IU Research Equipment Fund

About this opportunity

Campus:

University-wide

Contact:

Alicia Gahimer,algahime@iupui.edu

Deadline:

Open deadline

Award cycle:

ongoing

Funding available:

There is no specified annual limit of funds available for this program. Funds will be allocated by IU Research as available and consistent with the requirements of this opportunity.

IU Research previously announced a Research Equipment Fund (REF) to support an internal competition for research equipment.

The new IU-REF replaces the prior fund and includes the following modifications:

  1. IU Research will now make available funds to support research equipment in two different ways under the IU Research Equipment Fund (IU-REF).
  2. IU-REF Program A (External): Research equipment to support externally awarded grants and contracts or gifts, with special emphasis on federal and philanthropic sponsors.
  3. IU-REF Program B (Internal): Research equipment to support internal research programs that advance the IU 2030 Strategic Plan.

The IU-REF provides support for purchasing new research or creative activity equipment, for repairing or upgrading existing equipment, and for datasets at IU university-wide that are strategically necessary to support high-quality research, attract and retain research faculty, and generate external funding for IU Research. The IU-REF program includes the Bloomington, Indianapolis, School of Medicine, and all five regional campuses. All requests to IU Research should be more than $5K (after the required cost-share is secured). There is no maximum request.

Eligibility

  1. IU-REF Program A (External):  Research equipment to support externally awarded grants and contracts or gifts. 
    1. Applicants must provide a minimum 25% cost share match from any number of sources including the home department, college or school, affiliated center, or external funding agency or sponsor. The cost share match must be monetary.    
    2. Applicants must demonstrate how the equipment is either required for the scope of work being proposed, contractually required, and/or how the equipment will make the externally submitted grant or contract or gift request more competitive.  
  2. IU-REF Program B (Internal). Research equipment to support internal research programs that support the IU 2030 Strategic Plan. 
    1. Applicants should provide a minimum 66% cost share match from any number of sources including the home department, college or school, or affiliated center. IU Research will consider exceptions to the minimum 66% cost share requirement under extraordinary circumstances. The cost share match must be monetary.  
    2. Applicants must demonstrate how the equipment is critical to advance and support the IU 2030 Strategic Plan. 
    3. Applicants must demonstrate how the equipment will be made widely available to faculty and students.
    4. Applicants must demonstrate how the equipment will position IU for external funding opportunities.  

Eligible PIs

  • All tenured and tenure‐eligible faculty members and research scientists university-wide. 

Ineligible PIs

  • Visiting and adjunct faculty members.
  • Staff scientists (support‐oriented positions) and postdoctoral research associates.
  • PIs with outstanding final grant reports from previously IU Research-funded projects.

Eligible Projects

  • Research projects from a group of faculty requiring the purchase of new equipment, funding to repair or upgrade existing equipment, or development of specific instrumentation that will enhance the capability of investigators to either maintain critical infrastructure and/or advance and support the IU 2030 Strategic Plan.
  • Projects with specific equipment or dataset needs in a specified discipline or disciplines.
  • Collaborative endeavors that involve use of the equipment or datasets by faculty between disciplines and across schools.

Ineligible Projects

  • Projects requesting consumable supplies or FTE support.
  • Activities focused on the development of instructional equipment for academic programs.
  • Proposals from commercial, industrial, and other for-profit entities.

Funding

All committed funds through IU-REF Program A (External) are conditional upon the submission and award of an externally sponsored grant, contract, or gift, and receipt of the required cost sharing.  

All committed funds through the IU-REF Program B (Internal) are conditional upon the receipt of the required cost sharing. Funds committed through the IU-REF Program B must be spent within six months of the award date.  

Allowed

  • Funds for research equipment purchased or constructed, including repairs and upgrades, as part of a research program, facility, or center.
  • Service or custom installation costs within one year of receipt of funding.

Not allowed

  • Academic year or summer salaries (including sabbatical leave).
  • Funding for students or postdocs.
  • IU faculty or staff as paid consultants.
  • Service contracts for existing equipment or contracts that extend beyond six months.
  • Travel to conferences.
  • Course release funds.
  • Compensation for collaborators from other IU campuses or institutions.

Application requirements

Applicants must use InfoReady to complete an electronic application, create a budget using the Excel budget worksheet template on the electronic application form, and attach the following as PDFs to the electronic application form.

  1. At the time of submission for either Program A (External) or Program B (Internal), applicants must provide letters documenting the required cost-share match.
  2. At the time of submission for Program A (External), applicants must have a grant, contract, or gift proposal that is ready or almost ready to be submitted within three months.
  3. For Program A (External), applicants must provide the following:
    1. PI name(s) and affiliations, proposal title, sponsoring agency, proposal abstract, and submission date.
    2. No more than two-page description on how the equipment is either required for the scope of work being proposed, contractually required, and/or how the equipment will make the externally submitted grant or contract more competitive.
    3. Letters of commitment from the dean or associate dean for research for the required cost-share. 
    4. Key letters of interest and support from the IU research community on the importance of the acquisition of the equipment.
  4. For Program B (Internal), applicants must provide the following:
    1. PI name(s) and affiliations
    2. No more than a two-page description on how the equipment is critical to advance and support the IU 2030 Strategic Plan and how the equipment will position IU for external funding opportunities.
    3. Letters of commitment from the relevant dean or associate dean for research confirming the required cost-share. 
    4. Key letters of interest and support from the IU research community on the importance of the acquisition of the equipment.
  5. Applications to IU-REF Program A (External) must be submitted a minimum of 30 days prior to the grant or contract application deadline.