Overview
The goal of the CPRC seed grant program is to help faculty lay the groundwork for intellectually innovative population research to the point where they can attract external funding. Projects supported through this program can be used for various activities that will promote an externally funded grant application, such as pilot data collection and support for a research assistant to conduct data analysis for a publication and/or proposal development tasks.
The program is made possible by funds from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD), the Columbia University Office of the Provost, the Executive Vice President for Arts and Sciences, and the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy (ISERP).
Priority is given to:
- Proposals with a strong plan to apply for external funding.
- Proposals from junior faculty. These should preferably include mentorship by a senior faculty member.
- Proposals that will lead to an application for funding from the Population Dynamics Branch (PDB) of NICHD.
- Priority is also given to applicants who are active participants in CPRC’s intellectual community (participating in seminars, events, etc.)
Review Criteria
The most competitive applications fit the priority areas above and meet the following criteria:
Respond to CPRC’s substantive areas of interest.
- CPRC Primary Research Areas: Children, Youth, and Families, Climate and Environment, Immigration/Migration, Reproductive Health & HIV/AIDS, and Urbanism and Neighborhoods
- Cross-Cutting Theme on Inequalities: Research on inequalities and policies to mitigate those inequalities.
Represent a collaboration between two or more CPRC members.
Include a detailed plan for applying for external funding
Award Amount and Budget Period
Up to $20,000 may be awarded, but many projects request amounts considerably below that level. Seed grant funding is limited to funding direct costs of research. Awards are for a period of one year, with the potential for no-cost extensions if justified and allowed by the funding source. Seed grant funding may not be used for faculty release time, faculty summer salary, or computer purchases.
Note that, as has always been the case, seed grants awarded by CPRC need to be approved by NIH before funding can be disbursed. Please keep this in mind when you write your proposal.
Deadline
Please submit your application to [email protected]. Applicants will typically be notified within one month of submission.
Submit your application
Please use the template below to submit your application.
What projects has CPRC sponsored in the past?
- Please review our list of past seed grant awards.
Are postdoctoral researchers eligible to apply?
- Only full-time faculty and research scholars/scientists at Columbia University are eligible to apply.
Who is considered junior faculty?
- Faculty on a tenure-track appointment, who have not yet received tenure, and early career research scholars/scientists.
Can CPRC facilitate a connection to a senior mentor?
- Yes. If you have a research proposal and would like to identify a senior mentor, please reach out to [email protected] within two weeks of the deadline and we will do our best to facilitate a connection.
Do I need IRB approval prior to submitting the application?
- Research projects involving human subjects must maintain Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. If your project does not involve interaction with human subjects or identifiable data, you must still apply for exemption from the relevant IRB. While proposals that have not yet undergone IRB review will be considered for funding, no funds will be disbursed until CPRC has received a copy of your project's IRB approval letter, IRB letter of exemption, or demonstration of a Not Human Subjects Research designation. Due to the conditions of CPRC's own IRB approval, there are no exceptions to this requirement.