Of the $38.6 million allocated to research endeavors in the University of Connecticut’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget, $3 million has been made available to university faculty for internal research grants, with a wealth of opportunities remaining open throughout the spring semester, according to UConn Today.
According to the Office of the Vice President for Research, “Our internal funding mechanisms are designed to competitively identify projects that fit our key funding criteria–projects that meet the highest disciplinary standards for excellence and are at a ‘tipping point’ where specific work can lead to breakthroughs, external funding, and/or significant recognition.”
The OVPR administers seven distinct funding opportunities according to different criteria and disciplines. Two categories remain open for application: the Scholarship Facilitation Fund (SFF) and the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Research Initiative (JEDI).
The Fall 2025 Scholarship Facilitation Fund is open to applicants of all disciplines looking to further projects in “research, scholarship and creative endeavors” who are currently employed at UConn Storrs or branch campuses, states the OVPR website. A maximum grant of $2,000 is available, with applications being accepted until noon on June 1. Thirty-two recipients were selected to receive funding for the SFF’s Spring 2025 cycle, according to the OVPR.
The OVPR’s JEDI grant is open to researchers looking to further initiatives regarding inclusivity in any field, with three phases of increasing funding opportunities available. Proposals for the first level of JEDI close on March 3 at noon. Those selected for the first level will receive a $5,000 grant and the chance to receive subsequent funding for the project’s development at $20,000 and $60,000 for phases two and three respectively, states the OVPR website.
Those interested in applying for either grant may schedule a time to meet with OVPR administrators at ovpr.uconn.edu.
Funding opportunities are not limited solely to UConn faculty, however, with a plethora of grants currently accepting applications from undergraduate students. Deadlines are nearing for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF), which will be open until Feb. 3. SURF recipients are allotted a grant of $5,500 to pursue a creative or research endeavor of their proposal during the summer of 2025.
UConn IDEA grants, open to students with an interest in, “creative endeavors, community service initiatives, entrepreneurial ventures, research projects, and other original and innovative projects,” will be open for application until March 14, according to the UConn IDEA website.
For a comprehensive list of the research funding opportunities offered to undergraduates, visit ugradresearch.uconn.edu.