SPARC Program
The Stimulating Partnerships to Accelerate Research Collaboration (SPARC) Program will empower faculty members at The University of Alabama (UA) to achieve national prominence by providing faculty teams with the necessary internal resources to support critical research development and scholarship activities.
In addition to financial support, ORED will provide SPARC teams with resources that include project strategy, teaming, and proposal development services, enabling long runways and their ability to be highly competitive in large proposal competitions.
For SPARC, “large proposals” are competitive projects with an anticipated total external funding value of ≥ $3,000,000 (including indirect costs) over the course of the award. We recognize that large project teams will likely require many additional internal and external partners; the objective of this Program is to propel the core nucleus of UA investigators to develop these teams.
Timeline and Key Dates
- Preliminary Proposal Due Date: Before 5:00 pm Central on November 1, 2024
- Accommodations for late and/or incomplete proposals are not available.
- Preliminary Proposal Review Period: November 1–November 15, 2024
- Preliminary Proposal Selection Decisions Announced: November 18, 2024
- Finalist Presentations: December 6–December 10, 2024
- Period of Performance (Renewable): January 1– June 30, 2025
Eligibility
Any regular, full-time UA faculty or staff member who is authorized to submit a proposal as the Principal Investigator (PI) to a federal funding agency is eligible to apply.
The SPARC Program will support teams composed of up to four senior investigators to target a specific anticipated funding opportunity. No person may serve as the lead PI on more than one SPARC application per cycle, and no person may serve as PI or co-PI on more than two applications per cycle.
There are no requirements regarding the specified composition of the core team; however, applicants must demonstrate that their team has appropriate personnel to address the funding solicitation requirements.
Opportunity
For FY25, the Program is open to any targeted funding call with an anticipated submission after October 2025. The ceiling on funding for each team is $100,000 per six months, renewable with appropriate progress. ORED anticipates that a significant fraction of this funding will support graduate student researchers and team-building activities.
Matching funds from a department or college are not a requirement, but reviewers consider matching funds positively. Interdisciplinary collaboration between colleges is not a requirement, but reviewers consider interdisciplinary collaboration positively.
Requirements
Preliminary Proposal Format: 8.5” x 11”; single spaced; size 11 Times New Roman font; one-inch margins on all sides; two-page limit.
Preliminary Proposal: An internal selection committee, determined by the Vice President for Research & Economic Development, will invite select applicant teams to discuss their proposal based on the following criteria.
- Intellectual Merit and Potential Impact on Institutional Reputation
- Alignment of Idea and Team Construct with Proposed Future Call
- Societal Impact
- Team Strength and Impact of SPARC Funding
- Impact on Existing UA Resources and Budget
To reduce administrative workload, letters of support are not a requirement for the application submission stage; however, ORED strongly recommends that proposing investigators informally discuss their applications with their unit leaders and associate deans for research (ADRs) before submission. Applicant teams invited for oral discussions with the internal selection committee must provide documentation that the unit and college are supportive of their research teaming endeavors.
Budget: In no more than half a page, provide a simple description regarding the utilization of funds (e.g., personnel, supplies, and travel).
Deliverables: Each funded SPARC team will meet with ORED leadership every two weeks during funding to ensure appropriate progress. Revocation of funding will occur if ORED leadership determines inappropriate progress.
Budget Notes
Within regulatory requirements, ORED intends to limit the restrictions placed on funding expenditures; however, the following are unallowable expenses:
- Salary for an external collaborator
- Subcontracts
- Items covered under indirect costs
Requests for summer salary must comply with University policies and procedures.
Hourly student workers, both undergraduate and graduate, are allowable expenses. Only currently enrolled UA students are eligible.
Materials and supplies include expendable items with a useful life of less than one year or a unit cost under $5,000. (Subject to change per federal regulations.)
PIs must expend funds during the award year; carry-forward into the following year is not available (i.e., no-cost extensions are not available).
Proposal Notes
Teams may include research methodology; however, remain mindful of the two-page limit.
Though not required, Teams may include references; however, remain mindful of the two-page limit.
Proposals not chosen for funding will receive feedback.