It is expected that the college or departmental funds that are released as a result of the receipt of a diversity award will be re-invested in the faculty member’s research or other scholarly activity as a means of advancing his/her professional development.

Completed applications should be submitted to Dr. Gary C. Yee, Associate Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs.  Read guidelines here.

Deadline: April 30, 2021

The Translational Hearing Center is an NIH/NIGMS-funded Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) committed to developing a cadre of translational auditory/vestibular research scientists
developing biomedical and ototherapeutic solutions that preserve or restore hearing and vestibular function.

The Center has 2 specialized Research Cores, the Auditory & Vestibular Technology Core, and the Drug Discovery & Delivery Core, to assist PIs in meeting their research goals. Four 1-year Pilot Project research awards are available and described below, with the earliest possible start date of September 1st, 2021.

Pilot Project awards ($50k) are available to support junior faculty investigators to acquire compelling pilot data to successfully compete for an upcoming CoBRE-funded Replacement Project Leader slot or external federal funding (e.g., R series or K series from NIH). Meritorious proposals will fit the Center’s theme, i.e., mechanistically elucidate an etiology underlying hearing loss, or identify/validate candidate compounds that preserves or restores hearing.

Eligibility: Research-, clinical- or tenure-track faculty without a history of R01-level funding (i.e., >$210,000 direct cost per year from a single entity) or prior CoBRE funding. Applicants will be located at Creighton University, Boys Town National Research Hospital or University of Nebraska Medical Center and eligible to compete for RPL slots or independent R01/R21 funding or K awards. Submission deadline is 4.30 pm Friday April 30th, 2021, with the earliest possible start date of September 1st, 2021.

Examples of research areas and complete submission instructions can be found here.

Project inquires can be addressed to Peter Steyger, PhD, Director of the Translational Hearing Center at petersteyger@creighton.edu, and proposal submission enquires to Jerrod Lawrence at jerrodlawrence@creighton.edu.

All Pilot Project proposals will be submitted as a single PDF file, with all the required elements (see attached) to Jerrod Lawrence at jerrodlawrence@creighton.edu. Notification of review outcomes will be made by June 25th, 2021. IRB and IACUC approvals are required within 28 days of notification of potential funding (i.e., July 23rd, 2021).

Deadline: May 17, 2021

Award Amount: up to $20,000

The Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases (NPOD) invites applications for its seed grant competition. The primary objective of this seed grant program is to stimulate research in the area of obesity research and/or signaling by nutrients or bioactive food compounds, and to enhance competitiveness in obtaining external support.

Details can be found here.

Questions may be addressed to Verona Skomski (402-472-3862) or Janos Zempleni

The Buffett Cancer Center is pleased to announce a new FPBCC bridge funding program intended to support the research of Cancer Center members who have received encouraging scores that fell below the funding threshold on recent cancer-focused grant applications. The purpose of this program is to support the efforts necessary to produce additional data for promising cancer research projects, in order to strengthen related proposal resubmissions to federal funding agencies. 

The Buffett Cancer Center is primarily seeking to support proposals submitted after February 2017 that fit within the following criteria:

• New (A0) applications that received priority scores outside of the granting agency's current pay line; or
• Grants that have been submitted for competitive renewal and received a competitive but non-fundable score within two years from the expiration of the current award.

Eligibility for bridge funding extends to all Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center Members who are applying for or renewing individual investigator awards, multi-investigator awards, center grants, and program project grants from federal funding agencies and/or nationally peer-reviewed organizations. Funding priority will be given to those who submitted applications to the NCI, followed by those with cancer-focused proposals submitted to other NIH institutes or other federal agencies. 

To be considered for this opportunity, please review the request for applications available at: https://unmc.edu/cancercenter/research/research-funding-opp.html. Applications must be prepared in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the RFA and submitted as a single, complete PDF to both Matt Winfrey (winfreym@unmc.edu) and Kelly Jordan (kjordan@unmc.edu). Proposals requesting bridge funding will be accepted on a rolling basis.

• Application Deadline:  Rolling
• up to $100,000

Bridge Funding is intended to provide critical support to established investigators threatened by an imminent lapse in research funding; both traditional bridge and retooling funding are available.

Contact Ken Bayles, PhD for information.
Application information for the Bridge Grant Program.  Applications must include a letter of support from the applicant's dean/director/department or division chair.  Completed applications should be submitted to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, attention: Pamela Welch (402-559-4837 or email)

Deadline:  monthly

Amount:  varies

The Research Support Fund is a Nebraska Medicine and UNMC funding mechanism for clinical and translational Pilot Grants.  Approval allows the investigator to waive hospital-based costs of clinical and translational research, such as laboratory or radiologic tests, hospital bed costs or other hospital based services. The Research Support Fund does not provide funds for marketing, patient recruitment costs, or non-hospital testing such as send-out tests. 

Eligibility  

UNMC faculty who need to obtain preliminary data for extramural research applications or who have budget shortfalls for extramurally funded clinical trials are eligible to apply for this program. 

Application Information

(3) weeks prior to the monthly Review Committee meeting (Committee meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the Month)

See the CRC Web site for instructions and application forms. 

The Innovation Micro-Grant is by nature a rarely used program designed to further the development of previously submitted inventions that generate commercial interest. UNeMed initiates and drives the application process for inventions that attract keen interest from investors or industry representatives.

The intent of the awards is to fill small funding gaps to support additional experiments, analysis, rapid prototyping or other developmental steps that a potential commercial partner might require before entering a licensing agreement. A technology’s licensing manager will determine whether an Innovation Micro-Grant is an appropriate course of action.

Contact UNeMED for details.

The purpose of the Proof of Concept (POC) grants is to provide funds for additional development of selected technologies to increase their commercialization potential and value. POC grant funds are provided through the University of Nebraska Central Administration, via the Nebraska Research Initiative, and were initiated in the fall of 2011. It is the intent of the grants to increase the value of a technology beyond the cost of the grant, thereby generating a positive return to fund additional research.

Direct link to RFA

Applications are accepted quarterly: February 15, May 15, August 15, November 15

Eligible applicants must have a faculty appointment at UNMC, but they can be primarily based at Children's Hospital & Medical Center or Creighton University Medical Center. Applicants from non-Pediatric departments who have a primary research commitment to pediatrics are also eligible. UNMC residents, fellows and medical students are encouraged to apply.

Two categories of grant applications will be considered: Pediatric Research Grants and Pediatric Mini-Grants.

• Pediatric Research Grants will be funded for a maximum of $50,000. Applicants must have a faculty level appointment. A clinical division can be awarded no more than one Pediatric Research Grant per year.
• Pediatric Mini-Grants will be funded for a maximum of $5,000. The Mini-Grant is designed for small research studies, exploratory projects, case studies, etc. Applicants may be faculty, residents, fellows or medical students. Applicants in-training are encouraged to apply and must list a faculty mentor who will supervise the project and attest to the applicant's commitment and availability.

Grant awards will be for a period of one year with the option to carry over funds for a second unfunded year, if requested. Unspent funds will revert back to the Pediatric Research Fund after completion of the research period.

Link to Full RFA and Application Forms

Deadline: Friday, November 20, 2020 CLOSED

Program Summary 

The Edna Ittner Pediatric Research Support Fund, which awards grants for the study of diseases and birth defects of children, is now open for applications.

Eligibility

All UNMC faculty members are eligible to apply. Only one application is allowed per faculty member. Priority will be given to requests from faculty members in the UNMC Department of Pediatrics if the number of scientifically meritorious requests exceeds available funds.

Award

Up to $45,000 for a one-year period (January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021)

• Indirect costs are not allowed
• Faculty salary is not allowed
• Three proposals will most likely be funded

Application Submission Requirements

The proposal must be submitted in accordance with NIH application standards.  Applications should include:

• Face Page – does not need to be signed (PHS 398 Form Page 1, 03/2020 revision)
• Project Summary – new this year (PHS 398 Continuation Format Page, 03/2020 revision)

• Research Plan (PHS 398 Continuation Format Page, 03/2020 revision)
  • Limited to five pages
  • Specific Aim(s)
  • Rationale
  • Brief Experimental Design
  • References (not included in the five-page limit)
  • Preliminary data is not required and appendices will not be accepted

• Biosketch for Key Personnel (NIH Biographical Sketch Format Page, 03/2020 revision)

• • More information on the current NIH biosketch format can be found here.
• Budget (PHS 398 Form Page 4, 03/2020 revision)

• Budget Justification (PHS 398 Continuation Format Page, 03/2020 revision)

Applications may be submitted to SPAdmin in one of two formats: 1) PDF emailed to spadmin@unmc.edu or 2) one original (unstapled) hard copy. Internal forms in ADIS are not required at the time of application.

Timeline

Friday, November 20^th..………….Applications due to SPAdmin no later than 5pm                             

Friday, January 1^st ……...............Award announced by Review Committee

For more information:

• Edna Ittner 2020 Program Guidelines (Attached)
• Scientific questions: please contact Dr. Chris Kratochvil at 402-559-8490 or email.
• Administrative questions: please contact Laura Wise at 402-559-2051 or email.

• Alcohol and Addictive Disorders
• Obesity and Type II Diabetes Mellitus
• Rheumatology and Immunology

Additional areas of research include work in Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Liver Disease, Immunology, Endocrine/Diabetes/Obesity, Pulmonary Airway Inflammation and COPD, Rheumatology Arthritis, Infectious Disease, Orthopedic Rehabilitation, GI Physiology (obesity emphasis), Surgical Wound Healing, Cancer Treatment Trails, Reproductive Endocrinology, Video-laryngoscopy and Virtual Perioperative Care, Vascular Diseases/gait, Dental Prosthetics, Quality of Care and Patient Safety.  Conducting research on each of these areas which impact on the health and care of veterans is consistent with the NWIHCS and VA mission.

Contact NWI VAMC Research for current funding opportunities in these areas.

Internal Deadline:  2019 CLOSED

Program Summary & Background

In 2008, the Nebraska State Legislature adopted the Stem Cell Research Act (LB 606), which established a Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee to facilitate the awarding of grants to Nebraska institutions or researchers for conducting stem cell research that does not use human embryonic stem cells. 

UNMC is allowed to submit five applications to NE DHHS so Principal Investigators (PI’s) who are interested in submitting applications must first participate in UNMC’s internal screening process by submitting a one-page project description and biosketch.  A total of approximately $436,500 is available for the 2019 competition.

UNMC Internal Review Process

Applicants must email the following to Deborah Hawkins at deb.hawkins@unmc.edu by April 24th:

• One page project description in PDF format
• Biosketch in PDF format

An internal review committee will evaluate the project descriptions based on the selection criteria in the linked RFA and invite five investigators to submit full applications to NE DHHS.  Based on previous reviews of the full applications, it is recommended that special emphasis be placed on the translational merits of the proposed projects.  Thus, the internal review committee will be asked to evaluate the therapeutic potential associated with each proposed project, in addition to the “Selection Criteria” indicated in the RFA.   

Award

Up to $110,000 for a 12 month period (July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020)

• Indirect cost requests are not allowed
• Salary support for the PI, doctoral level co-investigators, and administrative or clerical assistance is unallowable

Eligibility

• A proposal may not be an extension of a project previously funded by LB606; it should be substantially different enough to be clearly a new project
• Renewals of existing projects are not allowed
• There is no prohibition for a current grantee to apply for the new RFA

2019 Timeline

Wednesday, April 24……..One-page Project Description & Biosketch (PDF only) due to Deb Hawkins (deb.hawkins@unmc.edu)

Wednesday, May 1………Five (5) UNMC Applicants announced by Review Committee   

Wednesday, May 15……..Full applications due to SPAdmin by 5:00 pm to allow for processing                                                               
Monday, May 20………….Signed applications submitted to NE DHHS by SPAdmin via PDF

Late June……………..........Selection of awards by NE DHHS

July 1………………..……….Grant period begins  

For more information:

• Click here for the Stem Cell Research Project 2019 RFA (click here for the Word version)
• UNMC Internal Screening: contact Dr. Ken Bayles at kbayles@unmc.edu or 9-4945
• Contact your Sponsored Programs Grants & Contracts Specialist