Faculty Research Support Program: Seed Funding

The Seed Grant program supports new, innovative research or creative activity projects that are sustainable through external funding. Seed Grant awardees are required to submit proposals for external funding based on their Seed Grant awarded research project within three years of the award letter date.

• Project funding may not exceed $50,000.
• Projects will be limited to one (1) year in duration.
• Funds will not be granted for similar projects currently supported by other internal or external funding mechanisms at the campus or university level.
• An investigator may not serve as PI or Co-PI on more than one Seed Grant application in each round.
• Applications for a second Seed Grant for the same project or research will not be accepted.
• Previous Seed Grant awardees are ineligible to receive an additional Seed Grant award unless they have met the post-award requirements in their prior award letter.
• Non-IU consultants and IU collaborators are not allowable expenses.
• IU statisticians, project/lab staff, postdocs, and students are allowable expenses.
• Investigator salary is not supported through this mechanism except for faculty on a 10-month appointment who can request up to one month of support.
• Travel expenses are not allowed unless it is necessary for completion of the proposed work.
• Conference attendance, presentations, and publication costs are not allowable expenses.
• Course release is not an allowable expense.
• Proposals focused on the development of teaching or academic programs are not eligible.
• Letters of support from the Department Chair or Associate Dean for Research, consultants and collaborators are required.
• If awarded, no funds will be transferred without applicable IRB, IACUC, IBC or Research Security/Export Control approvals.
• Submission of a revised Seed Grant application must include a copy of the reviewers’ comments on the prior proposal and your response to those comments.