If you don’t find an answer to your question below, please contact us at OVCR@illinois.edu for assistance.
As a PI, why should I apply for a training grant?
Training grants help to direct the research priorities of an institution toward particular emerging areas. A training grant raises the visibility of a research area, and helps to attract the most highly qualified graduate students and to train them for research careers in academia or industry. Training grants ultimately fund research, through a student-focused cohort-based model.
Where can I find information about funding opportunities
The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation has compiled a list of training grant opportunities from external sources. This is not a comprehensive list of all opportunities for research funding. Please contact us if you need more information or assistance.
How can I get help with my proposal?
You can contact your unit’s office of research or grants administration staff. You can also contact Richard Sallee in the Office of Proposal Development (OPD) if you have specific questions. OPD may be able to provide assistance with assembling data tables and other non-technical components of the proposal package.
What is the institutional commitment referred to in the solicitation? How do I start the process of getting such commitments?
Some agencies, like NSF and NIH, expect an institution to show “commitment” to the goals of a training grant, either through required cost-share or otherwise. Prospective PIs should read their training grant solicitation carefully and then work with their departments and colleges to arrange the institutional commitment needed to support a successful proposal. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation has some standard practices for demonstrating institutional commitment and can also help PIs make their plans.
How can the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation help?
The OVCRI can connect prospective PIs with a variety of resources and can make suggestions for gathering and assembling data for “the tables”. The OVCRI can also help PIs make their plans to demonstrate institutional commitment. In some cases, such as for the NSF NRT program, the OVCRI will manage a campus-wide pre-proposal process when it is necessary to limit the number of proposals that can be submitted from campus.
How can I get more information about applying for a training grant?
This website provides a variety of resources for prospective PIs. Contact Richard Sallee in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation if you have specific questions.
