June 11, 2020

VUMC Limited Submission Opportunity: W. M. Keck Foundation Research Program; deadline is June 15

VUMC Limited Submission Opportunity

W.M. Keck Foundation Research Program - Fall 2020

Applications due June 15

 VUMC: These instructions are for VUMC investigators. VU investigators should apply through InfoReady and address any questions to VU-LSO@vanderbilt.edu.

Overview:

VUMC may submit one proposal in science and engineering research for the W.M. Keck Foundation Research Program. (Internal proposals in medical research are not being solicited in this cycle.) The goal of the program is to benefit humanity by supporting work that has a distinctive and novel approach, questions a prevailing paradigm or has the potential to break open new territory in a field. Grants are typically awarded for roughly $1 million, and abstracts from previously funded proposals can be found here.

Program priorities for funding:

  • Focus on important and emerging areas of research
  • Have the potential to develop breakthrough technologies, instrumentation or methodologies
  • Are innovative, distinctive and interdisciplinary
  • Demonstrate a high level of risk due to unconventional approaches or by challenging the prevailing paradigm
  • Have the potential for transformative impact, such as the founding of a new field of research, the enabling of observations not previously possible or the altered perception of a previously intractable problem
  • Does not focus on clinical or translational research, treatment trials or research for the sole purpose of drug development
  • Fall outside the mission of public funding agencies
  • Demonstrate that private philanthropy generally, and the W. M. Keck Foundation in particular, is essential to the project’s success

Internal application process:

Anyone interested in being considered as VUMC’s nominee must submit the following (in PDF format) to LSO@vanderbilt.edu by 5 p.m. on June 15.

  1. One-page concept paper (see guidelines below)
  2. Statement of support from department chair/center director;
    1. Letter must acknowledge that this grant does not allow indirect costs. This statement can be used/modified: “The department recognizes that this grant does not allow indirect costs and will commit to covering any associated indirect costs per applicable institutional policy.”
  3. NIH Biosketch

Concept paper requirements: Note that only “Science and Engineering” proposals are being solicited in this cycle.

  • Must be single page with 12-point font and 1-inch margins
  • Include an overview of the proposed project emphasizing any unique aspects and pilot studies
  • Include a description of the methodologies and key personnel
  • Include a brief justification of the need for Keck support. Competitive proposals will provide evidence that proposed research is a poor fit for federal funding opportunities, i.e. reviewer comments or program officer discussion.
  • Include an estimated budget broken down, if possible, by major areas, e.g., personnel, equipment, consumable supplies, etc. (Budgets can be rough approximations at this stage.)

Any questions about this opportunity or the LSO process may be directed to LSO@vanderbilt.edu.