OIE/OVPRED Seed Funding for External Grants in Global and International Research

UB’s Offices of International Education (OIE) and Vice President for Research and Economic Development (OVPRED) offer funds of up to $10,000 on a competitive basis to support research projects on important global/international topics that aim to generate applications for external funding within two years of the start of the award. The fund can be used for a variety of project-related expenses, but does not support permanent equipment, software, conference travel, or office supplies. The fund is available for a 2-year expenditure period.

Any tenure-track faculty (including tenured and pre-tenure) who conducts research or creative work on important global or international topics.

To apply, please submit the following:

• A completed application on the submission site, to include:
  • Project title
  • Name, title, departmental affiliation, and contact information for the principal investigator
  • Project start and end dates
• Project abstract (200-word maximum)
• Four- to six-page, double-spaced project description, which includes:
  • Explanation of the project and its significance;
  • Names and deadlines for at least two external fellowships or grant opportunities to which the applicant will apply;
  • Budget for use of research funds, and description of how the funds will help improve the project’s chances of winning external funding;
• Brief CV of the PI of no more than five pages;
• Disclosure of amount and source of other research funds and explanation in the budget of why OIE/OVPRED Seed Funding is also needed;
• Signed form from the applicant’s department chair indicating the chair’s agreement to have the department administer the research fund. 

Applicants must submit all required documents as separate files (PDF or WORD) to the OIE submission site.  Grants are awarded twice a year, and the application deadlines are at the close of business (5:00 pm EST) on March 15 and September 30. Applicants will be notified of their funding decision normally within a month of the deadline.

You can apply via the link:

https://airtable.com/shrekyZKJbv3aukmU

• The impact the research funding will have on the project’s potential to secure external funding;
• The quality and potential of the research project or creative activity;
• The quality and completion record of previous research projects and scholarly publications;
• The proposal’s ability to communicate the importance of the project beyond the applicant’s home discipline.

Applications will be evaluated by a UB faculty committee convened by the OIE. Applicants will be notified of their funding decision normally within a month of the deadline.

• Awardees receive funding through a non-sponsored projects SUNY Research Funding account, with the awardee listed as the Primary Investigator and administration support provided by the home department (Chair and Assistant to the Chair), usable for a two-year term.
• Funds may be used for various purposes that advance research and creative activity. Examples include:
  • Travel to collections
  • Site-specific fieldwork and data-collection
  • Translation of key texts
  • Specialized equipment, studio space
  • Research assistance
• Applicants will identify at least two outside fellowships or other funding opportunities to which they will apply within two years of the start of funding.  
• Awardees may reapply as soon as they can demonstrate need.

The awardee is required to submit a status report of no more than 1,000 words to OIE at OIEgrants@buffalo.edu at the end of the first year of the award period. Failure to submit the first-year report in time will result in the discontinuation of the funding.

By the conclusion of the project period, the awardee should submit fellowship or external grant proposals to OIE at OIEgrants@buffalo.edu as proof of grant application submission. Failure to submit the proof of grant application submission in time may make the awardee ineligible for future OIE grants.