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School of Medicine Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Medical School

Funding Opportunities

Finding Funding

Physician experimenting

School of Medicine Bridge Grant Award

Objective

To provide funds to principal investigators who have had sustained support and productivity through extramural, peer–reviewed funding, whose funding has lapsed, and who are judged to be competitive to renew funding for their established research through such awards in the future. These funds will serve as “bridge grants” to facilitate successful applications that secure future external funding. NIH K awardees will be considered for bridge funding on a case–by–case basis.

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Eligibility

Applicants must be members of the faculty of the School of Medicine of VCU who have had NIH or comparable awards and must be eligible for such an award at the time of the bridge grant application. Bridge funding will be for up to one year and can begin anytime after the current/previous funding has lapsed.

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Directions

An application should consist of the following components:

  1. Letter of Endorsement from the Department Chair indicating that applicant’s salary and research time will be protected by the Department and detailing any other investment the Department will make toward this research. For example, matching funds would be desirable.
  2. Letter from the PI that details his/her current situation, plans for future funding, a budget indicating the amount of funds requested along with how they will be used (as in an NIH application) and a budget justification (Two page limit). Funds should support supplies, animals or key personnel. Funds may not support the principal investigator’s salary or indirect costs. Budgets up to $50,000 will be considered by the review committee. Under special circumstances, expanded budgets will be considered.
  3. Complete CV of applicant, including current and pending grants.
  4. Copy of current or most recent grant application(s) of the applicant.
  5. Copy of critique(s) of applicant’s most recently reviewed grant submission(s).
  6. Copies of any other pertinent correspondence relating to the grant application.

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Submission

The application materials should be submitted electronically (PDF files preferred) to:
Lawrence B. Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D. [E-mail]: lschwart@vcu.edu.

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Selection

Award selections are made by the Dean of the School of Medicine based in part on recommendations made by the Sponsored Research Advisory Committee.

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Submission Deadline

Applications are accepted at any time by the Sponsored Research Advisory Committee.

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Announcement of Awards to Applicants

Immediately after the Dean’s decision.

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Award Payment to Recipients

As specified in the Dean’s decision letter.

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Terms

This award will fund a research project for which previous funding has lapsed. The grant is intended to help an investigator secure future funding for this line of research. Awards may be used for services, animals, supplies and salary for key personnel associated with the research project. Indirect costs are not provided. The salary of the principal investigator should be supported by the Department. The Department also is expected to protect the research time of the applicant. If NIH or comparable funding is renewed or awarded during the period of this Bridge Grant, the Research Advisory Committee should be notified immediately such that unused bridge award funds can be awarded to another applicant.

Funding is restricted to a maximum term of one year.

For additional information, contact Lawrence Schwartz (Chair, Sponsored Research Advisory Committee) at 804-828-9685 or [E-mail]: lbschwar@vcu.edu or Gordon Archer (Associate Dean for Research) by or [E-mail]: garcher@vcu.edu.

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