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The Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy’s Center for Pandemic Research announces an opportunity for one-year research Seed Grant Awards of up to $20,000. The main goal of this project is to offer social science researchers the chance to undertake research programs on the causes and consequences of governments’ responses to COVID-19 and how to improve them. Proposal must include a methodology for measuring success and failure in governmental responses. The Seed Grant Award is specifically made for projects requiring early proof of concept results to enable the framing of applications for external funding.

These awards should have the potential to lead to additional federal, foundation, or private funding. Recipients of the award are required to submit future grants through ISERP.  Up to three awards will be funded.

The CPR support projects that can start right away, and either inform policy-making and public understanding of pandemic threats or contribute to the resilience and recovery of the Columbia research community. 

Qualifications:

Applicants must be full-time faculty members appointed in one of the six social science departments in A&S or SIPA.  We especially encourage early career faculty to apply.  Priority will be given to junior faculty.  All PIs must play an active role in the proposed project

Funding Criteria:

Like the usual ISERP seed grants, this program places a priority on research that promises a significant return, including work that develops new theories, identifies new areas of methodological innovation, or that bridges different substantive domains.  Projects may be domestic, international, or comparative. We are particularly interested in funding early-stage research that enhances the likelihood of success in applying for more substantial external grants.

ISERP seed grants do not fund book write-ups, documentary films, or ordinary computer equipment.  The seed grant program is not a small grant program.  Seed grants do not fund stand-alone projects, ongoing research, conferences or conference travel, or workshops.  ISERP encourages proposals that include support for student RAs, but seed grants will not provide salary support, including summer salary, for faculty members.

Budgets for ISERP Seed Grants:

Funding for the government responses to COVID-19 seed grant is up to $20k per project and is limited to funding direct costs of research. We encourage project submissions with smaller budgets, given the limited funds available, especially if they include support for student research. If you would like to discuss your budget prior to submission of the seed grant application, please contact iserp-funding@columbia.edu.

Funding Timeline, IRB, and Reporting:

Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and awards will depend on funding availability.

Research projects involving human subjects must obtain (and keep up to date) Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.  If your project involves no intervention or interaction with human subjects, you must apply for exemption from the IRB.  We will review and consider proposals that have not yet undergone IRB review, but please note that ISERP will not disburse funds until we have received a copy of your project’s IRB approved protocol or IRB letter of exemption.  We strongly encourage you to start the process of obtaining IRB approval early.

Seed grant recipients must provide brief semi-annual reports on project activities, including updates on external funding proposals.  At the six-month mark, a brief report will be requested and reviewed. Continued access to the seed funds after this six-month mark requires significant progress, so that the project is likely to lead to a proposal at the next round of submissions at the appropriate funding agency.  Awardees may also be asked to present a talk on their project.

Investigators who receive external grants based on work resulting from an ISERP seed grant award must administer those grants through ISERP.  Investigators should acknowledge ISERP’s support in any papers, publications, or reports resulting from seed grant activities.

Applicants should submit:

• A 5-page research proposal that details the specific aims, background to the study, preliminary data (if any), research plan, innovation/significance & future plans, and details on each investigator’s role on the project
• Line item budget
• Budget narrative explaining how line items in the budget relate to the early work you need to convert your ideas into a fundable project
• Plan for seeking outside funding
• CV’s or NSF Style Biosketch for each investigator
• Proposals should be submitted electronically via ISERP’s website here

Proposals will be funded on the basis of:

• The intellectual merit and innovation of the proposed project
• The seed grant’s relationship to the proposed major project
• The project’s organization and judicious use of funds
• The plausibility of the investigator’s plan for seeing outside funding

Duration: One (1) Year

Award Amount: Up to $20,000

Rolling Application Deadline

Submit Proposals Here

We encourage applicants, particularly those submitting for the first time, to speak with a member of ISERP’s research development office.  Learn more by visiting ISERP Seed Grants.