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CCSS Grant Writing Incentive Program

COMING IN 2021: The CCSS Grant Writing Incentive Program is designed to increase the number of external grant proposal submissions from Cornell social scientists. 

  • Stacked coins with pink arched graph line connecting the stacks in ascending order

Funding Tiers

  • Tier 1 ($50-500K)

  • Tier 2 ($500K-4.9M)

  • Tier 3 (>$5 million)

  • Overview

    NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO LAUNCH IN 2021. Check back for updates. 

    Cornell Social Scientists have secured more than $250 million of external funding across the past decade. Yet, many more researchers would benefit from external funds to take their work to the next level. Grant writing is difficult and rejection can sting. Barriers to submitting a grant application can include lack of motivation to apply given the high rate of rejection on the first attempt and loss of momentum to continue the project once rejected. This program removes those barriers by guaranteeing resources to fund the work and/or help with resubmission in the case of rejection. 

    All incentive programs require pre-approval via application before submitting to an RFP.

    How to apply:

    CURRENTLY CLOSED TO APPLICATIONS. Contact Us with questions.

  • Tier 1

    What We Fund:

    TIER 1 incentivizes external proposals in the range of $50K–500K per year in direct costs requested, including industry and foundation grants that allow IDCs.

    Why We Want to Help: 

    While the rate of funding on Tier 1 proposals is typically higher than Tier 2, obstacles include college IDC rate minimums, lack of resubmission opportunities, and promotion-based pressure to continue with the work without funding. 

    What You Get:

    Upon CCSS approval and subsequent submission to an RFP, a PI becomes eligible for our internal pool of funds if their proposal is rejected but reviewed positively. For example, a researcher might want to apply for a $150K grant from RWJ. They would first apply for our incentive program, which ensures that the funder is eligible and enters the project into our incubation system. Then, the researcher submits to the RFP.  If the proposal is rejected for funding by the agency, the application and reviews are then considered for CCSS funds to help complete the project. This tier of incentives caps out at a maximum amount of 25K per project and is based on receiving high quality reviews on an unfunded proposal (evidence of a high impact research topic).

    How to apply:

    CURRENTLY CLOSED TO APPLICATIONS. Contact Us with questions.

  • Tier 2

    What We Fund:

    TIER 2 incentivizes mid-level external/federal grants applying for funds in the range of $500K–4.9M in total direct costs requested across the term of the funding mechanism. 

    Why We Want to Help: 

    Obstacles facing researchers applying for this level of external funding include facing a high likelihood of first-round rejection and lack of enthusiasm and resources for resubmission. 

    What You Get: 

    A pool of funds is available for PIs in the event that an application is reviewed by the funding agency and scored as competitive, but not funded. The goal is to incentivize re-application.  

    Upon CCSS approval into our Tier 2 incentive program and subsequent submission to an RFP, a PI becomes eligible for our internal pool of funds if their proposal is rejected but reviewed positively. For example, a research team plans to submit to a $1.2 million RFP from NIH. They would first apply for our incentive program, which ensures that the funder is eligible and enters the project into our incubation system. Then, the research team submits to the RFP.  If the proposal is rejected for funding by the agency, the application and reviews are then considered for CCSS support to encourage resubmission. This tier of incentives is based on receiving high quality reviews (such as being discussed/scored).

    Funds are to be used only for approved expenses in pursuit of re-submission, such as pilot data collection, summer salary for the PI(s), or a graduate RA.

    How to Apply:

    CURRENTLY CLOSED TO APPLICATIONS. Contact Us with questions.

  • Tier 3

    What is Funded: 

    TIER 3 incentivizes large-scale center grant proposals greater than $5M. 

    Why We Want to Help: 

    The biggest challenges in submitting these proposals are finding the time to prepare the proposal, identifying collaborators, coordinating the infrastructure, and securing grant writing support.  
     

    What You Get: 

    The program will offer funds tailored to needs based on an application process and specific identification of a promising RFP and PI team. Budget and proposed work must be approved by OVPR and CCSS but may be used for staffing, teaching releases, grant writers, seed funding for pilot data, or other short-term needs that will remove obstacles to submitting in time for these large-scale centers.

    How To Apply: 

    CURRENTLY CLOSED TO APPLICATIONS. Contact Us with questions.

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