Objectives
Duke University is committed to advancing faculty excellence by fostering an environment where all faculty can thrive, and the Office for Faculty Advancement (OFA) demonstrates that commitment by supporting faculty and their academic programs. Faculty Advancement Seed Grants are intended to provide a financial start for novel, faculty-led initiatives in academic units (schools, departments, divisions, centers and institutes) that 1) promote a vibrant and inclusive academic community, and 2) cultivate networks allowing faculty to form meaningful connections that advance their teaching and research. Successful seed grants are intended to have a positive impact on academic units and may continue beyond the scope of the award to become long-term initiatives.
Guidelines and Theme
The Office for Faculty Advancement is pleased to announce the theme of the seventh cycle of the Faculty Advancement Seed Grant Program: “Deepening Engagement and Improving the Faculty Experience.” Seed grant proposals will be accepted for review if they describe a project that seeks to address at least one of the following areas:
- A creative approach to strengthen faculty communities and relationships within and across faculty groups in Duke departments and schools.
- This covers all groups of faculty (including emeriti faculty) and colleagues with connections along lines of discipline, academic title, faculty rank, shared interests or any other relevant categories.
- Innovative initiatives to improve the culture in departments, centers and schools.
- This may include considering the culture in classrooms, labs, mentoring relationships, departmental practices and policies, etc.
- New faculty groups that foster thought and deepen engagement on topics relevant to the faculty experience.
- This may include any topic that is important to faculty success and advancement throughout the faculty career lifespan.
Please note that this initiative does not fund research projects or research collaborations.
Proposals that are successful will seek to explore issues and approaches that are directly related to the stated guidelines of this RFP. Examples of eligible activities are: workshops and programs, faculty curricular activities, structured affinity groups, resource development, symposia on topics and issues related to the faculty experience, outside speakers, book clubs, etc. OFA will offer ‘office hours’ to provide proposal support and discuss proposal ideas prior to submission.
Eligibility
All regular rank faculty in all schools1 and University Institutes, Initiatives & Centers (UICs) are eligible to apply to this program as Principal Investigators (PI). Seed grant projects must include activities that focus on university departments, institutes, initiatives or centers. Please refer to the FAQ with questions related to unit eligibility.
1School of Medicine faculty holding primary or secondary appointments in a Basic Science or university department, institute, initiative or center are eligible to apply as Principal Investigator. Clinical faculty may participate as Co-PIs in partnership with a faculty member who meets the eligibility criteria to serve as Principal Investigator. The eligible academic unit must hold a central role in the project proposal.
Funding
Seed grant awards typically range from $1,000 to $20,000. Faculty must be in good standing with the university at the time of submission and remain in good standing throughout the project period. Funds may be revoked should this status change.
Proposal Submission Requirements
- A project narrative, including a detailed project description and rationale, targeted participants, start date, end date and metrics of success.
- A one-page budget with a brief justification. Funds may not be used to support research projects or related activities, research collaborations, faculty effort, staff effort, travel, equipment or monetary distributions to support secondary or related projects. The involvement of work study students and other learners will be considered on a case-by-case basis. It is expected that funds will be spent in the 12-month period of the award cycle.
- A project timeline that provides a projection of progress and benchmarks in the award cycle.
- A letter of support from the PI’s unit leader (eg, Director/Chair/Dean/Vice Provost) addressing how the goals of the project are consistent with the unit’s long-term goals, as well as any plans for sustained project support following a successful conclusion of the award. For SoM clinical faculty who have eligible secondary university affiliations (see FAQ), a second letter is required from the eligible unit’s Director/Chair/Dean/Vice Provost. The letter must address how the project goals are consistent with the eligible unit’s long-term goals (note: the eligible unit must hold a central role in the seed grant proposal).
Submission Deadline and Form
The submission deadline is January 13, 2025. Please submit all proposals to the Office for Faculty Advancement using the online submission form.
Award Timeline
Funding notification: Late February 2025
Funding: March 2025
Project End: March 2026
Report Due: April 2026
Review Process
A review committee will evaluate proposals and make funding recommendations to the OFA Selection Committee.
Report
Awardees will complete a report at the end of the funding cycle that summarizes project activities, assesses outcomes, details budget expenses and describes efforts to sustain or build upon the successes of the seed grant project. Seed Grant Principal Investigators will receive the template for the report at the end of the grant cycle.
Contact
For questions about the Faculty Advancement Seed Grant Program, please contact Jennifer Goins, Senior Program Coordinator & Logistics Coordinator for the Duke Faculty Advancement Seed Grant Program (jennifer.goins@duke.edu). We invite you to attend OFA Seed Grant Office Hours to discuss project ideas:
- October 30, 1 - 2 p.m. (virtual)
- November 11, 2 - 3 p.m. (virtual) Register
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the role of the Principal Investigator (PI)? The PI is responsible for the execution of the award, including spending funds according to the expenses approved in the OFA award letter. Any award modifications must be approved by OFA prior to the use of awarded funds. The PI is also responsible for completing the project by the end of the award cycle.
2. Which items are not supported by the Faculty Advancement Seed Grant Program? Research projects, faculty effort, staff effort (see below), travel, and monetary distribution to support secondary or related projects are not allowable expenses.
3. Will the Faculty Advancement Seed Grant Program fund research projects? No. The Seed Grant Program is designed to build community and improve faculty experiences within and across academic units at Duke. Research proposals, research activities and proposals on topics unrelated to the Seed Grant theme will not be reviewed or considered for funding. For questions about support for research projects, please contact Duke Research and/or the Office of the Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies.
4. As a faculty member in the School of Nursing, am I eligible to apply for this program? Regular rank faculty in the School of Nursing are eligible to apply to the Faculty Advancement Seed Grant program. Clinical Instructors may not be Principal Investigators but may partner as a Co-PI on any submitted proposal. Please confirm your eligibility prior to submission.
5. As a faculty member in the School of Medicine, am I eligible to apply for this program? Faculty who hold primary or secondary appointments in a Basic Science or university department are eligible to apply to the Faculty Advancement Seed Grant program. Clinical faculty may participate as a Co-PI in partnership with a faculty member who meets the eligibility requirements to serve as a Principal Investigator. Please confirm your eligibility prior to submission.
6. As a faculty member in an institute, initiative or center, am I eligible to apply for this program? Faculty are eligible if they are associated with the following University Institutes, Initiatives and Centers through the Office of the Provost: Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute, Global Health Institute, The Kenan Institute for Ethics, the Margolis Institute for Health Policy, the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Social Science Research Institute, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Rhodes Information Initiative, Science and Society and the Center for Documentary Studies. More information can be found here.
7. I am a staff member. Am I allowed to be a PI? Staff may participate as a Co-PI in partnership with a faculty member who meets the eligibility requirements to serve as a Principal Investigator. Please confirm your eligibility prior to submission.
8. Is there a limit on the number of Co-PIs? PIs can appoint up to two co-PIs to help lead the Seed Grant project. Others involved with the project may be listed as team members.
9. How many grants do you plan to award? We anticipate supporting up to 10 proposals in this cycle.
10. I am the director of a center or unit. Do I still need to provide a letter of support? Yes, please include a letter of support from your Dean or Vice Provost.
11. Are there funding mechanisms for faculty who only hold clinical appointments in the School of Medicine or School of Nursing? Clinical faculty may be eligible for the following:
| Office of the Provost | School of Medicine |
|---|---|
| Office for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | |
12. As a School of Medicine PI (basic sciences) do I have to pay indirect costs? The School of Medicine has indirect costs associated with grant expenses. A waiver can be requested through the Dean.
13. Is alcohol an allowable expense? Please contact the Office for Faculty Advancement for approval prior to purchasing alcohol.
14. Are faculty effort and staff salaries allowable expenses? Faculty effort and staff salaries are not supported by the program due to the short-term nature of the funding mechanism and the potential conflict with research effort allocation. Faculty and staff may be compensated for contributing their disciplinary expertise to a project through an honorarium or a supplemental payment if their contribution is a necessary part of the project design.
15. Can I hire work study students or learners? The request to involve work study students and other learners will be reviewed by OFA within the context of the proposal and considered on a case-by-case basis. These hires must be approved by OFA before funds are used for their salaries. Reviewers will consider the role of students in the proposal, and determine if they will contribute skill sets (related to the project or administrative support) that are required for program success. Student contributions should not be tied to their stipend support or research/program requirements. Please check with your business manager for current rate ranges.
16. Can a PI make adjustments/modifications to the budget during the project year? The PI may submit a formal request to OFA to modify a project’s budget during the funding period. The request must include a justification for the change, a modified project timeline, and be submitted and approved prior to any project expenditures.
17. What are the types of deliverables or reports expected from awardees? At the end of the award cycle, OFA will request a final report describing the use of funds, the outcomes of the project, and a description of the engagement of the faculty, students, staff and community members involved with the project. OFA will provide a report template for submission.
18. Is it possible to access funds beyond the project period? The extended use of funds is not guaranteed and may vary between seed grant cycles. The PI should submit a written request with a justification for extended access, as well as a timeline for spending and a modified budget. The request for extended use must be submitted and approved prior to any use of funds beyond the project end date.