Currently not accepting applications
In order to promote the development of collaborative proposals between Notre Dame and university faculty in the United Kingdom, the University of Notre Dame introduced a pilot program entitled the Notre Dame and United Kingdom (ND/UK) Seed Grant Program. The Program has now been expanded and retitled the Notre Dame Seed Grant Program–Israel and the United Kingdom.
The Seed Grant Program offers Notre Dame faculty the opportunity to compete internally for seed funding with the objective of developing and submitting a joint highly competitive proposal with a UK researcher in areas of interest to NSF and its UK counterpart agency, the EPSRC. Notre Dame faculty can now also compete internally for seed funding with the objective of submitting a joint highly competitive proposal with an Israeli researcher in areas of interest to the US - Israeli Binational Science Foundation (BSF).
With respect to joint research with UK investigators, the United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) have developed five Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) to promote collaborative research between the two countries. Their goal is to reduce some of the barriers that researchers currently encounter when working internationally. This will allow US and UK researchers to submit a single collaborative proposal to either the UK or NSF research agency that will then undergo a single review process. The MOUs include research in such areas as Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Geosciences, and Environmental Biology.
With regard to joint research with Israeli investigators, the BSF has 20 different programs offering joint funding across a large range of disciplines in Science, Engineering and Economics. Most of those programs are accepting applications throughout the year.
Please click below to download more information on these BSF programs and to find links to the NSF-UKRI MOUs referenced above.
BSF Program Information NSF-UKRI MOU Information
As noted above, the University of Notre Dame is offering ND faculty the opportunity to compete internally for seed funding to develop a submission, with either an Israeli or a UK researcher, of a highly competitive research proposal in areas of interest to the NSF or its Israeli or UK counterpart agency, the BSF and the EPSRC respectively.
To promote both the ND/UK Seed Grant Program and the larger UKRI/NSF grant program, Notre Dame is currently in discussion with several prominent UK universities who have expressed interest in participation. To date, Imperial College and Durham University have been the first universities in the UK that have agreed to participate. ND faculty, however, are free to approach faculty from any university in the UK for participation in the Seed Grant Program. In addition, faculty can apply directly to the larger UKRI/NSF Collaborative Grant Program without applying first for the ND/UK Seed Grant Program. ND has not yet approached any Israeli university regarding participating in the Seed Grant Program.
Aims
- Help promote collaboration between the University of Notre Dame and Israeli and UK universities to pursue competitive proposals to the BSF and UKRI/NSF programs respectively
- Make use of seed grant funds to prepare and submit a competitive proposal to the BSF or UKRI/NSF Collaborative Research Programs respectively.
Award Amount
Up to $40,000 for up to 12 months duration. However, researchers must adhere to BSF or NSF/EPSRC Program deadlines for proposal submission for FY20.
Outcome
Submission of a single collaborative proposal between an Israeli and ND faculty or between a UK researcher and ND faculty to either the BSF or EPSRC or NSF. At the end of the Seed Grant period, a full proposal must be submitted, either through BSF or NSF, or by the UK university to the EPSRC. The full proposal must conform to the requirements of the agency to which it is being submitted.
Eligibility
Regular full-time faculty of the University of Notre Dame
Expenses
ELIGIBLE EXPENSES
Expenses for the ND Seed Grant Program will be flexible and can be used for many purposes such as to collect seed data, perform pilot research, student salary, student exchanges, travel expenses for faculty and students to meet with Israeli or UK researchers to plan research, pay for the usage of core facilities, review research results, supplies, proposal preparation costs, and other justifiable expenses.
INELIGIBLE EXPENSES
- Major Equipment
- Faculty Salary
- Israeli/UK researcher-related expenses (expenses for the Israeli/UK research portion of the project must be negotiated within and by the Israeli/UK university administration by the Israeli/UK faculty members participating in the joint research).
For questions regarding eligible and ineligible expenses, please contact either Richard Billo (rbillo@nd.edu) or Geraldine Meehan (Geraldine.Meehan.19@nd.edu).
Seed Grant Project Duration
The ND/Israeli or ND/UK project team will have 12 months from the date of the award of the seed grant to conduct needed pilot research, prepare a proposal, and submit the proposal to either the BSF, NSF or EPSRC. Proposal submission must adhere to NSF. BSF and EPSRC deadlines.
Selection Criteria
- Quality of the proposal and estimated probability of a successful award by BSF, NSF and/or EPSRC
- Innovative research topic that aligns with BSF or NSF and EPSRC program requirements
- Complementary and critical research capabilities between the ND and Israeli researchers or the ND and UK researchers
- Strong past record of NSF award success for U.S. researchers; and strong past record of BSF, EPSRC success for Israeli and UK researchers, respectively.
Seed Grant Proposal Submission Deadline
The previous call for proposals for the ND-UK Seed Grant Program was in Fall 2019.
This second deadline, now for the ND Seed Grant Program–Israel and the UK is April 16, 2020
Seed Grant Internal Proposal Preparation Format
To initiate the proposal development effort for the Seed Grant Program, Notre Dame faculty must take the lead in reaching out to faculty in an Israeli or a UK university. As stated above, Imperial College of London and Durham University have committed to the Seed Grant Program. However, faculty are free to collaborate with researchers from any university in Israel or the UK.
Faculty from the two universities should identify a research topic that is of mutual interest and relevant to BSF or the NSF and EPSRC. The collaborative researchers should have enough discussion to comprise a two-page concept paper describing the research problem and research methods necessary to carry out the research.
1. Cover Page
a. Title
b. PI (USA) Name, Department, email address
c. USA Co-PIs, Names, Departments
d. Israeli or UK Co-PIs: Names, Departments, University
2. Abstract (maximum ½ page)
3. Project Description (maximum 2 pages)
a. Problem Statement
b. Research Method (Clearly distinguish ND and the Israeli or UK research tasks)
4. BSF or EPSRC/NSF Program Targeted (short paragraph)
5. ND and Israeli or UK Researcher Capability (two paragraphs)
6. Budget and Budget Justification (please use the budget template provided)
ND Seed Grant Program Budget Template
7. ND, Israeli, and UK Researcher CVs (maximum 2 pages each)
a. US faculty: Includes strong past record of NSF research awards
b. Israeli faculty: Includes strong past record of Israeli Science Foundation Grants
c. UK faculty: Includes strong past record of EPSRC grants
Contact
For more information, please contact:
Geraldine Meehan
Director of Faculty Engagement
Notre Dame Global
Email: gmeehan@nd.edu
Phone: (574) 631-7742