OVPR Funding & Awards
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) provides approximately $5 million in funding and awards annually to support and nurture the University’s systemwide research enterprise.
The following grants and awards are open to all campuses and are supported by funds from a variety of sources, including technology commercialization revenue. Grant proposals are reviewed by a committee of UMN peers.
| Grant Programs | Eligibility | Application Timing |
| Artist-in-Residence | UMN faculty in art-related fields | Aug-Sept 2023 |
| Grant-in-Aid | UMN faculty |
Spring: Jan-Feb Summer Bridge Funding: May-June Fall: Aug-Sept |
| Research Infrastructure | UMN faculty and staff | Mar-April 2023 |
| Social Justice Impact Grants | UMN faculty | Feb-Mar 2023 |
| Award Programs | Eligibility | Application Timing |
| Innovation Impact Case Award |
UMN faculty P&A employees Other staff |
April-May 2023 |
| Research Technical Staff Award |
Research technical staff Not eligible: tenured, tenure track, clinical track, and research track faculty; administrators; postdocs; students |
Aug-Sept 2023 |
See this quick guide to OVPR Funding & Awards for 2023.
Grants
Artist-in-Residence
The Artist-in-Residence program lies at the intersection of art and science. The program will begin in fall 2023. More information about the opportunity and application process will be made available in April 2023.
Grant-in-Aid
The Grant-in-Aid of Research, Artistry, and Scholarship program promotes the research, scholarly, and artistic activities of faculty and supports academic excellence throughout the University.
Research Infrastructure
The Research Infrastructure Investment Program provides funding that supports research infrastructure.
Social Justice Impact Grants
The Social Justice Impact Grants (SJIG) aim to catalyze rigorous, solution-oriented research on social justice topics, including criminal justice reform, housing segregation/gentrification, systemic racism, achievement gaps, health disparities, environmental justice, and related topics.
Awards
Innovation Impact Case Award
The Innovation Impact Case Award recognizes research that has led to significant impact outside of academia and has made a meaningful difference in our communities.
Research Technical Staff Award
The Research Technical Staff Award recognizes staff for their distinguished service to the research community and celebrates exemplary leadership that positively impacted their colleagues and advanced the University's mission.
Other OVPR Funding
Matching Funds
OVPR provides Matching Funds for certain grant proposals to external sponsors on an ongoing basis.
Affiliated Centers, Institutes & Initiatives
The following groups offer funding opportunities for UMN faculty, staff, and students.
MnDRIVE
The MnDRIVE program offers a range of funding opportunities for UMN researchers. See the research areas pages (Robotics, Global Food, Environment, Brain Conditions, Cancer Clinical Trials) for available funding.
U of M Informatics Institute
The University of Minnesota Informatics Institute (UMII) offers funding opportunities and fellowships for data-intensive research.
Inactive Grant Programs
The following OVPR grant programs are currently on hiatus or are no longer actively seeking applicants.
COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants
The COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants were offered to catalyze and energize small-scale research projects designed to address and mitigate the risk associated with the coronavirus pandemic, including cascading impacts in communities. Currently inactive.
International Institute for Biosensing
The International Institute for Biosensing (IIB) promotes the convergence of research in biological disciplines and physical domains including the materials, components and systems. Currently inactive.
Minnesota Futures
The Minnesota Futures program advances new, collaborative research by fostering opportunities for researchers to cross disciplinary and professional boundaries and respond to emerging interdisciplinary research and scholarship. Currently on hiatus. Currently on hiatus.