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The Research Initiation Grants (RIGs) assist faculty in the developmental stages of research projects with the expectation that faculty will pursue external funding for the full study.

 

Eligibility

All full-time research faculty in the College of Education (CoED) at University Park are eligible to apply. Faculty are expected to use Research Incentive Funds (RIF) and start-up funds prior to or in conjunction with these grants. Faculty with various forms of CoED research support (e.g., start-up, CoED grants [Power of Story]) are not eligible for RIGs.


Purpose

Funding for an individual investigator to conduct proof-of-concept research that will contribute to a proposal for external funding. The funding limit is capped at $5,000 with a required commitment of $1,500 from the department. 


Application Steps & Deadlines

Faculty members are encouraged to schedule a meeting with the Associate Dean for Research and Outreach to review the proposed project plan. 

Proposals will be reviewed monthly by the Research Advisory Committee. Applications must be received by the first of the month (Sept. 1, Oct. 1, Nov.1, Dec. 1) to ensure review during that month’s cycle. 

December 1, 2025 will be the deadline for funding this academic year.


Use of Funds

These funds may be used to support travel to study sites for data collection or analysis, instrument development, meeting with potential sponsor(s), exploratory data analysis, purchase of research materials, undergraduate research hourly support, and funding for a summer graduate assistant (May – June). Funding may not be used for course buyouts or faculty summer support.

 

Priority

Priority will be given to proposals that demonstrate strong potential for preparing competitive proposals for external funding.

 

Funding Guidelines

  • Proposed award amounts will be determined in consultation with the Associate Dean for Research at the pre-proposal meeting.
  • The amount funded will be based on the proposed budget, the committee’s recommendation, the department’s contributions, and the amount of funding available through the Associate Dean’s Office. Funds awarded September-December must be expended by June 30 of the same academic year.
  • Funds cannot be used for course buyouts, travel to conferences, or for salary supplement.
  • All proposals will receive feedback from the committee.
  • Cost-sharing agreements with departments and SSRI are permitted and welcome.
  • Awardees are expected to submit a brief report at the end of their project that summarizes the outcomes of the project.
  • Awardees are expected to submit a proposal for external funding within 12 months of the completion of their project.

 

Proposal Review

A committee of senior faculty with significant grant experience will be established to review all proposals/requests. The Associate Dean for Research, in consultation with the Head of each Academic Department, will appoint one member from each Department to the committee. The Associate Dean will chair the committee.


Promising Proposals

If a proposal is designated by the committee as “promising but needing further work,” the author(s) will be assigned a research mentor from the College and encouraged to resubmit in the next competition.


Proposal Submission Guidelines

Cover page:

  • Name of individual (or unit), and academic rank
  • Date of submission
  • Department and campus location
  • Title of project/request
  • Amount requested
  • When funds are needed (Date range - e.g., October 1, 2024- June 30, 2025)
  • Abstract, limited to 200 words

Narrative:

1500 words or less, double-spaced, 12-point font, one side of page only

Include enough specificity to allow substantive review by the Research Committee and outside reviewers (the narrative should be accessible to non-specialists).

 

Narrative should include:

  • a description of the conceptual framework and objectives of the research;
  • a brief description of the research design, methodology, and data analysis procedures to be used to accomplish the objectives of the project (if appropriate);
  • an explanation of the significance/impact of the work;
  • proposed dates for expending funds, research/work plan, and products.
  • plans for submission of this or related proposals to external funding agencies. Provide the name of the agency, specific program (if applicable), and anticipated deadline(s) for submission. 

References:

Not to exceed 1 page

  • short list of relevant references.

Supporting Material:

  • A letter of support from the department head briefly explaining how the department will support the researcher in accomplishing their scope of work.
  • Any ancillary material deemed important in establishing the project's significance and quality (e.g., any external funding current or pending, copy of the proposed survey instrument).
  • Vitae of the submitting faculty member(s) – use the government SciEN CV link to create a 3-page CV biosketch: https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/sciencv 
     

Draft Budget Items to Consider:

  • Faculty should prepare the budget with the Office of Grants and Contracts. See Intent to Submit Form and submit the budget prepared with the office staff.
  • Limit is $5,000 and a $1,500 commitment from your department.
  • Line items to consider:
    • summer graduate assistant
    • undergraduate wage payroll
    • travel (only if necessary to conduct the project)
    • data collection, instrument development, and any other project-related costs.
    • Short budget justification making clear the need for the listed expenses. 
       

Submission:

A complete application includes the cover page, narrative, draft budget, and supporting materials. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the InfoReady system. This can be done by visiting https://psu.infoready4.com and filtering the funding opportunities as “Penn State Seed Grants.” 

 

 

RIG Guidelines - Revised August 2025