The Large Equipment Acquisition Program (LEAP) provides critical funding to enhance the University’s research infrastructure by supporting the purchase of major capital instrumentation to advance discovery, foster collaboration, and increase UA’s competitiveness through matching funds from the Division for Research. The Division for Research recognizes that internal investments in infrastructure are a primary driver for increasing non-federal and federal expenditures. By focusing LEAP on high-impact integrated systems, UA will strategically boost its research profile.
Through LEAP, the Division for Research aims to:
- Provide faculty with cutting-edge tools to pursue groundbreaking research.
- Encourage the acquisition of shared-use facilities and integrated systems that serve multiple units.
- Position UA researchers to secure major external funding from federal, state, and private sponsors.
- Facilitate the acquisition of “equipment bundles” where multiple components are required to achieve a single project objective.
While all major capital research equipment will be considered, fully or partially autonomous systems or other equipment with a strong emphasis on automated, high-throughput, and Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning guided components continue to be of particular interest.
For questions or more information, please contact assist@ua.edu.
Timelines and Key Dates
- Due Date: Before 5:00 pm Central on May 13, 2026
- Accommodations for late and/or incomplete proposals are not available.
- Proposal Review Period: May 13 – May 29, 2026
- Decisions Announced: June 5, 2026
- Period of Performance: One (1) year beginning on July 24, 2026
Criteria
Award Information and Eligibility
Opportunity: The Division for Research anticipates awarding up to three LEAP projects in Spring 2026, subject to availability of funds.
Total Project Cost: The minimum total acquisition cost (including match) must be $100,000. Proposals therefore must request support from the Division for Research equal to or greater than $50,000. There is no maximum total cost, but Board Rule 406 approval is required for projects exceeding $1M.
Matching Requirement: In general, a 1:1 cash match is mandatory for all requests.
Strategic Innovation: Equipment should be accessible to multiple users, departments, or research teams, when feasible, and aligned with institutional or national research goals. A “Core Facility Match Waiver” may be requested if the equipment is housed in an official UA Core Facility and made available to the entire campus. In such cases, the required departmental/college match is reduced to 40%.
Eligibility: Full-time tenured, tenure-track, renewable contract, clinical, and clinical-track faculty members are eligible to apply. However, applicants may only serve as Lead PI on one LEAP proposal per cycle.
Equipment Bundle Criteria
Proposals requesting a "bundle" of multiple items must satisfy the following:
- Capital Threshold: At least one core component of the bundle must meet the capitalization threshold of $100,000. Small ancillary items (supplies, reagents) are unallowable unless they are part of a vendor-quoted “installation and startup package”.
- Single Project Focus & Technical Interdependence:: The bundle must be dedicated to an initial single research project or integrated workflow, and it must be demonstrated that each piece of equipment is fully justified within the context of the project scope. The narrative must explain how the components function as a single system.
Proposal Requirements
Format: 8.5” x 11”; single spaced; size 11 Times New Roman font; one-inch margins on all sides.
| Component | Limit | Requirements |
| Abstract | 0.5 Pages | Describe the project’s broad significance, proposed activities, and intended outcomes. |
| Project Narrative | 2 Pages | Provide a descriptive narrative enabling cognizant reviewers to evaluate the merits of the project using the following criteria (< 2 pages): Project Title and Overview. Brief description of the equipment and intended research uses. The equipment price should be stated here as well.Justification. Explanation of the need for the equipment, anticipated research outcomes, and alignment with university research objectives.Impact: Description of anticipated impacts on research, graduate student and postdoctoral training, and potential for external funding.Collaborators and Usage Plan: List primary and secondary users (up to 10 total) and departmental affiliations and outline the plan for shared access and interdepartmental collaboration. |
| Letter(s) of Support | 3 Pages | No more than three, one-page Letter(s) of Support from UA collaborators outlining how requested equipment will be leveraged for their own projects and proposed research. |
| Sustainability Plan | 1 Page | A robust equipment program must plan for the "total cost of ownership." Provide a detailed plan for long-term maintenance, operational costs, service costs, and shared usage across departments for 5 years. This plan should clearly outline how the equipment will be sustainably managed over time. Establish a Maintenance Plan: Proposals must explicitly state who will be responsible for maintenance after the initial warranty expires.Core Facility Integration: Equipment should be registered in the university’s research equipment directory to promote visibility.Fee Structure (Optional but Encouraged): If the equipment is intended for broad use, PIs are encouraged to establish a fee structure to recover operating and depreciation costs, ensuring the facility is self-sustaining. |
| References | 1 Page | References are strongly encouraged but not a requirement. |
| Budget | 0.5 Pages | Proposals must request a single piece of equipment or a bundle including a piece of equipment for $100,000 or more. A 1:1 cash matching requirement is required (i.e., the request for the Division for Research support must be at least $50,000, except when a Core Facility Match Waiver is requested). Funds must be expended prior to the conclusion of the fiscal year; carry-forward into the following fiscal year is not available (i.e., no-cost extensions will not be granted). All awarded equipment will become part of the university’s inventory and subject to periodic review to maximize impact and utilization. |
| Prior Internal Support (Required) | 1 Page | Supplementary Documents uploaded via InfoReady: If the Lead PI or any Co-PIs have received internal seed funding from the Division for Research within the last three fiscal years, a summary of that support must be provided. This section is intended to demonstrate the “return on investment” and the PI’s ability to transition internal capital into external success. Individual Reporting: In applications involving multiple PIs, each researcher must individually discuss their respective prior internal support. Content: For each funded project, the researcher(s) should outline: The specific internal program and award amount. The current status of the project. Key outcomes, including external grant submissions, industry partnerships established, or intellectual property disclosures. If there is no prior internal support: Please note accordingly. Describe one relevant external funding example as an alternative. Page Limit: This section is strictly limited to one (1) page total, regardless of the number of PIs. |
| Letter(s) of Commitment | N/A | Supplementary Documents uploaded via InfoReady: Proposers must document commitment of matching funds via one or more Letter(s) of Commitment using the template below. Confirmation of cash match and institutional commitment to housing/maintenance. Proposals submitted without documentation of matching support will be returned without review. |
| Vendor Quote(s) | N/A | Supplementary Documents uploaded via InfoReady: Proposers must submit a representative vendor quote. Quote should outline a delivery schedule according to projected outcome notification date.Proposals submitted without a quote will be returned without review. |
Regulatory Compliance and Purchasing Guidelines
Projects requiring IRB, IACUC, or other regulatory compliance approvals for hazardous chemicals, international travel or export control concerns must secure approval prior to receiving funds.
All procurements of goods or services must comply with Article 5 of Chapter 4 of Title 41 of the Code of Alabama, University Purchasing Guidelines, Board Rule 406, and Board Rule 415. All procurements of goods or services for $75,000 or more that are subject to Article 5 of Chapter 4 of Title 41 of the Code of Alabama must be approved by the Purchasing Department and may be subject to the competitive bid process. For more information, visit the Purchasing website.
Regulatory approvals obtained for LEAP-funded activities do not automatically satisfy compliance requirements for external sponsors and may require additional review or approval at the time of external proposal submission.
Evaluation Framework and Scoring Rubric
To ensure a meritocratic and strategic selection process, an interdisciplinary review panel will evaluate proposals using the ratings of Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor or combinations thereof.
1. Scientific Merit and Innovation (25%)
Reviewers assess the technical merit of the proposed research and the degree to which the equipment enables novel, transformative discovery.
- Does the proposal address a significant research question?
- Is the equipment appropriate for the stated goals?
- For bundles: Is the integration scientifically justified?
2. Strategic Alignment and Impact (30%)
Evaluation centers on how well the acquisition fits within UA’s strategic research priorities and its potential for broad impact.
- Will the equipment benefit multiple investigators or departments?
- What is the impact on graduate student and postdoctoral training?
3. Funding Potential and ROI (30%)
This is a critical metric for seed funds. Reviewers judge the likelihood that the investment will lead to successful external grant applications.
- Does the PI identify specific external funding calls (NSF, NIH, DOD) to be targeted?
- Does the equipment provide a competitive advantage for those calls?
- Is the "return on investment" (in terms of potential grant dollars) favorable?
Budgets for future external proposals arising from LEAP-supported projects must comply with sponsor-specific guidelines and will be reviewed by the Office of Sponsored Programs prior to submission.
4. Feasibility and Sustainability (15%)
Reviewers evaluate the logistical plan for installation and the long-term viability of the equipment.
- Does the team possess the technical competence to operate the equipment?
- Is the timeline for installation and operation realistic?
- Are the maintenance and sustainability plans sound?
Acknowledgements
As an acknowledgement of this support, all users must include the following language in all published reports of work conducted or in conference informational materials: "[Part of] this research is financially supported by The Large Equipment Acquisition Program (LEAP)and the Division for Research.”
Summary
LEAP serves as a cornerstone of The University of Alabama’s commitment to a premier research environment, transforming institutional seed capital into a catalyst for global impact and economic prosperity. Aligned with the Research 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, LEAP investments are designed to bolster the University’s trajectory within the US academic research landscape by driving non-federal and federal research expenditures in high-growth sectors. This robust infrastructure not only will enhance graduate training and interdisciplinary collaboration but also serves as a nucleus for industry-sponsored consortia. By providing faculty with the sophisticated hardware and collaborative frameworks necessary to compete at the highest national levels, LEAP ensures that UA remains a premier research epicenter dedicated to driving technological advancement and long-term economic growth for the state of Alabama and the nation.
This year, by allowing the acquisition of integrated "equipment bundles" rather than only isolated tools, the Division for Research will foster the creation of innovative micro-environments where discovery scales seamlessly from laboratory inquiry to functional prototyping. These high-fidelity workflows are essential for generating the patentable technology and proof-of-concept data required to fuel other Division for Research programs such as the UA FUSE Fund, the Commercialization Fellows program, and SPARC, effectively bridging the gap between academic research, complex and multidisciplinary research activities, and industry partnership.
Proposals to external federal, state, or private sponsors that are developed using LEAP-funded equipment or data must comply with all University requirements for sponsored projects and be routed through the Office of Sponsored Programs for institutional review and submission. Submission of proposals to external sponsors may only be made by an authorized institutional official; principal investigators may not submit proposals independently outside of established Office of Sponsored Programs processes.
Sample Letter:
Date
Dr. Bryan Boudouris
Vice President for Research
Re: Cost share commitment for LEAP
Dear Dr. Boudouris:
If Dr. XXX XXX’s Large Equipment Acquisition Program (LEAP) proposal is selected for funding, I commit to providing the required cash matching funds in the amount of $XX,XXX to support the acquisition of the proposed equipment.
I certify that the matching funds committed are from non‑federal sources, are not committed as cost share on any other project, and comply with the cost sharing requirements set forth in 2 CFR 200.306
Sincerely,