The Research Facility Support Grants (RFSG) competition provides funding for the operation, maintenance, replacement, repair or upgrade of equipment used in UBC facilities to support research.
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The RFSGs are one-year grants of up to $50,000 intended to enhance UBC research, training, and equipment sustainability.
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Researchers located on the UBC Vancouver campus and affiliated hospital sites are eligible to apply.
The 2022/23 competition is now closed.
Application deadline: October 24, 2022
The 2022/23 RFSG competition has been refined to allow applicants to apply for the support of equipment shared either 1) by several researchers OR 2) as part of a research facility delivering services to a wide range of users. Information is provided below to help applicants choose the most suitable category in which to apply.
Eligibility
Researchers located on the UBC Vancouver campus and affiliated hospital sites are eligible to apply. The lead applicant must be a UBC Faculty member who currently holds NSERC, CIHR, and/or SSHRC research funding, and may only submit one application to the RFSG competition. Shared research platforms that already receive support from VPRI cannot receive funds from this competition.
Facility category
A research facility must meet criteria #1 and #2 and one or more of criteria #3, #4 or #5 for the purpose of this competition.
- The facility offers services or access to instruments to a range of users that extends beyond the usual collaborators of the faculty member directing the facility and across various disciplines.
- The facility must not currently have significant institutional support or have more than 20% left in its Infrastructure Operating Funds.
- The facility has a publicly available fee structure published online and can provide past records to show that most users are invoiced using this fee structure.
- The facility has its own its own worktag(s) in Workday, separate from a research worktag.
- The facility has staff solely dedicated to providing service to users or maintaining the facility.
Shared equipment category
Applications in this category are for shared equipment that is not part of a facility as described above and must be used by three (3) or more principal investigators (PIs), with at least one currently holding NSERC, CIHR, and/or SSHRC research funding.
Eligible Expenses
Eligible expenses include:
- Materials, supplies, replacement of broken parts, and minor upgrades essential to the operation and maintenance of the facility or shared equipment.
- Bridge funding for salaries of technical and professional research support staff employed to operate and maintain a facility and provide assistance to users. The need and justification for any bridge funding should be clearly described, including the nature and timing of currently held and potential future funding.
Note: bridge funding is available to facilities only and shall only be granted to a facility once within its lifetime.
Ineligible expenses include:
- Service contracts
- Purchase of new scientific instruments
AWARD DETAILS
A total funding envelope of $750,000 is available for this competition. Successful applicants will be notified by November 30, 2022, and funds will be distributed shortly thereafter. Awards must be spent by November 30, 2023. Successful applicants will be required to submit a brief online report through UBC Research + Innovation Apply confirming use of funds and impact of the award by February 1, 2024.
online Application PROCESS
To apply to the RFSG competition, the lead applicant must log in to VPRI’s online application system UBC Research + Innovation Apply using their campus wide login (CWL), and follow the instructions provided. Once the application has been initiated, the lead applicant may invite co-applicants with a CWL to contribute using the “add collaborator” button located in the left side block. Applications can be saved and completed at a later date before final submission, and can be downloaded as a PDF at any time. Each section must be marked as complete before the lead applicant can submit the application. Applications must be submitted by the end of the day, October 24, 2022.
Application components:
- Applicant/ Facility information
- Use of Facility or Equipment (400 words max)
- Training Opportunities (200 words max)
- Research Excellence (500 words max)
- Two-page biosketch CVs for primary applicant and two co-applicants (shared equipment stream ONLY)
- Need for Support (500 words max)
- Confirmation of Departmental/Faculty in-kind and/ or cash support (optional; up to 3 letters max)
- Contribution to EDI goals (300 words max)
- Contribution to Sustainability goals (300 words max)
- Budget information with vendor quotes
- Upload signed RPIF
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Specific assessment criteria and their weighting for the RFSG are:
- Use of the facility by the greater UBC research community, or impact of the shared equipment on the research progress a group of principal investigators; (20%)
- Evidence of high-quality training supported by a facility, or use of shared equipment; (20%)
- Evidence of research excellence within the past 5 years directly supported by a research facility, or by a group of principal investigators who share the equipment; (20%)
- Demonstrated need of funding for the facility or shared equipment, to support UBC research programs; (20%)
- EDI considerations are addressed (10%)
- The request is aligned with sustainability principles (10%)
Questions should be directed to the Manager, Internal Research Competitions, Dr. Stacey Herzer.
TIMELINE
Sept 20, 2022: Competition launch
October 24, 2022, 11:59 pm PT: Applications due
November 30, 2022: Notification of results
November 30, 2023: All funds must be spent
February 1, 2024: Final report due