Equipment Funding

The Neuroscience Research Priority Area is committed to providing broad-based support for neuroscience investigators across the University. As part of that ongoing strategy, the NRPA is announcing the fourth iteration of its equipment grant program. The purpose of the program is to support neuroscience research labs and groups with funds that would permit the submission of competitive external research proposals. Grants can be used to assist with the purchase of new instrumentation or to upgrade existing instrumentation. The maximum grant award is $50,000, there is no minimum amount. Requests for over $50,000 with sufficient justification are allowed. The NRPA is providing $150,000 in total funding for this competition.

Faculty who are participating in the NRPA from all colleges at UK are eligible to apply. Awards will be made to individual investigators or teams of investigators. Only one piece of equipment may be requested per applicant.

For all submissions, the goals and emphasis of the competition are the same: to encourage optimal sharing among individual investigators, research groups, and departments, to foster a collaborative multidisciplinary environment, and to promote cost effectiveness.

Equipment requests can be for dedicated use within an individual laboratory or for shared use. Equipment that facilitates the research of multiple investigators or that will be available within a core facility or shared space, will be given higher priority in the review process.

Applications can be submitted with or without matching funds. Applications demonstrating matching support within the budget of a grant application will be given high priority.

Equipment maintenance, installation costs, remodeling, or renovation requests will not be supported with equipment funds.

Format: All applications should be submitted in a single PDF document (11 pt. type, single spaced) that includes the application cover page, proposal, PI biosketch, and the equipment quote provided by the vendor.

• Cover Page – available on this webpage and the VPR Funding Portal
• Equipment Proposal – 5 page limit
  • Equipment Description – brief description of the equipment, location for housing the equipment, and indication of support for the location if it is outside of an individual investigator’s laboratory.
  • Justification – Describe the need for the equipment and the research the proposed equipment will support. If the request is for support within a grant application, briefly describe the grant. This section should also address whether similar equipment is available on campus and, if so, why the existing equipment does not meet the investigator’s needs. Include a list of relevant funding sources (existing or planned) that will support research using the proposed instrumentation.
  • Users – Provide a list of major and minor users (other than PI/Co-PIs). For major users, include a brief (1 paragraph) description of how their research program will benefit from the requested equipment as well as the anticipated hours of usage for the first year.
  • Management Plan – Describe the plan for how the equipment will be shared including how other investigators will access the equipment and provisions for any required training.
• NIH-style biosketch of PI
• Vendor Quote

Proposals should be submitted via the VPR’s Internal Funding Portal beginning Friday, November 10, 2023. 
Any questions may be directed to Laura Muzinic at NeuroscienceRPA@uky.edu

The application deadline is January 17, 2024 at 5:00pm.