Funding opportunity announcement: Intermountain Critical Minerals Research Launchpad
Submit a research proposal addressing AI/ML applications in critical minerals and rare earth element supply chain through a multi-institutional collaborative team.
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Get matched →- Deadline
- deadline unknown, verify at source
- Entry fee
- Not listed - check the source
- Award
- $25,000
- Location
- University of Nevada Reno, University of Idaho, University of Wyoming
- Exhibition window
- Jul 1, 2026 → Jun 30, 2027
About
Overview
The Intermountain Critical Minerals Research Launchpad (ICMRL) provides seed funding to interdisciplinary teams from University of Nevada Reno, University of Idaho, and University of Wyoming whose research addresses AI/ML applications in critical minerals and rare earth element (REE) supply chain technologies. The program aims to generate preliminary data and collaborative infrastructure for competitive external funding proposals.
Key Dates
- Proposal deadline: May 29, 2026 by 5 p.m. Pacific Time via InfoReady Review
- Earliest project start date: July 1, 2026
- Latest project end date: June 30, 2027
- Maximum performance period: 12 months
Funding
- Total available: $100,000
- Expected award size: $10,000 to $40,000
- Multiple awards anticipated
Eligibility
Each proposal must designate one Principal Investigator (PI) and two co-PIs, with one PI from each of the three sponsoring institutions. All three investigators must hold faculty or research scientist appointments at their respective institutions at the time of submission. Additional co-investigators from any of the three institutions may be included.
Research Focus
Proposals must address AI/ML applications relevant to one or more stages of the critical minerals and rare earth element supply chain, including geochemical prospecting and domestic resource assessment, materials characterization and classification, separation chemistry and ligand discovery, membrane design and industrial scale-up, sustainability assessment and lifecycle analysis, biological and biomolecular recovery systems, and secondary sources and circular supply chain design.
Unallowable Costs
- Faculty or staff salary support of any kind
- Indirect costs (facilities and administrative costs)
- Publication, open-access or page charges
- Hosting, reception or event costs
Proposal Requirements
All application components must be submitted as a single compiled PDF via InfoReady Review. The project narrative is limited to five (5) pages, excluding references, biosketches, and budget justification. Pages must use one-inch margins and minimum 11-point font. The narrative must address significance and innovation, approach, team and collaboration, and path to external funding.
Contacts
- Leadership: Mridul Gautam ([email protected]), Josh Baker ([email protected]), [email protected]
- Administrative: Carrie Bushá ([email protected]), [email protected]
- Award
- $10,000 to $40,000; multiple awards anticipated from $100,000 total available
- Theme
- Seed funding for multi-institutional research teams developing AI/ML applications across critical minerals and rare earth element supply chain stages, including geochemical prospecting, materials characterization, separation chemistry, membrane design, sustainability assessment, biological recovery systems, and recycling/circular supply chain design.
- Eligibility
- Each proposal must designate one Principal Investigator and two co-PIs from the three sponsoring institutions (University of Nevada Reno, University of Idaho, University of Wyoming). All three investigators must hold faculty or research scientist appointments at their respective institutions at the time of submission.
- Audience
- Faculty and research scientists at University of Nevada Reno, University of Idaho, and University of Wyoming
- Contact
- [email protected]
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