Bridge Funding Support Research Program

Overview and Program Goals

The competitiveness of the federal funding climate presents unique challenges to principal investigators, especially as unanticipated gaps in funding have negative effects on the continuation of active research programs. The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) Bridge Funding Support program provides interim resources to mitigate a challenging federal climate and to facilitate the ongoing viability of federally funded research projects.

The Bridge Funding Support program helps ensure the continuation of research projects that have a demonstrated likelihood of continued federal funding. It is intended to support the research activities of projects for which no other funding resources are immediately available.

Bridge Funding Support is not intended to replace sponsored funding and is not renewable. PIs are expected to re-budget existing funds and/or reduce the scope of research activities to the minimum necessary to maintain the program while awaiting review and funding of pending applications. Bridge Funding Support is not meant to replace funding gaps resulting from rebudgeting or scope reduction, but to fund the minimal operations between extant and anticipated sponsored funding after re-budgeting and scope reduction have occurred.

Bridge Funding Support is not intended to provide “seed” funding or to furnish funding while PIs are developing applications for sponsored support.

Deadlines: Rolling

Applications for bridge funding must be received at least three months before active sponsored funding ends. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Notifications are as soon as possible, ideally within seven business days. A progress report is due six months after receipt of funds.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants:

Faculty are eligible to apply who have both full-time, tenure track appointments or career appointments in the research professor or research associate tracks with an expectation of ongoing employment at the UO and demonstrated sponsored funding history as PIs.

Note: Bridge funding is only available to eligible applicants seeking to maintain essential staff and operations during the period between the conclusion of an award and anticipated funding (i.e., must have pending grants under review).   

Ineligible Applicants:

  • Career research assistants
  • Post-doctoral scholars
  • Visiting professors
  • Faculty without a demonstrated history of external funding
  • Faculty PI is on sabbatical
  • Faculty who do not have paid university faculty appointments for the academic year following the year for which Bridge Funding is requested

Budget and Use of Funds

Amount: $200,000 or less; Requests should be limited to the minimum funding necessary to maintain a defined project over a short duration between the project end date and the date of anticipated award of pending applications. Requests are not expected to cover the maintenance of an entire lab or all current personnel. The PI is expected to re-budget all available resources and reduce activities to the minimum necessary to maintain the program.

Length of project: 9 months or less

Allowable costs:

  • Salary/fringe of postdocs or other vital research staff
  • Essential supplies
  • Essential salary for NTTF PIs
  • Core/shared user facility fees: Please note that OVPRI funds will be transferred directly to the Core Facility (funds for all other costs will be transferred to a faculty-managed departmental index for the award)

Ineligible costs:

  • Summer or academic year salary for TTF
  • Graduate students, except under exceptional circumstances
  • Replacement funding for projects that are completed
  • Travel, seminar, or conference registration fees
  • Budget reductions in existing awards from external sponsors
  • Cost overruns

Application Components

Application: Applications must be submitted using the online submission form. Note this form cannot be saved.

  1. Application Form
    1.  
      1. Basic Information: Please complete the form’s text boxes. (Note: the form cannot be saved part way through).
      2. Optional Demographic Report: The OVPRI is committed to creating an environment that fosters sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and racial and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. The application form includes a section to disclose demographic information aimed at assessing the success of our activities towards this goal. Response to these questions is entirely optional and is not considered in award decisions. This information will be used by OVPRI leadership to ensure our internal granting programs are inclusive and equitable and serve diverse populations at UO.
         
  2. Proposal Documents
    1.  
      1. Grant Summary that includes the proposal summary page and the specific aims page (or equivalent) of all pending applications.
      2. List of all pending and planned applications for which the faculty member is PI, co-PI, or Investigator, estimated award amounts requested/to be requested, and agency program.
      3. Copies of the most recent review agency panel summary statements for an R01 or equivalent from NIH, NSF, or other agency; the proposal must have received a score/evaluation.
      4. A brief narrative describing the need for bridge funding, including a demonstration of how requested funds will “bridge” existing research efforts and eventual external support for the specific period of bridge funding. Narratives should also describe the existing foundation from which the “bridge” will be built to eventual external funding and 1) include a plan for how the PI will reduce research activities and repurpose existing staff or resources to operate the laboratory at the minimum necessary and 2) delineate how the laboratory will be operated if funding is not secured when the bridge funding period ends.
      5. A budget and budget justification that fully explains the relationship of costs to the proposed activity and the basis for cost estimates. Include information on the employment status, contract period and renewal dates, salary and terms of employees, and a budget plan for essential employees for the bridge funding period.
      6. The project director’s current curriculum vita (CV), including a summary of current and pending support for the past five (5) years.
      7. A description of other support (not to exceed two pages), including sources of internal and external support available for all research efforts at the current time or within the next six months. Include all department funds (including discretionary, ASA, start-up, retention, gift, or other funds). Indicate how you intend to spend these available funds, including the specific plans to re-budget available resources to support activities in the bridge period. Clarify the relationship between the proposed project and all currently funded activities.
      8. Documentation of authorized matching funds from the PI’s department, school/college, and research center/institute (if applicable).

Submission Instructions: Complete all components of the application documents listed above. Combine into a single PDF in the order listed above. Save with the naming convention [PI Last Name]_FY 22 Bridge Funding Support. Fill out the basic information and demographic questions (optional) on the online form, and upload the complete PDF. Submit form.

Review Process and Criteria

The Research Advisory Board, OVPRI staff, and other colleagues may be consulted in evaluating Bridge funding applications. Final decisions will be made by the Vice President for Research and Innovation. Applications with pre-authorized matching funds secured by the PI from non-grant, non-OVPRI sources, including their department, school/college, and research center/institute (if applicable) will be prioritized.

Reporting

Successful applicants for bridge funding from the OVPRI will receive an initial installment of funding. A second installment will be dependent on completion of specified milestones. All recipients are required to submit a progress report 6 months after receipt of funds. This report should be a summary of one page or less indicating the following:

  1. Funding received from all external sources since the receipt of bridge funding. Include the name of the funder, amount, period of award, and EPCS record # if applicable.
  2. Proposals for funding that are submitted and pending. Include the name of the funder, amount, period of award, and EPCS record # if applicable.
  3. Manuscripts in preparation, submitted, in press, and/or published since the receipt of bridge funding.
  4. Any other measures of research progress or productivity that are appropriate

You will receive a request to submit the project report from RDS at the 6-month deadline (unless another timeline has been confirmed for phased funding).

Requests for extension of funding will be considered in light of the achievement of milestones and demonstration that the project has a significant and reasonable chance of receiving external funding.

Inquiries

Questions about the Bridge Funding Support application, or submission process may be directed to Research Development Services.