Re-entry

Project Award Amount $30,000

Description
The Re-Entry Category is intended for investigators who have pursued non-classical pathways and now wish to resume their research careers. Such pathways include investigators who have relocated with a spouse or partner at the cost of the applicant's program of research, or those who have dedicated their primary effort to teaching or clinical practice rather than to research.

Funding is based on priority scores and on the availability of funds in specialty areas.

Please note: Academic Senate grants are made available in part through endowment funds allocated to specific areas of research. In addition to general funds, the Committee on Research awards money from endowment funds for these specific areas of research:

  • Heart disease
  • Eye diseases
  • Cancer
  • Stomach ailments

[Note: the above categories apply to both research on the specified disease and related areas of focus. For example, "stomach ailments research" can include stomach ulcers research and research into diabetes focusing on stomach disorders or ailments.]

It is expected that work supported by COR funds will lead the applicant to outside (extramural) funding. As a result, successful applications are usually well focused and present a clear pathway from the applicant's present state to the acquisition of extramural funding. The applicant should outline how the specific preliminary results to be obtained will be used to support a subsequent application for extramural funds. Description of specific experiments that will actually be performed or data to be collected is preferable to an exhaustive list of possible experiments or potential areas of data collection. Applicants are encouraged to begin writing their proposals early and to obtain advice from established investigators in their area of interest or to seek assistance from the Committee on Research and the Academic Senate Staff.

Eligibility

NOTE: Eligibility requirements need to be met as of date of submission. No waivers.

Who's Eligible: UCSF Faculty in any series (Ladder Rank, In Residence, Clinical X. Health Science Clinical, Adjunct) at all ranks (Instructor, Assistant, Associate, Full Professors) are eligible. Appointees to the Professional Research Series and Appointees in the Librarian Series, may apply. PIs on sabbatical can apply for supplies and equipment. 

Who's Not Eligible: Visiting professors, specialists, residents, fellows, post-docs, graduate students and staff employees.

Submission Rules

Criteria for Review/Evaluation of Applications
Projects will be evaluated based on the strength of the proposal, the potential of the proposal to lead to a fully funded independent research grant, and the quality and potential of the applicant and the research team.  The NIH Scoring system, using a 9-point scale, will be used in the evaluation of proposals. Evaluation will be in the five areas that NIH uses in evaluating research grants, i.e., Overall impact; Significance; Investigators: Innovation; Approach: and Environment.  In addition, grants will be specifically evaluated on their potential to facilitate procurement of a major grant to support the research. Chair’s letter will be considered in the evaluation.

The proposal will be evaluated based on the following questions: click here to view the review form for this grant mechanism

Pilot projects that involve human subjects will require human research committee approval before funding is released. Research conducted in a foreign country will require separate ethics approval in that setting and the direct participation of in-country co-investigators.

Selection of Awardees
Funding decisions are made independently by each funding agency based on several factors – scientific review score, alignment of proposal to funder’s strategic goals, proposal research area of focus, and specifically called out eligibility or other requirements like membership in a center, affiliation with a specific school or relevance to a stated auxiliary topic.

TO APPLY:

STEP 1) Complete the electronic application form.  Please note there are several pieces of information that need to be provided directly via the electronic application form (selecting the appropriate grant mechanism, providing demographic information, uploading an abstract, etc.).

Click here to preview an inactive template of the electronic application form.

STEP 2) Upload your proposal as a SINGLE PDF that includes all the things listed in numeric order in the instructions below. 


INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPOSAL PDF

Please write your proposal following the instructions listed below and create one single PDF file. Do not include form fields in your PDF document.

Proposal Length: Maximum 6 pages, including figures and tables, excluding table of contents and literature cited and community engagment component (if applicable).
Format Requirements:  Arial font; 11 pt; minimum 0.5 inch for all margins; no appendices; include page numbers and table of contents.

Resubmissions
Definition: same research topic with an amended application or research plan rather than a new research topic and new research plan.

Requirements: Please use up to one extra page to introduce your revised proposal, addressing the issues raised in the review, and any additional changes to your proposal. Make sure the new edits are highlighted in bold or italic font so the reviewers can easily see where and how the proposal has changed. Do not use "track changes". A new letter of support from the Department Chair or other Unit Head is required in all cases.

1. P.I. Name (no multiple PIs). Only one application as PI (PI1 OR PI2) is permitted per cycle.

2. Project Title

3. Proposal (maximum 6 pages, including figures and tables, excluding literature cited and Community Engagement component (if applicable)).

  • Aims: describe the project's scope, objectives, and rationale. Specific aims for most research proposals can be itemized. There are usually no more than 2 - 3 specific aims for an eight-month to a one-year study. Do not submit an application that describes an idea that is the same or similar to one used in a previously funded RAP grant. If it is a similar idea, describe how the new proposed research is uniquely different.
  • Feasibility: Describe what steps you are taking to ensure the proposed project can be completed within the one year project period for this grant (approximately 300 words max).
  • Background: describe the background to the present application and the appropriateness to the state of the field of research.
  • Significance: explain how the results of the proposed work will advance the knowledge in this specific field and lead to extramural support.
  • Preliminary studies: describe previous work accomplished by the applicant and co-investigator(s) relevant to the proposal.
  • Research Methods: describe the methods, information or techniques to be employed, the scientific basis for choice, data to be obtained, sample selection and control, data organization and analysis, management of biases, discrepant findings, errors of measurement and sample losses. Briefly describe any collaborative arrangements that will contribute to execution of the study aims. Provide details of collaborative arrangements and include a letter from each collaborator, if applicable.
  • Explain how this pilot project is important for your career goals (e.g., lead to major funding, etc.)
  • Literature cited (not included in page limit)

4. Detailed Budget $30,000 maximum per proposal; round up to the nearest thousand (e.g., instead of $29,869 list $30,000). 
Use the following form: PHS 398 Form Page 4 "Detailed Budget for the Initial Period": http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html

    Budget Preparation Resources:

 

Allowable

Not Allowable

PI Salary

 X*

 

Co-Investigator(s) Salary

 X

 

Network Recharge Rates X  

Post Doc Salary

 

X

Administrative Support

 

X

Supplies

X

 

Equipment

X

 

Software

X

 

Personal Computers

 

X

Mailing

 

X

Tuition

 

X

Travel

X**

 

Research Staff Support (e.g. RSA; Lab. Technician)

X

 

Patient Care

 

X

Others

X***

 

Publication fees; max $5K  X  

General Guidelines:
*The NIH base salary cap applies.  PIs are required to list their effort whether it is paid or in kind.

PI partial salary support should be well-justified with respect to project activities. Due to their small size, RAP grants are designed for project support and are not intended to provide PI salary support unrelated to the project.  PI salary amounts greater than ~10% of the requested award amount (e.g., $5,000 of a $50K award proposal, not 10% FTE) must be well justified and it should reflect work done by the PI to conduct specific scientific tasks on the project (e.g. data collection, computation) and not merely general supervision of project goals and personnel.  

Multiple PIs can decide how to distribute the 10% salary support among themselves (e.g., 5%/5% or 6%/4%).

  • The 10% limit on salary support is a guideline and includes SALARY & FRINGE BENEFITS.
  • ​Update: General Automobile and Employee Liability (GAEL) are NOT allowable costs.
  • The award amount is DIRECT COST ONLY.

** DEFINITION OF ALLOWABLE TRAVEL WITHIN RESEARCH GRANTS:
Travel Category
Funds for transportation are available to conduct field research and for the purpose of gathering data and research materials. These funds are intended for transportation costs exclusively and under no circumstance can they be used for subsistence (including hotels, registration fees etc.). Use of travel funds for the attendance of professional conferences or meetings is specifically disallowed. The Academic Senate has other Travel Grants specifically designed to cover registration/attendance at such conferences and meetings; for those, apply directly to the Academic Senate through Kate Dargan, Senate Analyst, [email protected]; 415.476.1308.

*** OTHERS (i.e., data network recharge, subject payments, transcription services, etc.)
​Itemize expenses for personnel, supplies, equipment, research subject payments and travel. Only eligible expenses from these five budget categories will be considered

5. Budget Justification: Clearly and fully justify all costs. Budget Overlap - If the proposed study is closely related or a sub-study of existing funded research listed in the applicant’s bio sketch, clarify the relationship between the two projects and confirm that there is no overlap in funding.

For all personnel, clearly identify any discrepancies between the actual effort (i.e. real percent time) the individual will contribute to the project, versus the amount of salary effort they are requesting.  This is particularly important for personnel/PI's who expect to contribute project effort with little or no salary, such as those whose salary is above the NIH base salary cap.

Recall: PI salary amounts greater than ~10% of the requested award amount must be well justified

NOTE: If your Other Support references projects that may appear to have scientific or budgetary overlap with this proposal, please clearly identify and explain why this proposal is unique and non-overlapping.

6. NIH BioSketch of Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator(s) and UCSF Faculty Mentor(s) (if applicable), (5 page format):

·         Use Form Version H at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch-blank-format-rev-10-2021.docx
·         Include bio sketches for both PIs of a multi-PI application
·         Only NIH Bio sketch version H will be accepted with RAP applications this Spring 2024 Cycle.

Other support pages of Principal Investigator(s) and Co-Investigator(s) and UCSF Faculty Mentor(s)  Use form at https://grants.nih.gov/sites/default/files/other-support-format-page-rev-10-2021.docx

 7. Letter(s) of support: Please provide a letter of support from the department chair or other unit head. For all applicants, department chair/unit head should indicate support for the application with signature. In addition, for junior investigators, department chairs/unit heads should comment on the independence of the applicant and availability of lab space and other resources for the proposed research. Include the letter of support at the end of your pdf proposal and address it to the RAP Committee.