Internal Funding Opportunities
See below for details about the programs offered by the Division of Research and Innovation to support research at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
For general and budget questions or amendments to an awarded project, please email researchdevelopment@tamucc.edu. For changes to your approved project, send an addendum describing the change and a revised budget with justification, if there are budget changes.
Internal Funding Resources and Forms
Funding Opportunities for Students
Student Research Competition Cover Page
POC: Dr. Larisa Ford, larisa.ford@tamucc.edu
Award Amount: Undergraduate and graduate students can apply for awards up to $800 each to support research conducted in any degree-granting program on campus under the direction of a faculty mentor.
Deadline: April 1, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. central time
Funding Period: September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2023
To support student research, the Division of Research and Innovation offers this student research program. The goal of this program is to support student engagement and success through high impact research experiences that increase students’ competitiveness within the workforce or academic careers upon graduation.
Some examples of how the funds can be used:
- Student research on campus
- Materials, books, access to data and online tools
- Research/lab equipment
- Graduate student tuition (if directly linked to the project)
Some expenses that are not allowed:
- Student travel
- Food and beverages (unless used for research) not used to conduct research
- Event giveaways
- Membership dues not in the name of TAMU-CC and for organizations on the lobby list
*Other restrictions may apply. Share your budget with your faculty mentor before applying.
Eligibility
The eligibility criteria are listed below:
- Enrolled as a degree-seeking student at the time of the application deadline and during the funding period
- Must be an undergraduate or graduate student in a degree program at TAMU-CC
- Must have a faculty mentor who will work with student on the project
- Must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher
Deadline: Saturday, March 26, 2022 -- Visit the Research Image Student Competition Page.
The Division of Research and Innovation (R&I) is hosting the second annual student research, scholarship, and creative activity competition. This year’s competition will offer students or teams of students the opportunity to share images of work along with a short description. You may modify images to better show a feature of interest or for creative reasons. We are not accepting GIFs or videos this year. Apply no later than noon on Saturday, March 26, 2022.
While we need the submission to be a digital image, it can be a photo or a scan of an original. Some examples of possible submissions (this list is not exhaustive):
- A photograph or scan of artwork, for example, a 3’ x 4’ painting
- Images from a microscope or telescope
- A collage of historical events related to a literary text
- Visualizations
- Photographs of animals, people, objects, or anything connected to knowledge production
- Charts and graphs
- Maps
Guidelines
- If you incorporate a creative work by another person in your original work, that work must be open or you must show you have permission from the creator of that work. See this webpage for more information on copyright.
- All images supplied for the contest could be used for future R&I/university publications or events without compensation to the creator.
- Each person may only submit one image.
Evaluation Process
The images may be displayed twice during R&I's Research and Innovation Week:
- March 28th at the Research and Innovation Week Kickoff event, 12-1 p.m. in the UC Lone Star Ballroom A and B.
- April 1st during the Research and Innovation Week Closing Awards Ceremony, 9:30-11 a.m. in the UC Lone Star Ballroom A and B.
Judging
- A panel of judges will review the images based on criteria provided below and select first, second, and third place winners.
Prizes – All prizes will be credited to the winning students’ SandDollar$ cards.
- First Place -- $200
- Second Place -- $150
- Third Place -- $100
Three different winners will be awarded. Winners will be publicly announced on April 1, 2022, at the Research and Innovation Week Closing Awards Ceremony.
Criteria
Visual Impact (10 points)
A successful entry provides viewers with new insight, is visually striking, and conveys skill and expertise in the chosen medium (e.g., photography). It conveys the fundamentals and principles of design and is executed with factual accuracy.
Effective Communication (10 points)
A successful entry communicates in a clear and understandable manner. It uses plain language, both written and spoken, in the entry itself and its accompanying text. An entry also must convey the knowledge-making represented in the image.
Freshness and Originality (10 points)
A successful entry has an individual voice, vitality, and energy; creates a novel presentation or tells a compelling story; and portrays insights and methods.
People's Choice (5 points)
The image with the most votes from registered attendees at the Research Week Kick Off event.
I3-Islanders Innovation Idea Competition
Deadline: TBA - Research Week 2020
Bring your innovative idea to this competition to garner feedback and win cash prizes. Breakfast provided.
Your idea should address an important societal issue in any area. To enter, please prepare a video and/or other graphical illustration of your idea and register no later than October 15.
Rules:
- Video can be 30 to 60 seconds in length
- Videos and graphical illustrations should be ready to present on a thumb drive or through google drive
- Your idea and presentation will be judged by panel of experts
- Your presentation must illustrate your idea and answering these questions:
- Why is your idea important?
- What problems will your idea solve?
- What impact will your idea have on our society?
Be prepared for two-minute Q&A session from the judges. No prototype or business plan necessary.
Any student at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is welcome to apply for I3 Competition 2019, from freshmen through doctoral students.
Students can participate individually or in group, no more than three people.
For Questions, please contact us at sharmeen.ahmed@tamucc.edu
Funding Opportunities for Faculty & Staff
POC: Larisa Ford, Ph.D., larisa.ford@tamucc.edu
Funds Available to Award: $9,282
Full Proposal Due: September 23, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. CT
Award Period End Date: August 31, 2023 – Awarded funds must be expended by this date
This additional call for Research Enhancement (RE) proposals is to expend the $9,282 in remaining funds from the previous call. The Research Enhancement Funding Program aims to promote research and scholarly production and, when possible, promote grant proposal submission by faculty members at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC). Research Enhancement funds will continue to be available (up to $5,000) for projects led by a single tenured/tenure track faculty member; multi-investigator teams for collaborative and/or interdisciplinary [1] projects from the same college and interdisciplinary projects conducted by multi-college teams may request up to $9,282. Research Enhancement awards have funded research, scholarly, or creative projects from tenured/tenure-track faculty in all five Colleges.
Activities funded could include those related to:
- Research projects
- Course development that includes a research component
- Courses of study
- Novel applications
- Travel for research
- Course release or summer stipend in lieu of teaching
- Literature review
- Student employment
The university rule that governs this program:
University Policy 15.01.01.C0.01 - Administration of the Research Enhancement Program
The Division of Research and Innovation (R&I) administers these funds. Only tenured or tenure-track faculty members are eligible for RE grants. Proposals must state the research to be completed during the award period. Explain in your proposal how the research fits into your research career plans and future research directions. Provide a clear list of the outcomes expected (grant proposals, publications, outreach, pedagogy, etc.).
Contact Dr. Larisa Ford [larisa.ford@tamucc.edu] for assistance preparing submissions as needed. Contact Tuan Phung [tuan.phung@tamucc.edu] with questions regarding the budget. Key points relevant to this call, evaluation mechanism, and evaluation criteria are found below.
Key points relevant to this award program:
- Please apply by submitting the title page, proposal, and budget with justification, and a 2-page curriculum vitae of the principal investigator and any co- investigators, including the titles of any previous University Research Enhancement grants awarded, and any other supporting documents in one pdf file to researchdevelopment@tamucc.edu.
- The signatures (e-signature accepted) of your college dean and department chair are required on the application by the deadline or your application will be returned unread.
- Only tenured or tenure-track faculty can apply for RE funds. Non tenure track faculty and staff may be included as collaborators but not as PI or CoPI.
- You can only be awarded Research Enhancement or TCRF Program Grant funds every other year. For internal funding programs awards that continue multi-year, the restriction is waived for the TCRF program. This waiver will be noted in the call for proposals.
- The research enhancement program does not fund projects that are currently or have been recently supported by the university or college research enhancement programs or external funding agencies.
- Funding for the same, or substantially the same, research project may not be received from both University and College Research Enhancement Committees.
- Travel is not allowed at this time due to COVID-19., but if required and is mission critical contact researchdevelopment@tamucc.edu to discuss steps necessary to request a waiver.
- If applicable, a project that is interdisciplinary must explicitly describe the integration using the National Academies definition (see footnote [1]).
- The University Research Enhancement Committee will review RE proposals. The University Research Enhancement Committee consists of two representatives elected by each of the colleges to serve for two years with staggered terms. The chair is elected annually by members and a member of the Research and Innovation staff serves as a non -voting member and provides administrative support to the Research Enhancement Program. The committee makes recommendations concerning awards decisions to the Vice President for the Division of Research and Innovation.
Review Criteria:
- Scholarly merit and feasibility of the project
- The project’s adherence to the criteria for “scholarship” in University Rule 12.01.99.C0.04
- Overall clarity of the research proposal
- Soundness of the research methodology
- Contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the field
- Potential that the project will result in a research product that will be presented to the external scholarly community in the field
- Reasonableness of the work plan
- Appropriateness of the proposed budget in terms of the work plan and anticipated outcomes
- The record of previous project completion (including filing final reports) and budget management in the case of applicants who have previously been awarded Research Enhancement grants
[1]Following the National Academies, we use the following as the working definition of interdisciplinary*: “Interdisciplinary research is a mode of research by teams or individuals that integrates information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from two or more disciplines or bodies of specialized knowledge to advance fundamental understanding or to solve problems whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research practice.”
*Committee on Facilitating Interdisciplinary Research, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (2004). Facilitating interdisciplinary research. National Academies. Washington: National Academy Press, p. 2.
Internal Funding Cover Page
TCRF Grant Description
Who can be a Principal Investigator (PI): Applicants must be PI-eligible; note this includes but is not limited to tenured/tenure-track faculty members. An individual can only be a PI on one TCRF submission or award in a given year. Preference will be given to projects where the PI has not had a TCRF grant in the current or past two fiscal years. CoPIs may collaborate on any number of submissions or awards, however, they are limited to 5% of the requested funds on any given project. (Current and pending documents should reflect all time and salary commitments.) Awards will not be made to projects where PIs or CoPIs have overdue reports on prior internal funding awards.
Deadline: May 23, 2022 (all proposals)
Track 1: TCRF Research Grants
Amount awarded: Up to $25,000
Award period: Funds will be available on September 1, 2022, and must be expended by August 31, 2023
Estimated number of TCRF Research Grants: 2
This track is designated for proposals that will undertake research, scholarship, or creative activity grounded in a single field or across different fields and require substantial resources for completion, such as funding for a dedicated graduate student, for senior personnel or consultants providing needed expertise for the project (i.e., statistical support, contracted services, etc.). The top priorities of this program are faculty in need of a catalyst through seed money for those who do not currently have start-up funding (including but not limited to the arts, humanities, social or health sciences, or education), and who have a high potential of producing quality research/scholarship/creative activity; and/or researchers with a high likelihood of turning a TCRF Research Grant into a significant external grant. All proposals must include a clearly stated plan for later submission of a proposal to a federal or state agency or to a foundation that funds the PI’s/CoPI’s area of research and scholarship. Proposals from tenured/tenure-track faculty that fall within the relevant amount guidelines ($5,000 to $15,000, depending on the project) are referred to the Research Enhancement competition.
Track 2: TCRF Research Collaboration Grants
Amount awarded: Up to $40,000
Award period: Funds will be available on September 1, 2022, and must be expended by August 31, 2023
Estimated number of TCRF Research Collaboration Grants: 2
This track is designated for proposals that will undertake integrated, collaborative research in a specified interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary field. The collaboration may include on-campus research collaborators and/or research collaborators at institutions beyond TAMU-CC's campus. TCRF funds are geared to increasing research capacity at TAMU-CC and the expectation is that the bulk of the funds will be spent at our institution. Research Collaboration Grants are designed to investigate research questions that crucially require teams to address them, and that lay the groundwork (pilot data, peer-reviewed publications) to pursue the questions at a larger scope in the future through significant external funding. Proposals must explicitly demonstrate the value added of the team members and the collaboration, addressing how the whole of the team is more than the sum of its parts. All proposals must include a clearly stated plan for later submission of a proposal to a federal or state agency or to a foundation that funds the PI’s area of research and scholarship. Proposers are encouraged to consult with Dr. Larisa Ford (larisa.ford@tamucc.edu) prior to submission to determine if team coordination or facilitation resources from the Division of Research and Innovation will be needed. With prior consultation and approval, such resources may be incorporated into the project narrative and plan of work.
Track 3: TCRF Collaboration Development Grants
Amount awarded: Up to $10,000
Award period: Funds will be available on September 1, 2022, and must be expended by August 31, 2023
Estimated number of Collaboration Development Grants: 3
This track is designated for proposals that seek to develop, build or strengthen a collaboration, with on-campus partners or with research institutions beyond TAMU-CC. Grants are designed to help with the development of research questions and formation of teams to tackle projects of larger scope in the future, whether a Track 2 TCRF Research Collaboration Grant or an external proposal. Proposers are encouraged to consult with Dr. Larisa Ford (larisa.ford@tamucc.edu) prior to submission to determine if team coordination or facilitation resources from the Division of Research and Innovation will be needed. With prior consultation and approval, such resources may be incorporated into the project narrative and plan of work.
Summer Grant Fellows Program 2022 Description
Summer Grant Fellows Program 2022 Application
Award amount: $2,000
Estimated Number of Awards: 5
Application Submissions Open: February 1, 2022
Full application due: May 20, 2022, at 5 pm CT*
*Note: The application deadline has been extended. Please continue to use the application form and description that are linked above.
Award period: September 1, 2022 - to August 31, 2023
Point of Contact: Dr. Larisa Ford, larisa.ford@tamucc.edu
Description
The Division of Research and Innovation is offering a grant-writing workshop during Summer 1, 2022 (June 1-July 2). This initiative is focused on proposal development by PI-eligible researchers from across the university, without restrictions on discipline or funder, for developing an institutional research proposal (i.e., submitted through the university; eligibility includes applications for prestigious fellowships). The sessions will be taught by Dr. Chuck Etheridge from Liberal Arts (with assistance from Dr. Larisa Ford from Research and Innovation and Dr. Eugene Billiot from Science and Engineering) whose track records include successful grant applications, mentoring others in grant-writing, and teaching grant-writing courses here at TAMU-CC. Over a five-week period, participants will draft and revise a grant proposal, as well as read and provide peer critiques of other fellows’ drafts, and workshop proposal drafts. Given the time demands of this program, applicants who are selected will forego teaching in Summer I and receive a $2,000 stipend which carries the requirement that applicants complete the workshop and provide the agreed-upon deliverables.
Application Requirements
- A CV
- Approval of the department chair/unit head and affirmation by chair/head and researcher that the applicant will forego Summer I teaching (copy of an email is permissible).
- A three-page maximum description of your proposed research project. Typically, strong project summaries include an introduction, a description of the key facts known about your topic, a description of the knowledge gap or critical need that your project will address, your central hypothesis or statement of problem/need, your rationale, your objectives, and the significance and expected outcomes of the project.
- Up to 300 words on how the proposed activities are relevant to key university priorities and goals and will increase the national and/or international visibility of TAMU-CC.
- Identification of 1-3 potential funding programs (Note: R&I personnel are available to help investigate agencies and foundations prior to the application deadline.).
- Draft budget and budget justification (1 page maximum).
- Any reports required for prior rounds of R&I funding must have been submitted.
Summer Grant Fellows Program Virtual Information Session
On Wednesday, April 6, 2022, Drs. Larisa Ford and Charles Etheridge hosted a Summer Grant Fellows Program Virtual Information Session. This presentation gives an overview of the program and requirements, application components, review criteria, and program deadlines. The recording of this presentation can be viewed on the Division of Research and Innovation's Microsoft stream channel. To access the recording, log in using your TAMU-CC email address and password.
POC: Larisa Ford, Ph.D., larisa.ford@tamucc.edu
Available funds: Varies
Full proposal due: Ongoing
Award period: Funds will need to be used in the fiscal year for which they are allocated
Application: Contact Larisa Ford, Ph.D., at larisa.ford@tamucc.edu
Objective: To support the development of competitive proposals by faculty members and research scientists/fellows
Eligibility: Faculty members and research scientists/fellows
The program supports faculty members by providing funds to help with proposal development and writing to external research funding opportunities.
Overview
- Open to proposals from all colleges and research centers and institutes on campus
- All requests for grant writers or consultant require Dean or Center/Institute Director approval
- Institutional priorities and research objectives will be considered, for example, campus leadership may decide to dedicate some of the funding to strategic initiatives
- Applicants may select their own grant writers after R&I reviews and approves them. Applicants may also request the division to recommend pre-approved grant writers and consultants.
- Upon submission of a proposal, R&I will survey the team to learn the quality of their grant writer or consultant and will review agency comments on all proposals written by contractors.
Review Process:
The Division of Research and Innovation will review proposals with the head of the college or center/institute from which the application comes. Criteria:
- Institutional priority and research objectives
- Likelihood of success (including time necessary to develop a competitive proposal)
- Qualifications of the team to complete and submit the proposal
- Need (startup or IDC should be used first)
- Supporting funds from department, college, or other
- Budget of proposal (projects seeking larger amounts of external funding will be supported at a higher level than smaller projects)
- Funds remaining in the account dedicate to this program
Office of Research Engagement Impact Multiplier Grant
POC: Joseph Miller, Joseph.Miller@tamucc.edu
Available funds: $1,000 to $7,500
Deadline: January 28, 2022 (Application opens November 15, 2021)
Number of Awards: 2 or more
Application: Click Here
Objective: Impact Multiplier Grants aim to foster and facilitate community engagement using existing TAMU-CC research, talent, knowledge, and resources to create a positive impact for the public.
Eligibility: Staff and faculty members at TAMU-CC
Impact Multiplier Grant proposals can be a standalone project, a proof of concept for a larger program, or an extension of an existing program's broader impacts. Impact Multiplier applications will be evaluated on how well TAMU-CC intellectual capital, research, knowledge, and activities will be disseminated and applied outside of the University to address, for example, economic and social issues in the community. Awarded Impact Multiplier Grants will utilize research engagement, educational processes, or other institutional activities to create broader impacts. Awarded grants should have a timeline of completion within 18 months after the award date. For more information click here.
The purpose of this program is to support the acquisition or development of capital equipment and infrastructure that will support and increase research activity on our campus.
POC: Larisa Ford, Ph.D., larisa.ford@tamucc.edu
Budget Questions Contact: Tuan Phung, tuan.phung@tamucc.edu
Available funding: $50,000
Award amount: $5,000 to $50,000
Number of awards: at least 1
Eligibility: Research staff and faculty members
Full proposal due: November 1, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. central time
Award announced: February 5, 2022
Award period: Money must be spent by May 15, 2022
Budget Information:
- Matching funds are allowed
- Items purchased will be the property of TAMU-CC
- Items purchased must be capital equipment
Budget items not allowed
- salary
- travel
- maintenance agreements
- equipment and infrastructure for other institutions
Budget items allowed
- equipment
- instrumentation
- infrastructure
- software
- books (a collection)
- contact Tuan Phung at tuan.phung@tamucc.edu with questions.
How to Apply
Proposal with a cover page with Proponent’s signature and the Department Chair’s (or equivalent’s) signature must be submitted by email to researchdevelopment@tamucc.edu as a single pdf.
Review Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed using the criteria below.
- Potential of the equipment to advance knowledge
- Impact of the equipment and associated research and creative activity on campus and the community
- Potential growth and support of research programs on campus
- Potential use or demand of the equipment at TAMU-CC and with potential partners
- Ability of the investigators to manage and maintain the equipment
- Appropriateness of the budget
- Inclusion and appropriateness of price quotes, construction plans, or other associated documents.
Notes to Applicants
The complete application must be received by the deadline or it will be returned without review.
Acknowledgement must be included when allowed in all publications (books, bulletins, professional journals, news releases, etc.) resulting from this project stating:
"This project was supported by a research grant from the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Division of Research and Innovation."
Please forward a copy of all published material resulting from this research effort to the Division of Research and Innovation.
This program supports and encourages projects with the potential to benefit economic development through commercialization. This seed grant can be used to develop a new prototype or proof-of-concept, or it can be used to develop an existing prototype into a commercially viable product.
POC: Sharmeen Ahmed, sharmeen.ahmed@tamucc.edu
Budget Questions POC: Tuan Phung, tuan.phung@tamucc.edu
Available funding: up to $10,000
Award amount: $500 to $10,000
Eligibility: PI eligible
Full Proposal Due: August 1, 2022, at 11:59 pm central time
Award Announced: by August 15, 2022
Award Period: Money must be spent by August 31, 2023
Program Objective:
This program supports and encourages projects with the potential to benefit economic development through commercialization. The seed grant can be used to develop a new prototype or proof-of-concept or it can be used to develop an existing prototype into a commercially viable product.
NOTE:
- If student(s) are included in the project, the work cannot be part of a student’s capstone project. Students’ involvement in the project must be work for hire. If work is to be performed as part of a Ph.D. student’s research, it must be clearly stated in the proposal. A full description of the student’s role and effort must be stated.
- Prior to publication, invention must be disclosed and discussed with Sharmeen Ahmed, program POC.
Budget Information:
Proposals should include the estimated costs for specific project expenditures, including a quote from the core facility or vendor that will provide services or for any individual item that exceeds $200. The proposal should include a budget list of costs (include a simple table and/or invoice, if available). Include a budget justification (maximum of 300 words).
Budget items allowed:
Salary support of non-PI research staff and students; materials that are essential to construct or design the project services such as statistician, programmer, product designer/industrial engineer, or manufacturer.
Budget items not allowed:
- Payment of any consultants as additional pay Travel to meetings or conferences
- Computers
- Capital equipment, instrumentation, and/or maintenance agreements, construction/renovation costs
- Salary support of lead PI/Co-PI
How to Apply
Proposal must be submitted via Qualtrics. You will be required to complete a short form and attach your proposal and required documents in pdf. Apply here.
Review Criteria
- Overall clarity of the proposal
- Scientific Merit
- Preparedness and qualifications for carrying out the proposed work
- Appropriateness of the budget
- Potential of proposed activities to advance TAMU-CC’s reputation and/or the university’s institutional priorities
- Potential of proposed activities to significantly enhance the commercial development of the new discovery and for the creation of new intellectual property
- For applicants who have previously been awarded internal funding, consideration of the applicant's record of previous project completion (including filing final reports), adherence to timelines, and budget management
- Likelihood that the project’s expected outcomes will enhance commercialization activities for the discovery being developed
Application sections:
1) A one-page cover letter with the following information:
- Title of project
- Principal investigator(s) name, email and campus extension
- Names of all other faculty/staff collaborators, their email addresses, and telephone campus extension
- Home unit for the PI (Institute, departments and/or college)
- Fiscal officer or grant officer in the PI’s unit
- Performance site: Building and room number(s) where project will be completed
- Total budget requested
- Invention Disclosure title and number (if any)
- Summary of the project (250 words maximum)
2) Research plan of no more than three pages, single-spaced with one-inch margins, including:
- An explanation of the discovery being developed
- Research strategy: A concise description of the approaches and methods that will be used to complete the specific aims, and if necessary, any unpublished preliminary data to support rationale for the proposed research strategy.
- Novel aspects: Specify whether any background intellectual property exists (i.e., publications, conferences, poster sessions, published patent applications, issued patents)
- Describe the anticipated output/product/prototype
- Discuss how the project will enhance commercial activities
3) Budget and justification as outlined above
4) CV (maximum of two-pages)
5) Current and Pending Support (internal and external funding, awarded and to which you have applied)
6) Supplementary documentation is permitted, but is limited to a copy of a vendor’s quote for services/materials
Required Project Deliverables
- Progress Report: Brief technical progress and financial accountability. Funding must be used by August 31, 2023. Proposals should only request sufficient funds for this time–extensions are not allowed with these funds. Progress reports are due January 31, 2023.
- Final Report: Detailed project report. The technology must be ready for intellectual property disclosure. Due by September 30, 2023
Notes to Applicants
Intellectual property developed from this grant funding is subject to A&M System Policy 17.01-01-07. (http://policies.tamus.edu/17-01.pdf)
The complete application must be received by the deadline, or it will be returned without review.
Acknowledgement must be included when allowed in all publications (books, bulletins, professional journals, news releases, etc.) resulting from this project stating:
"This project was supported by a research grant from the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Division of Research and Innovation."
Additional Support for Faculty
The following offices and programs offer support for faculty members.Contact your chair or research enhancement committee member for more information.
Consult with your center director, chair or dean about funds that may be available to support research.