The University Research Foundation (URF) is an internal funding program offering the following grant opportunities: Research Grants, Conference Support, Impact Seminar Grants, and Research Opportunity Development Grants (Planning and Phase 2).
Applications: Budget Templates
Research Grant
Conference Support Grant
RODG Planning Grant
RODG Phase 2 Grant
See the Frequently Asked Questions for more general information.
Disciplinary areas:
Eligibility:
Evaluation criteria:
Reviewers will evaluate the proposals based on the following criteria:
In addition, please note: Conferences that have been funded in the past will receive low priority.
Submissions:
Undergraduate Participation:
As part of the University’s commitment to providing research opportunities to scholars across our campus community, URF applicants are encouraged to include undergraduate student participants within the framework of their proposals. URF Review Panels will take undergraduate participation under strong consideration when evaluating and scoring proposals. Should applicants require assistance in identifying interested and qualified undergraduates, the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships (CURF) will be glad to provide support: curf@upenn.edu.
Note to Business Administrators:
Only PIs can submit proposals. For BAs who develop budgets on behalf of the PI, to the left are links to the budget forms for the five URF funding opportunities. BAs should download the budget form using the link provided within the instructions for the applicable funding opportunity. When the budget has been completed, please forward it to the PI for inclusion in the proposal submission (PI will need to upload the budget as PDF file).
Revised for Fall 2021
The Research support program will provide awards up to $50K to help faculty secure external sources of funding. URF aims to promote diversity, inclusion and equity in the research community.
Program Description: The objectives of these programs are to:
Additional Notes:
Budget:
Grant Term:
Application Guidelines: For uploads, please use 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, 1 inch margins, double-spaced.
NOTE: NOT AVAILABLE IN FALL 2021.
Impact Seminar Grants provide awards up to $20K for large scale, cross school, cross disciplinary events over one to two days and open to the entire University community.
Program Description: Impact Seminar Grants provide support for a cross-School, cross-disciplinary event to be held on Penn’s campus within a year of the award. The large scale event – which can be a symposium, forum, or conference – should occur over one to two days and be open to the entire University community and should garner broad interest beyond the Penn community.
It should highlight the scholarship of Penn faculty and bring distinguished scholars to Penn’s campus, with a particular focus on the University’s distinguishing strength in integrating knowledge. Proposals should be focused on a topic of research that draws on faculty expertise across disciplines. Proposals must include faculty from multiple departments and/or schools. Funding for this award can be used to augment an already scheduled University event. Priority will be given to new unscheduled events that are in the planning stage. Documented matching support from institutional and/or external sources is required. The event should include the participation of Penn graduate or undergraduate students in both organization and delivery. A final report must be submitted that outlines the accomplishments of the event, which could include new collaborative endeavors, outreach, publications, and grants.
Budget: Applications can request up to $20K. The budget may be dedicated to facilities, honoraria, travel, marketing materials, and other directly associated expenses, including the support of graduate and undergraduate students. Note, staffing expense is not an allowable expense. Documented matching (dollar for dollar) support is required.
Grant Term:
Proposal Guidelines: Please use one inch margins and 12pt font, single spacing and Times New Roman. Please include the following in this order in your application
Submission:
Revised for Fall 2021
With an identified new research area in mind, planning grants provide up to $10,000 to enable a team to articulate a research focus, map Penn’s intellectual assets in the new area and coalesce the appropriate group of scholars.
Program Description: The Research Opportunity Development Grant (RODG) program was designed to facilitate the intersection of the forward trajectory of Penn’s research frontiers with the trajectory of the national and global research priorities. RODG applications must include faculty from 2 or more schools and should explicitly consider emerging research areas with new opportunities for support.
With an identified new research area in mind, Planning grants provide up to $10,000 to enable a team of two or more investigators to articulate a research focus, map Penn’s intellectual assets in the new area, coalesce the appropriate team (of two or more investigators) of scholars, identify Penn’s potential contributions in the area in the context of national and international research initiatives and identify a funding target.
Re-submissions: Applications not previously funded must be revised. Changes should be clearly indicated.
Budget: Applications up to $10,000 will be considered. Salary support for faculty is not allowable.
Grant Term:
RODG Planning Application Guidelines: For uploads, please use 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, 1-inch margins, double spaced
Revised for Fall 2021
Program Description:
The Research Opportunity Development Grant Phase 2 (RODG2) offers extensive support ($50,000- $200,000) over 2 years. The program was designed to help investigators gather data and prepare a multi-investigator proposal in an emerging research topic in the context of national or international research initiatives or grand challenges from external sponsors including federal and private foundations in which Penn can stake out a leadership position.
RODG applications must include faculty from at least two schools and should explicitly consider emerging research areas with new opportunities for support. In addition, applications must identify their future funding opportunity targets. Future funding opportunities should have estimated budgets of no less than $1million for STEM fields and no less than $250,000 for social science and humanities. Some examples are NIH P30, NSF ERC, MacArthur $100m&Change, etc. Note that Phase II grants are not intended to support the development of proposals that respond to regular solicitations such as those for NIH RO1 grants or NSF Division programs. Such applications will not be reviewed.
In addition, applications should identify their future funding opportunity targets in both the abstract and research proposal.
Activities include research workshops, preliminary studies with data, networking in the relevant research community, asset mapping, etc. Specific outcomes are expected. Funding for the 2nd year of the award is dependent on meeting the goals described in the original proposal. A progress report describing activities and accomplishments is due at the end of the first year of the award. An expenditure report at the end of year 1 is also required. Funding for the second year is dependent on meeting the goals of the first year.
Re-submissions: Applications not previously funded must be revised. Changes should be clearly indicated.
RODG 2 Application Guidelines: For uploads, please use 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, 1 inch margins, double-spaced.
Revised for Fall 2021
The conference support program will provide awards up to $3K for meetings to enhance existing and scholarly programs, particularly in disciplines where external funding is difficult to obtain.
Program Description: The conference support program is designed for scholarly meetings that will be convened on Penn’s campus, thereby providing enrichment opportunities to interested faculty, students, and staff, most frequently in the format of a 1-2 day colloquium. The intent is to support meetings that are designed to enhance existing research and scholarly programs, particularly in disciplines where external funding is difficult to obtain. It should highlight the scholarship of Penn faculty and bring distinguished scholars to Penn’s campus. Please describe what you expect to accomplish with this conference/workshop for the relevant field of study.
Proposals must include faculty from applicant’s department and/or school. Funding for this award can be used to augment an already scheduled University event. The event should include the participation of Penn graduate or undergraduate students in both organization and delivery. A final report must be submitted that outlines the accomplishments of the event, which could include new collaborative endeavors, the outreach, publications, and grants.
Budget: Applications can request up to $3K. Funds are to be used for speakers, travel and accommodations. Funds are not to be used for meals and entertainment. Applications are required to have documented additional financial support.
Grant Term:
Additional Note on Eligibility:
Conference Application Guidelines: For uploads, please use 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, 1 inch margins, double-spaced.
NOTE AVAILABLE IN FALL 2021.
Impact Seminar Grants provide awards up to $20K for large scale, cross school, cross disciplinary events over one to two days and open to the entire University community.
Program Description: Impact Seminar Grants provide support for a cross-School, cross-disciplinary event to be held on Penn’s campus within a year of the award. The large scale event – which can be a symposium, forum, or conference – should occur over one to two days and be open to the entire University community and should garner broad interest beyond the Penn community.
It should highlight the scholarship of Penn faculty and bring distinguished scholars to Penn’s campus, with a particular focus on the University’s distinguishing strength in integrating knowledge. Proposals should be focused on a topic of research that draws on faculty expertise across disciplines. Proposals must include faculty from multiple departments and/or schools. Funding for this award can be used to augment an already scheduled University event. Priority will be given to new unscheduled events that are in the planning stage. Documented matching support from institutional and/or external sources is required. The event should include the participation of Penn graduate or undergraduate students in both organization and delivery. A final report must be submitted that outlines the accomplishments of the event, which could include new collaborative endeavors, outreach, publications, and grants.
Budget: Applications can request up to $20K. The budget may be dedicated to facilities, honoraria, travel, marketing materials, and other directly associated expenses, including the support of graduate and undergraduate students. Note, staffing expense is not an allowable expense. Documented matching (dollar for dollar) support is required.
Grant Term:
Proposal Guidelines: For uploads, please use Times New Roman, 12pt font, one-inch margins and double -spaced.
Please include the following in this order in your application
Submission:
Revised for Fall 2021
With an identified new research area in mind, planning grants provide up to $10,000 to enable a team to articulate a research focus, map Penn’s intellectual assets in the new area and coalesce the appropriate group of scholars.
Program Description: The Research Opportunity Development Grant (RODG) program was designed to facilitate the intersection of the forward trajectory of Penn’s research frontiers with the trajectory of the national and global research priorities. RODG applications must include faculty from 2 or more schools and should explicitly consider emerging research areas with new opportunities for support.
With an identified new research area in mind, Planning grants provide up to $10,000 to enable a team of two or more investigators to articulate a research focus, map Penn’s intellectual assets in the new area, coalesce the appropriate team (of two or more investigators) of scholars, identify Penn’s potential contributions in the area in the context of national and international research initiatives and identify a funding target.
Re-submissions: Applications not previously funded must be revised. Changes should be clearly indicated.
Budget: Applications up to $10,000 will be considered. Salary support for faculty is not allowable.
Grant Term:
RODG Planning Application Guidelines: For uploads, please use 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, 1-inch margins, double spaced
Revised for Fall 2021
Program Description:
The Research Opportunity Development Grant Phase 2 (RODG2) offers extensive support ($50,000- $200,000) over 2 years. The program was designed to help investigators gather data and prepare a multi-investigator proposal in an emerging research topic in the context of national or international research initiatives or grand challenges from external sponsors including federal and private foundations in which Penn can stake out a leadership position.
RODG applications must include faculty from at least two schools and should explicitly consider emerging research areas with new opportunities for support. In addition, applications must identify their future funding opportunity targets. Future funding opportunities should have estimated budgets of no less than $1million for STEM fields and no less than $250,000 for social science and humanities. Some examples are NIH P30, NSF ERC, MacArthur $100m&Change, etc. Note that Phase II grants are not intended to support the development of proposals that respond to regular solicitations such as those for NIH RO1 grants or NSF Division programs. Such applications will not be reviewed.
In addition, applications should identify their future funding opportunity targets in both the abstract and research proposal.
Activities include research workshops, preliminary studies with data, networking in the relevant research community, asset mapping, etc. Specific outcomes are expected. Funding for the 2nd year of the award is dependent on meeting the goals described in the original proposal. A progress report describing activities and accomplishments is due at the end of the first year of the award. An expenditure report at the end of year 1 is also required. Funding for the second year is dependent on meeting the goals of the first year.
Re-submissions: Applications not previously funded must be revised. Changes should be clearly indicated.
RODG 2 Application Guidelines: For uploads, please use Times New Roman, 12pt font, one-inch margins and double -spaced.