MSU Internal Funding Opportunities

Internal Grants

The Grant Proposal System is used for submitting proposals for research funding programs administered by the Office for Research and Innovation. These programs are funded through the generosity of the Michigan State University Research Foundation.

Visit the FAQ page for commonly asked questions on the Grant Proposal System.

Grant Proposal System

The preferred web browser for submitting internal grant applications is Google Chrome.

Discretionary Funding Initiative (DFI)

The DFI program provides bridge funds for tenure-stream faculty for additional studies needed for resubmission of a grant application to the same funding agency.

To request funding from this program, faculty should submit a proposal via the grant proposal system. Applicants will be expected to provide copies of their previous external reviews, if applicable, and describe the work that will be completed to address the comments provided in those documents. The research associate dean of the applicant's college (lead college if appointed in multiple colleges) will review applications and submit a prioritized list to the Office of Research and Innovation (OR&I). Requests for support approved by the research associate deans will be reviewed by the OR&I.

For details about the DFI program, please visit the Grant Proposal System (GPS) site.

2023-2024 DFI Schedule

DFI Session I RFA – August 11, 2023
DFI Session I Application Deadline - September 14, 2023
DFI Session I Funding Announcement - November 8, 2023
DFI Session II RFA – February 1, 2024
DFI Session II Applications Deadline - March 14, 2024
DFI Session II Funding Announcements - May 1, 2024

Humanities and Arts Research Program (HARP)

HARP Development

Provides funds to support faculty who are conducting important research leading to creative and performance projects or activities in the arts and humanities. This limited funding is designed to support faculty in the development of projects that seem likely to enhance the reputation of the faculty member and the university.

HARP Production

Provides funds, when research is complete, to help subsidize the costs of book publication, permissions to use copyrighted materials, CD recording and production, the creation and mounting of exhibits, and other expenses associated with producing the results of a complete creative or research project.

HARP Large-Scale

The HARP Large-Scale Project program will fund one award up to $100,000 each academic year to support a faculty or a team of faculty engaged in an exceptional large-scale creative and performance projects or activities in the arts and humanities. This limited funding is designed to support faculty in the final stages of the development of projects that seem likely to enhance the reputation of the faculty member and the university, and lead to international distribution of a performance or product.

For details about all of the HARP programs, please visit the Grant Proposal System (GPS) site.

2023-2024 HARP Schedule

Production Session I RFA – August 11, 2023
Development RFA – August 11, 2023
Large-Scale Project RFA - August 11, 2023
Production Session I Deadline - September 14, 2023
Development Deadline - October 5, 2023
Large-Scale Project Deadline - October 5, 2023
Production Session I Funding Announcement - December 6, 2023
Production Session II RFA – December 7, 2023
Large-Scale Project Funding Announcement - December 20, 2023
Production Session II Deadline - January 25, 2024
Development Funding Announcement - February 2, 2024
Production Session II Funding Announcement - April 3, 2024

Strategic Partnership Grants (SPG)

The SPG program provides funding for major projects in key areas of research, scholarship and creative activities.

Michigan State University recognizes the value of supporting and nurturing faculty engaging in leading-edge research and scholarship initiatives. These initiatives must be of a caliber that positions the faculty to compete for significant external funding, including the development of research ideas with significant commercial potential, and to raise the stature of the university. Some of these initiatives may have strong potential to develop into a center or institute-level research program.

For 2022-2023, two SPG programs will be made available:

Research and Scholarly Development:

Intended to support the efforts of a faculty team to pursue an innovative, early phase research or scholarly direction, to develop broad community or global impact of an applied research or scholarly effort, and/or to undertake a potentially high risk, high reward research initiative. Proposed future sustainable funding sources and a link to specific solicitation(s) of interest to the team should be identified in the proposal.

Center Development:

Intended to support the assembly of a faculty team, with a track record of working together on shared goals, and delivery of related results, as evidence of their preparedness to secure significant external funding that would support a center or large multidisciplinary program. Proposed future sustainable funding sources and a link to specific solicitation(s) of interest to the team should be identified in the proposal.

For details about the SPG programs, please visit the Grant Proposal System (GPS) site.

2023-2024 SPG Schedule

SPG Pre-Proposal RFA – August 11, 2023
SPG Pre-Proposal Deadline - September 8, 2023
Invitations to submit SPG full proposals - November 22, 2023
SPG Full Proposal Deadline - January 18, 2024
SPG Announcement of Proposals Presented to the MSU Research Foundation - April 24, 2024

Other MSU Funding Opportunities

Aitch Foundation Fellowships in Cancer Research (Graduate Students only)

The Aitch Foundation provides graduate student support for work in cancer research. Funds may be used to provide a graduate assistantship, but additional support for fringe benefits (tuition, fees, insurance) will not be provided, and it is expected that supplemental support will come from the research mentor. The program is administered through the Office of Research and Innovation (OR&I). Details about the program and how to apply may be found on the OR&I website. Application materials were due April 29, 2022.

Center for Business and Social Analytics

Michigan State University Center for Business and Social Analytics requests proposals for “Innovations in Business and Social Analytics,” to provide start-up and bridging funds for multi-college research teams that are using innovative methods to tackle grand challenges in the social world.

Climate Change Research Support Program

The MSU Office for Research and Innovation (OR&I) requests concept notes for the MSU-OR&I Climate Change Research Support Program. This program is an important initial funding mechanism to support promising new initiatives in key areas of research, scholarship, and multidisciplinary collaboration in response to the global climate crisis. Requests for Team Building Activities will be accepted continuously beginning immediately and continue until funds are exhausted. Requests for Research Seed Funding were due September 9, 2022.

Creating Inclusive Excellence Grants

The Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (IDI) provides funding through the CIEG program to colleges, as well as other academic and administrative units, individuals and groups to engage in efforts that will enhance the overall learning, living and working environment for students, faculty and staff at MSU and will demonstrably benefit students and create a more inclusive campus community for all. Learn more about the program and how to apply at the IDI website.

HFH+MSU Health Sciences Collaborative Funding

The HFH + MSU Cancer Committee is interested in receiving unique and collaborative grant proposals that combine the clinical expertise and the scientific strengths of both HFH and MSU. Pilot Grants fund up to $25,000 or Integration Grants fund between $50,000 and $100,000 for 12 months. These awards are intended to encourage exploratory/developmental research for the early stages of project development in areas of basic, clinical, behavioral and/or population research. Letters of intent for both pilot awards and integration grants were due Jan. 7, 2022.

Institute for Public Policy and Social Research

MSU's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) accepts research proposals from MSU faculty for up to $30,000 grants on an annual basis. The program typically distributes $150,000 per year. The purpose of the Michigan Applied Public Policy Research (MAPPR) grant program is to link the work of faculty to current policy discussions. The outcome of the grant program creates an information exchange between research and practice.

International Studies and Programs (ISP)

ISP provides a number of opportunities for faculty including travel funding, project funding, and Fulbright Programs. ISP also offers student funding through a wide array of travel grants and scholarships.

Molecular Discovery Grants

MSU Drug Discovery typically accepts proposals each fall. The RFA with instructions for applying are posted on the group's website.

The MSU Drug Discovery staff will hold an information session (date TBD) to discuss the MDG process and answer any questions - watch for an upcoming announcement. Until then, please view the website for updates, a list of previous awardees, and more information about MSU Drug Discovery.

MTRAC AgBio Innovation Challenge

The MTRAC AgBio Innovation Challenge is a new technology concept competition designed to match the fitness of university-developed emerging technologies to validated, near-term market applications in agriculture, biomaterials, and industrial and environmental (i.e., non-medical) biotechnology markets. This scope of opportunities is referred to herein as “AgBio”. The purpose of the Challenge is to help the MTRAC program assess technology-market risks and opportunities. Proposals are due September 8, 2023.

NEOGEN Land Grant Prize (Graduate Students only)

Funded by a gift from former Provost and Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, Dr. John E. Cantlon, and his wife Carolyne Irene Cantlon, this endowed award program seeks to advance the work of an MSU graduate student whose research has the potential to contribute to economic and scientific improvements in society, with a promise of practical applications that benefit U.S. economic interests. Learn more on the Research and Innovation website.

Pilot Funding for Clinical and/or Translational Research

The MSU Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute offers Pilot Funding for Clinical and/or Translational Research. Please review the criteria for funding and the process of submitting a proposal.

Science and Society @ State

The S3 (Science and Society @ State) Interdisciplinary Seed Grant supports new or emerging interdisciplinary collaborations between MSU’s science studies scholars (sociologists/historians/anthropologists/artists/etc. who study science) and STEM/health scholars. These interdisciplinary seed grants help create opportunities for collaborative research projects between the scholars working within a scientific/medical field, and the humanists, artists or social scientists who study that field.

Spectrum Health - MSU Alliance Funding

In 2007, Spectrum Health and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (CHM) formed the Alliance to facilitate collaborative efforts in clinical research and education between the two institutions. Since that time, the Alliance has contributed over $21 million towards supporting joint initiatives to bring innovative and novel research projects to our West Michigan community.

The Alliance is announcing a Spring 2023 funding opportunity with Letters of Intent due April 28, 2023. The Alliance is particularly interested in receiving unique and collaborative science proposals that combine both the clinical expertise of Spectrum Health and the scientific strengths of MSU. Learn more about the current funding opportunity on the Research and Innovation website.

Trifecta Initiative Facilitating Funds (TIFF)

Trifecta offers up to $8,000 ($10,000 in some cases) for interdisciplinary teams of MSU faculty. The PI must be from one of the Trifecta colleges (MSU's College of Nursing, College of Engineering, and College of Communication Arts & Sciences) and the team must include a member from a different Trifecta Initiative college.

If your unit offers internal funding for MSU faculty research and creative activities, please contact research@msu.edu, so that grant opportunities and application deadlines can be posted.

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