The Grainger Institute for Engineering is excited to announce college-wide funding opportunities. These exploratory research and innovation grants provide support to incubate new ideas, build research capacity, translate discoveries, and create impact in our college, on our campus, and beyond.
Funding opportunities include support mechanisms in three categories:
Early Discovery: Foundation-building early discovery support aims to empower research that will test new ideas and answer fundamental questions. These seed funds help uncover new knowledge to inspire additional research, create opportunities for industry partnership, secure federal funding, and even spin off a startup or entirely new field of study.
Translational Research: From network expansion to competitive proposals to disclosure or startup, outcome-driven translational research support aims to accelerate the establishment of campus research centers with capacity-building activities as well as catalyze early technology adoption with pilot or demonstration projects.
Research Driver: Public investment in science and technology accelerates industrial collaboration, launches new companies, and has a ripple effect across the economy locally, regionally, and nationally. Growth-sustaining research driver support aims to enable the continued success of these investments in engineering research.
Funding Considerations
Criteria: Proposals most likely to be supported will aim to build or expand research capacity in the College of Engineering and/or endeavor into new territory. We are most excited by efforts that take a proactive approach, define a clear vision for success, and challenge the status quo. Requests can include, but are not limited to:
- discretionary funding
- travel support
- administrative support
- proposal development support
- graphic design and creative marketing support
- support with incubation space
- industry support via OCR, the Office of Corporate Relations
- research translation support via TEO, UW’s Technology Entrepreneurship Office
Projects that are already a good fit for a federally funded research program will have lower priority in the support decision.
Review Process: Proposals will be reviewed by department chairs in the College of Engineering. Final decisions will be made by GIE’s funding review committee: GIE Director Oliver Schmitz, TEO Director Bonnie Bachman, and OCR Director Russ Johnson.
Questions and completed proposals can be submitted to director Oliver Schmitz at gie@engr.wisc.edu.
Proposal Deadline: Proposals will be accepted twice per year. Proposals with demonstrated urgency will be considered any time. Upcoming submission window:
- Coming soon!
Eligible PIs: College of Engineering researchers
Funding period: Flexible