JHU COVID-19 Research Accelerator Grants

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the academic community in many ways, including in research productivity. Early career faculty, particularly women and underrepresented minorities, have been disproportionately affected (1,2,3,4,5). To provide additional support to faculty who have been affected by the pandemic, the university has launched the JHU COVID-19 Research Accelerator Grant program to support humanists, and social and behavioral scientists, as they reinvigorate research programs and complete significant projects put on hold during the pandemic.

This program is co-funded by the Office of the President and managed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research.  We intend to award approximately 50 Research Accelerator Grants through the program. Awardees will need to obtain matching financial support from their division (center, institute, department, school) upon selection for a research accelerator grant. To date, 25 accelerator grants have been awarded.

Eligibility

Tenured, tenure-track, or similar (e.g. School of Education full-time faculty) assistant and associate professors, BSPH scientists, and SOM instructors whose work is primarily in the humanities and related disciplines, or the social and behavioral sciences but whose work does not necessarily involve human subjects are eligible to apply. Faculty with a history of extramural support are eligible to apply.

Terms

Applicants can request accelerator grants up to $30,000 over one year (up to $15,000 from the university and $15,000 from the matching partner). A single, non-recurring grant is anticipated. Funds are to be used within one year of the award date. Please note that this award is for one year with the possibility of a one year no-cost extension.

Accelerator funds can be used to cover the salary of the faculty member, personnel (including fringe), materials and supplies, and travel.

Before accelerator funding is awarded, applicants must have explored alternative sources of funding and, except under unusual circumstances, expended all unrestricted discretionary funds. Any requests for sabbatical or course coverage support must be approved first by the department/school.

Upon selection, applicants must obtain written confirmation of matching funds from their department chair/head/director, a center/institute director, or their dean. The school’s vice dean for research, or equivalent, will help facilitate these matching requests.

This opportunity is no longer accepting applications. 

• Basic information (form)
• CV (PDF attachment)
• Application (up to 2 pages; PDF attachment):
  • Provide a brief statement justifying the funds being requested as well as how the applicant’s current funding has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Explanation of how the applicant plans to use the accelerator grant to refocus on a research project or complete a major project
  • A timeline of work planned
• Selection of a senior faculty mentor. The mentor is to review this application prior to submission and commits to guiding the applicant during the accelerator period.
• Proposed Budget – use template provided (DOWNLOAD: Excel file)
  • Budget must be reviewed and approved by the department’s financial administrator (or similar) prior to submission

Review

The fall deadline will be on September 9, 2022.

The Office of the Vice Provost for Research will partner with the divisional research leaders (vice deans for research, or equivalent) to determine the final selection of grantees. Additional non-conflicted faculty members may be recruited to assist with the review process.

Highest priority for selection is to individuals who demonstrate significant impact by the COVID-19 pandemic on their research or creative productivity. Availability of other existing funding lowers the priority. The program’s purpose is to prevent further loss of productivity and enable the faculty member to refocus on significant projects.

Applications deemed worthy of funding but of lower priority will be asked to reapply in the next review cycle.