Funding opportunity announcement: President’s Award for Research, Innovation and Scholarly Impact

Overview

The President's Award for Research, Innovation and Scholarly Impact supports University of Nevada, Reno faculty and professional staff in launching new or significantly enhanced initiatives that advance the University's mission in research, innovation, scholarship, teaching and community engagement. The program is intended to catalyze bold ideas with the potential for sustained impact, future extramural support or broader institutional adoption.

Award Tiers

• Catalyst Awards: Up to 10 awards of up to $50,000 each for projects requiring targeted investments to move promising ideas from concept to implementation
• Convergence Awards: Up to 2 awards of up to $100,000 each for multidisciplinary teams of two to three investigators from distinct disciplinary areas pursuing high-impact research or creative activity

Eligibility

Open to University of Nevada, Reno academic and administrative faculty and professional staff. Collaborative proposals are encouraged, particularly those involving multiple departments or units or substantive partnerships with community organizations or external stakeholders. External collaborators may participate in project activities; however, only University personnel are eligible to receive funds directly.

Allowable Use of Funds

• Equipment, software, instructional technologies, materials and supplies
• Fees for core facilities or specialized services
• Limited technical or professional staff support
• Graduate and undergraduate student support related to project execution
• NOT allowed: faculty or staff salary support, general conference travel, publication or open-access fees, or subawards or direct payments to external collaborators

Application Requirements

Applications must not exceed three pages and must include project title and lead applicant information, description of the proposed initiative and its objectives, explanation of how Award funds will be used, expected outcomes and sustainability plans, and an itemized budget with brief justification. Biographical sketches for the PI and any co-investigators must be included on a single additional page (does not count toward the three-page limit).

Project Expectations

Funded projects are expected to initiate a new or significantly enhanced activity during the one-year award period. At the conclusion of the grant period, recipients must submit a brief final report summarizing project activities and outcomes, describing the impact of the work, and outlining plans for sustainability, institutional adoption, or pursuit of external funding. Grant recipients are also expected to share project outcomes with the University community through a presentation, workshop, or similar forum.

Key Dates

• Proposal submission deadline: Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 5 p.m. through InfoReady Review
• Project duration: July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027

Contact

For questions regarding eligibility, proposal development, or submission requirements, contact Research & Proposal Development Services at [email protected] or Carrie Bushá, Director of Research Development, at [email protected].