Research and Innovation at The University of Toledo

Full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty who will remain at the University during the following academic year are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to untenured tenure-track faculty. Tenured faculty may also apply; however, associate and full professors should clearly demonstrate how the proposed project will either contribute to advancement toward higher national stature through a significant contribution to the discipline or move the investigator into a promising new area of research or scholarship.

Faculty may not receive more than two of any major seed grant awards as Principal Investigator over any seven-year period, and faculty may not receive any major seed grant awards as Principal Investigator in two consecutive years.

Project period of up to 12 months. Funding will be available in mid April with project end date 12 months after start date of mid April.

Allowable expenses may include summer salary and associated fringe benefits for eligible faculty, student support, travel, equipment, materials and supplies, and other reasonable research or scholarly expenses consistent with University policy. Summer salary may not exceed six weeks. Faculty receiving summer fellowship support must have a minimum of six weeks during the summer in which they are not teaching. Twelve-month faculty are not eligible for salary support.

Proposals must be submitted through InfoReady.

Files to upload include: 

• 1 page | Abstract written for a general audience that summarizes the project and expected outcomes; maximum 250 words, single-spaced.
• 6 pages | Project description
• 2 pages | References, single-spaced.
• 2 pages | Budget justification.
• 5 pages | Biosketch required for the PI; optional for co-investigators.
• No page limit | Final reports for applicable prior internal awards during the past five years, if this legacy requirement is retained.
• No appendix materials or letters of support will be accepted.

• Completion of the proposed research, scholarly, or creative activities and achievement of the major project objectives.
• A defined research or scholarly strategy describing how the funded work contributes to the investigator's longer-term agenda.
• Research findings, scholarly products, creative outputs, preliminary evidence, new methodologies, capabilities, or other tangible results appropriate to the discipline.
• Evidence of professional advancement resulting from the investment, particularly for early-career investigators.
• Identification of the next stage of the investigator's research or scholarly program and the activities necessary to advance it.
• Where appropriate, identification of potential external sponsors, programs, partnerships, or other sources of sustained support.
• A documented next-step plan for translating the investment into continued research productivity, professional growth, external support, or advancement within the investigator's field.

What Success Looks Like

A successful Research Awards and Fellowships investment should leave the investigator with more than a completed project. It should result in a stronger and more clearly defined research or scholarly trajectory, tangible evidence or scholarly outputs, and a credible strategy for continued advancement.

Central Question: Has this investment helped the investigator establish or advance a research agenda capable of sustained growth?

The Research Council broadly represents all disciplines on campus. Therefore, it is important that the proposal clearly communicates the goals of the project to the readership.