Bridge Funding

Sections:

Purpose
Who Is Eligible
Awards
How to Apply
How to Submit
Questions About Bridge Funding?

Purpose:

To sustain research projects that have lost extramural funding, the Bridge program provides one-time support to eligible Principal Investigators (PI) to assist with re-establishing external funding.

Beginning fall 2006, applications for Bridge Funding will be considered four times per year. Deadlines are 5:00 p.m. on the first of November, February, April, and August. If the first falls on a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on the next business day.

Bridge support is intended only for those PIs who have experienced a significant reduction from extramural sources. A funding reduction or shortfall is insufficient by itself to establish eligibility.

Because a primary objective is to keep experienced research teams together, priority will be given when project staffing will be lost without a temporary infusion of funds.

Awards will be competitive and all applications may not be funded.

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Who is Eligible:

A PI is eligible for Bridge Program funding, provided he/she:

has lost, or will lose most of his/her extramural funding within six months of the Bridge application deadline;
received continuous extramural funding from peer-reviewed sources during the five years preceding the request;
has made substantial efforts to re-establish funding, and in the opinion of the Dean is likely to be funded again;
is a member of the Academic Senate.

Exceptions to eligibility may be made by the Vice Chancellor for Research under unusual circumstances.

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Awards:

Awards will be granted for a maximum of one year or until the grantee re-establishes funding from other sources, whichever comes first.

Consideration will be given to need, the Dean's assessment, and the strength of the overall research program.
Individual grants will be for a maximum of $30,000 - $50,000 per year, or the average annual direct costs received by the PI from peer-reviewed extramural grants during the previous five years, whichever is less.
In calculating previous grant support, only funds from federal or other funding agencies with rigorous peer review will be considered.
Awards will be made in consultation with academic Deans.
Requests that provide evidence of a cost-sharing commitment by the School or the Department will receive a higher priority for funding.
When extramural funding is re-established, all unspent funds must be returned to the Bridge Program to assist other investigators.

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How to Apply:

To evaluate applications for Bridge Funding, the Office of Research requests the following:

Description of PI's funding history for the last five years, current financial needs, and attempts to re-establish funding. The application does not need to describe in detail the research for which funding is requested because this program does not evaluate research quality per se.
Agency comments on unfunded proposals, priority scores and pay lines.
A detailed budget of proposed expenditures and evidence of a scaled back, minimal research budget to enable the lab's continuance.
- Assistance can be requested for the following expense categories:
  - Supplies
  - Animal Care
  - Salaries/Benefits for research support personnel (excluding graduate student researchers).
- Bridge Funds cannot be used for:
  - Travel
  - To cover budget overdrafts
  - PI and co-PI salaries (including Summer salaries)
  - Graduate Student Researchers
  - Administrative costs (i.e., school and departmental surcharges)
A two-page CV and complete publication list.
A transmittal memo from the applicant's Chair or Dean that includes an assessment of the likelihood of future funding, a financial plan for continuation of the research in the event extramural funding is not obtained, and evidence that the department/school is contributing to the continuance of research operations in an appropriate manner (e.g., graduate student support).

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How to Submit:

Applications should be submitted via the PI’s Dean to or@rgs.uci.edu as an e-mail attachment addressed to Vice Chancellor Susan V. Bryant.

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the deadline dates of November 1^st, February 1^st, April 1^st, and August 1^st. If the 1^st falls on a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted on the next business day.

Applicants will be notified of decisions within 30 days of the deadline.

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