Seed Grant Program

Fall 2024

The Center for Vertebrate Genomics (CVG) is pleased to open the Fall 2024 competition for seed grants. This year, CVG has funding to provide 2 awards of $30,000 each and 3 awards of $20,000 each.

Seed grants are intended to support genome-scale studies that stimulate collaborations within Cornell, particularly those involving computational and experimental scientists, and ultimately strengthen extramural grant applications that feature vertebrate genomics research. The larger awards are intended to provide an opportunity for researchers to assemble highly competitive single-PI or multi-PI grant applications to external funding agencies.

While the CVG is focused on vertebrates, we will consider applications on invertebrates, especially if: (a) there is clarity about how the study of the invertebrate will substantively inform understanding of vertebrate biology down the road, and (b) the application comes from a lab with clear past and/or current commitment to bridging invertebrate and vertebrate biology.

CVG encourages applicants to leverage the increasing number of genomic resources and facilities available on campus. This includes but is not limited to the TREx Facility, the Genomics Innovation Hub, and the BRC Genomics Facility. If you are not funded by the CVG in this round, we encourage you to apply the following year or to consider seed grant opportunities offered by the Genomics Innovation Hub or the Institute for Biotechnology.

Application Procedure

Eligibility

The PI for the proposal must be an active faculty member of the CVG and, if not a tenure track professor, must hold an academic title such as Research Professor that qualifies to apply independently for external funding. However, the project may involve a collaborator that is not a CVG faculty member.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are reviewed by the seed funding committee and the center director. Selections will be made based on the following criteria:

Emphasis on genome-scale biology
Quality and promise of the project
Likelihood that the data obtained will increase extramural fundability
Need of the investigator
Collaborative/interdisciplinary projects, particularly those involving computational and experimental scientists
Active involvement of the PI and his/her lab in CVG activities
Track record with previous CVG funding
Proposed use of university genomic resources and facilities

Application Package

Cover page which should include:

Project title
PI name
Co-PI/collaborator names, if applicable
Total Requested Budget

Project Summary (limited to 5 pages) which should include:

Introduction summarizing the motivations and circumstances behind the request.
Project Aims
Background and Significance
Project Plan and Methods Used
External Funding Potential: How you expect the results to translate into external funding. If applicable, describe if the seed grant application is intended to generate prelimiary data in preparation to respond to an RFA from a funding agency, and please provide the application deadline for that RFA.
Supporting Figures and Tables which may be embedded in the previous sections.

Proposed Budget Detail and Budget Justification: Applicants should budget either for $30K or $20K; whichever is the best fit for the proposed work. Some applications with a $30K budget may receive partial funding at $20K if the review committee feels $20K will be sufficient to execute most of the proposed work.
Supplemental Material which may include:

Letters of support from collaborators
PI Biosketches or CVs
IACUC protocol required for model organism studies.
IBC approval required for recombinant studies.
References

Application DUE DATE: October 31, 2024 at 5:00pm

Please submit your application as a PDF file via email to Charlotte Williams at cw25@cornell.edu. Please reduce the file size if it exceeds 10 MB.