NOTE: Before submitting your application, please verify at https://rii.usc.edu/funding/ that you have downloaded the latest version of the Request for Proposals.
The Research and Innovation (R&I) Instrumentation Award intends to establish and bolster the University of Southern California’s research infrastructure by supporting the purchase of shared instrumentation and further preparing faculty to submit large-scale instrumentation grants to external sponsors.
Scientific instruments are typically too expensive to be obtained by an individual investigator with a research project grant. This Request for Proposals supports the purchases of a single state-of-the-art commercially available instrument or an integrated instrumentation system to enhance research of university faculty, with
the primary goal of expanding USC’s current institutional research infrastructure. Every instrument awarded is to be used on a shared basis by multiple faculty, which makes the program cost-efficient and beneficial to multiple USC investigators. This allows the instrument to contribute to building the research infrastructure that benefits a team of researchers that may extend beyond a single USC school. Such an expanded infrastructure will provide investigators who use the instrument the opportunity to generate data and publish scientific papers, thereby increasing the competitiveness of these investigators when pursing external funding opportunities. Therefore, the return of investment for this program is assumed to be the generation of data and resulting publications that will enable researchers to pursue research funding from federal agencies and other external sponsors. The Instrumentation Award includes two subprograms that are described below. All acquisition funds will be awarded after the completion of a competitive scientific peer review and a programmatic review.
SHARED INSTRUMENTATION AWARD
The Shared Instrumentation Award aims to expand institutional infrastructure by supporting up to $50,000 in personnel costs (including fringe), other expenses, and an instrumentation acquisition match that will enable generation of a highly competitive proposal to the shared instrumentation grant program of a federal agency. Personnel supported under this award will work specifically on proposal preparation, and not on research activities. These programs include but are not limited to programs such as the National Institutes of Health basic, shared, and high-end instrumentation programs (S10 mechanisms). The Shared Instrumentation Award includes up to a 50-50 match for instrumentation acquisition, with the remaining 50% being funded by a federal agency. While federal instrumentation programs typically do not require a match, applications that lower the requested amount of funds for instrumentation acquisition by virtue of an institutional match frequently have a competitive edge. An initial R&I award will include personnel and other costs required for preparation of an application to a targeted federal agency instrumentation program. If the agency application is funded, the requested funds for instrumentation acquisition will be provided by R&I at the time a federal agency award letter is received, typically several months after R&I review of the Shared Instrumentation Award proposal. If the federal agency proposal is not funded, applicants with encouraging reviews should apply for another Shared Instrumentation Award.
DEAN’S MATCHING FUND
The Dean’s Matching Fund supports the direct and immediate acquisition of instrumentation by awardees. The program includes up to a 50-50 match for instrumentation acquisition, with R&I funding 50% and the remaining 50% being funded by a USC school or potentially a federal funding agency, foundation, or corporate sponsor for which funds are in hand.
For additional information, and to download the Request for Proposals, please click here.
If you are experiencing technical issues submitting your proposal or have additional question, please contact the Research Initiatives & Infrastructure at rii@usc.edu.
This portal requires information about the PIs and Co-PIs in addition to department and contact information, including the 10-digit USC ID#. Please have this material prepared before beginning this application.
USC Research and Innovation - Instrumentation Award
NOTE: Before submitting your application, please verify at https://rii.usc.edu/funding/ that you have downloaded the latest version of the Request for Proposals.
The Research and Innovation (R&I) Instrumentation Award intends to establish and bolster the University of Southern California’s research infrastructure by supporting the purchase of shared instrumentation and further preparing faculty to submit large-scale instrumentation grants to external sponsors.
Scientific instruments are typically too expensive to be obtained by an individual investigator with a research project grant. This Request for Proposals supports the purchases of a single state-of-the-art commercially available instrument or an integrated instrumentation system to enhance research of university faculty, with
the primary goal of expanding USC’s current institutional research infrastructure. Every instrument awarded is to be used on a shared basis by multiple faculty, which makes the program cost-efficient and beneficial to multiple USC investigators. This allows the instrument to contribute to building the research infrastructure that benefits a team of researchers that may extend beyond a single USC school. Such an expanded infrastructure will provide investigators who use the instrument the opportunity to generate data and publish scientific papers, thereby increasing the competitiveness of these investigators when pursing external funding opportunities. Therefore, the return of investment for this program is assumed to be the generation of data and resulting publications that will enable researchers to pursue research funding from federal agencies and other external sponsors. The Instrumentation Award includes two subprograms that are described below. All acquisition funds will be awarded after the completion of a competitive scientific peer review and a programmatic review.
SHARED INSTRUMENTATION AWARD
The Shared Instrumentation Award aims to expand institutional infrastructure by supporting up to $50,000 in personnel costs (including fringe), other expenses, and an instrumentation acquisition match that will enable generation of a highly competitive proposal to the shared instrumentation grant program of a federal agency. Personnel supported under this award will work specifically on proposal preparation, and not on research activities. These programs include but are not limited to programs such as the National Institutes of Health basic, shared, and high-end instrumentation programs (S10 mechanisms). The Shared Instrumentation Award includes up to a 50-50 match for instrumentation acquisition, with the remaining 50% being funded by a federal agency. While federal instrumentation programs typically do not require a match, applications that lower the requested amount of funds for instrumentation acquisition by virtue of an institutional match frequently have a competitive edge. An initial R&I award will include personnel and other costs required for preparation of an application to a targeted federal agency instrumentation program. If the agency application is funded, the requested funds for instrumentation acquisition will be provided by R&I at the time a federal agency award letter is received, typically several months after R&I review of the Shared Instrumentation Award proposal. If the federal agency proposal is not funded, applicants with encouraging reviews should apply for another Shared Instrumentation Award.
DEAN’S MATCHING FUND
The Dean’s Matching Fund supports the direct and immediate acquisition of instrumentation by awardees. The program includes up to a 50-50 match for instrumentation acquisition, with R&I funding 50% and the remaining 50% being funded by a USC school or potentially a federal funding agency, foundation, or corporate sponsor for which funds are in hand.
For additional information, and to download the Request for Proposals, please click here.
If you are experiencing technical issues submitting your proposal or have additional question, please contact the Research Initiatives & Infrastructure at rii@usc.edu.
This portal requires information about the PIs and Co-PIs in addition to department and contact information, including the 10-digit USC ID#. Please have this material prepared before beginning this application.