Federal Agency Engagement – ORED Travel Grant Program
The Office for Research & Economic Development may provide funding to support visits with federal agencies and program officers in Washington D.C. The goal of this program is to improve the competitiveness of proposals from The University of Alabama faculty and research professionals by facilitating interaction with prospective sponsors that can provide direct funding to UA.
Please contact assist@ua.edu if you need assistance identifying a program officer(s) to match your research interests.
The travel grant program accepts applications year-round based on the availability of funds.
Submission Guidelines
- Applications must be submitted through the UA InfoReady site. Funding requests must include confirmation of a planned meeting with a federal agency/program officer and a letter of support from the department chair, associate dean for research, or dean.
- Please answer all questions thoroughly; applications with insufficient detail will be returned for further clarification, delaying the funding decision.
- ORED will consider requests up to $1,500; applicants are responsible for securing non-sponsored funds to cover any travel expenses over the awarded amount.
- Trips taken prior to travel grant approval will not be reimbursed by ORED.
- Applicants are encouraged to maximize the travel opportunity by meeting with multiple program officers.
- Applicants are encouraged to submit at least 30 days prior to the anticipated travel dates.
- Applications will be reviewed by the Research ASSIST Office upon receipt; please allow reasonable time for review and determination. Notification of funding decisions will be sent by email.
Post-travel Requirements
- Within 90 days of travel, the awardee must log in to InfoReady and submit an outcomes report including a brief description of the meeting(s) and planned next steps as it relates to external sponsored proposals and awards (one-page limit).
Reimbursement
Travel reservations should be scheduled in accordance with department/college/unit procedures and must comply with UA travel policies and procedures. Once an ORED travel grant is approved, additional details regarding the transfer of funds will be provided to the awardee.