At VCU, research begins with boldness, creativity and ambition that is transforming innovation and improving the human condition. And, we are succeeding, changing who is shaping and creating knowledge and ensuring that research serves our collective good by aligning our collective strengths toward with a focus on the four initiatives outlined under the One VCU Research Strategic Priorities Plan:
Progressing into the third year of funding aimed at external impact, it is important to consider how to can empower missing voices, teams and talents to address grand challenges within our diverse community and beyond. VCU connects rural and urban communities, embracing its complex history to foster necessary change.
This year, we are pleased to offer the following funding opportunities:
VCU Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Fund: Supporting, facilitating and enhancing the creation, production and dissemination of arts, humanities and social sciences research.
VCU Breakthroughs Fund: Supporting transdisciplinary teams to design unique, creative and innovative large-scale approaches to confront humanity’s grand challenges.
VCU Quest Fund: Supporting new, emerging or continuing research in any discipline or area of research focus, particularly work that advances transdisciplinary research, multidisciplinary research, cross-campus collaboration and research with a high potential for translation to practice or market.
VCU Commercialization Fund: Dedicated to the advancement of VCU inventions with a goal of bringing projects to a more mature stage of development and improving their chances of being licensed and brought to market.
Strategic funds details and application instructions
Each of the following One VCU Research Strategic Priorities PlanFY 2024 Request for Applications (RFAs) outline the purpose, proposal requirements, deadlines and application processes.
Up to $50,000, inclusive of 25% unit cost share (required)
Up to $50,000
Program Category
Pilot/small project funds for part of a larger project
Large-scale program funding
Pilot/small project, funds for part of a larger project.
n/a
VCU Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Fund
Purpose: Through a partnership between the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, the VCU Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Fund is designed to support, facilitate and enhance the creation, production and dissemination of arts, humanities and social sciences research and creative activity at any stage of development, including initial or mid-stage project development, presentation or performance, and final publication. Apply for VCU AHSS Fund via RAMS-SPOT internal opportunities here.
Eligibility: Principal investigators must be any full-time VCU faculty regardless of rank or tenure status. Both single- and multi-scholar or artist grants are eligible.
Purpose:VCU Breakthroughs Fund (Breakthroughs) supports transdisciplinary teams to design unique, creative, and innovative large-scale approaches to confront societal grand challenges in alignment with the One VCU Research Strategic Priorities Plan. Successful projects are designed to reach very specific outcomes or establish the capability to compete for external funding upon award completion. Apply for VCU Breakthroughs Fund via RAMS-SPOT internal opportunities here.
Eligibility: Transdisciplinary research, including multiple principal investigators serving as co-PIs is required. This is defined as research that combines two or more areas of study into a seamless project. Co-PIs may be any full-time, primary appointment VCU faculty, research faculty or clinician researcher regardless of rank or tenure status. Clinician researchers must have a university faculty appointment to serve as a co-PI. Staff without affiliate faculty college/school appointments are not eligible to serve as a co-PI. Inclusive research teams encompassing meaningful participation of all members are strongly encouraged, including URM and/or minoritized faculty, early-stage investigators, trainees, and students. Projects must demonstrate alignment with a strategic priorities plan initiative, along with specific goal(s) and objective(s).
Purpose: The goal of the VCU Quest Fund (formerly the VCU Presidential Research Quest Fund) is to afford all faculty an internal funding opportunity to support new, emerging or continuing research. Research proposals that advance any discipline and area of research focus are appropriate for consideration. Requests for grant support may be based on a broad array of needs, from restarting an inactive research program to pilot studies that would produce preliminary results on which external grant applications could be based. Proposed work that helps advance transdisciplinary research, multidisciplinary research and cross-campus collaboration, as well as research that has the potential for translation to practice or market, is especially encouraged. Apply for VCU Quest Fund via RAMS-SPOT internal opportunities here.
Eligibility: The VCU Quest fund encourages trans- and multidisciplinary project proposals, as well as single-investigator projects. PIs may be any full-time, primary appointment VCU faculty, research faculty or clinician researcher regardless of rank or tenure status. Clinician researchers must have a university faculty appointment to serve as a co-PI. Staff without affiliate faculty college/school appointments are not eligible to serve as a PI. Inclusive research teams encompassing meaningful participation of all members are strongly encouraged, including URM and/or minoritized faculty, early-stage investigators, trainees and students.
The following stipulations include current and past Presidential Research Quest Fund awardees, as well as Quest awardees:
Faculty receiving a grant from the VCU Quest Fund as either a PI or co-PI must delay subsequent applications to the Quest for a specified time depending on their rank. Early-stage (pre-tenure) faculty may submit a second proposal three years from the termination date of their first award. Senior faculty (tenured) are required to wait four years from the termination date of their first award; and
No faculty member may receive more than two Quest awards in a 10-year period. Projects must demonstrate alignment with a Strategic Research Priorities Plan initiative, along with specific goal(s), and objective(s).
Questions: For specific questions about proposal budgets, cost-share commitments, school/college level review and endorsement signatures, contact your associate dean for research. All other questions may be directed to ovprifunds@vcu.edu.
VCU Commercialization Fund by TechTransfer and Ventures
Purpose: Through a partnership between the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, the VCU Transformative Learning Fund has been established to support the engagement of undergraduate students in faculty-led research, design or entrepreneur projects focused on finding solutions to societal challenges. The inaugural competition commits $200,000 to support the establishment of a university-level Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) initiative at VCU.
Eligibility: Principal investigators must be any full-time VCU faculty.
At VCU, research begins with boldness, creativity and ambition that is transforming innovation and improving the human condition. And, we are succeeding, changing who is shaping and creating knowledge and ensuring that research serves our collective good by aligning our collective strengths toward with a focus on the four initiatives outlined under the One VCU Research Strategic Priorities Plan: