Call for Proposals

Global Affairs announces the 2022-23 call for proposals for its Seed Grants for International Activities program. As part of a tier-one global research institution, we foster the creation of innovative new programs with a global focus that advance knowledge, enrich student learning, and help solve society’s most pressing problems. We encourage faculty of all ranks and titles to submit proposals.

Purpose

The Seed Grants for International Activities program began in 2001 to spark bold new ideas in international research. To date, the program has funded 260 projects totaling over $1.45 million dollars from Global Affairs; in turn, these projects have generated over $40 million in external funding. As a matching collaboration between Global Affairs, the Academic Deans, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and the Office of Research, Seed Grant Projects have helped faculty from every college and professional school as well as from organized research units at UC Davis to forge and expand important relationships with leading international universities, government agencies, and industry partners, as well as community and non-governmental organizations.

Global Affairs encourages applications for proposals that:

• Foster rich global research collaboration and engagement internationally;
• Support the philosophy of “Global Education for All” by creating meaningful educational opportunities for graduate, professional and/or undergraduate students;
• Build new, interdisciplinary, international partnerships or expand existing partnerships in innovative new directions;
• Integrate clearly concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Application and Submission

Eligibility

UC Davis Academic Senate faculty members and Academic Federation faculty with PI status are eligible to apply. All UC Davis locations are eligible. PIs are allowed to submit one seed grant proposal per cycle.  This year we are excited to have additional, earmarked funding to focus two seed grants on:

• CAMPOS or CAMPSSAH scholars (past and present); and
• Research collaboration with Taiwan (funded by the UC Davis-Taiwan Collaborative Research Fund in memory of former chancellor Larry Vanderhoef)

Matching Funds

1:1 matching funding from the college or school dean’s office is required. Prospective applicants should reach out to their dean in advance of submitting the proposal and obtain the dean’s signature. Proposals with PIs from more than one school or college should obtain signatures from the deans of all of the schools or colleges involved. Deans’ signatures are required on the proposal cover sheet. 

Requesting Funds

Funding from Global Affairs ranges from $5,000 - $10,000 per proposal. Depending on matching funds, the total budget could be as much as $20,000. Funding provided is for work to be carried out over a period of up to two years. The timeline for funding will be from March 2023 – March 2025.

Budget

The budget (see the budget component of the cover sheet) must follow existing UC policies and should include the following categories and must be accompanied by a budget narrative:

• Personnel (salaries)
• Travel and Entertainment
• Materials and supplies
• Miscellaneous Services (conference fees, honoraria, computer services, etc.).

Note: The budget is not subject to indirect costs.

Proposal Submittal Requirements

Proposals should include the following elements:

1. Proposal cover sheet including a one-paragraph abstract of the proposed project (abstracts of previously-funded, successful projects may be posted on the Global Affairs website). (150 word maximum). The cover sheet must include an indication of matching funding;
2. A description of the proposed project, including proposed activities, project timetable, expected tangible outcomes and future direction, etc. (3-5 double-spaced pages);
3. Detailed budget and budget narrative. Please see the budget component of the cover sheet for details regarding expenditures (2 pages).

Deadline

Submit a proposal online as a PDF by December 13, 2022. Kerberos ID required for submission.

• Proposals with PIs from more than one school or college should obtain signatures from the deans or unit heads of all of the schools, colleges and units involved prior to the December deadline.
• Proposals are welcome from faculty of ALL schools/colleges, with applicants from the following schools/colleges needing to submit applications by November 29, 2022 to the following people for pre-approval and signature:
  • College of Letters and Science, please submit your application to Associate Dean Lori Lubin (ad-assistant@ucdavis.edu)
  • College of Engineering, please submit your application to Associate Dean Raissa d’Souza (rmdsouza@ucdavis.edu) and Dean Richard Corsi (rlcorsi@ucdavis.edu).
  • Graduate School of Management, please submit your application to Associate Dean Michelle Yetman (mhyetman@ucdavis.edu).
  • School of Education, please submit your application to Associate Dean Cynthia Carter Ching (ccching@ucdavis.edu) .
  • School of Law, please submit your application to Associate Dean Afra Afsharipour (aafsharipour@ucdavis.edu).
  • School of Medicine, please submit your application to Associate Dean for Global Health Dr. Nathan Kuppermann  (nkuppermann@ucdavis.edu) and Dr. Shakira Bandolin (sbandolin@ucdavis.edu).
  • Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, please submit your application to Assistant Dean Lisa Badovinac (lmbadovinac@ucdavis.edu) and Dean Stephen Cavanagh (sjcavanagh@ucdavis.edu).
  • School of Veterinary Medicine, please submit your application to Associate Dean Woutrina Smith (wasmith@ucdavis.edu AND vetmedglobalprograms@vetmed.ucdavis.edu).

Evaluation Criteria

A review committee composed of faculty and administrators will evaluate all proposals. In selecting proposals to be awarded, preference will be given to proposals that:

• Demonstrate potential for high research value;
• Forge a new line of research or significantly broaden an existing line of research;
• Establish relationships with new international partner institutions, or add greater depth to an existing institutional relationship;
• Display a distinct and well-defined interdisciplinary and/or multidisciplinary component;
• Integrate clearly concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• Integrate research opportunities for students that support global learning;
• Articulate the potential for additional external funding and/or long-term impact for the university.

Final Report

Seed Grant recipients will be expected to submit a final report at the end of the award period. The final report form includes information about the project’s accomplishments and future plans (i.e. external funding received; new courses, publications, or manuscripts developed; conferences held with international partners, etc.). It also requests information about how the funds were expended. For prior awardees, a final report on your previous Seed Grant is required before a new grant can be awarded. Repeat applicants must present projects that are different from those presented in the past. 

Samples of Successful Proposals

• Coming soon! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Budgets

• What can be funded with a Seed Grant proposal?

• Funding for Seed Grants is drawn from 99100 accounts so budget items must be in line with what can be funded from these accounts. Salaries for full-time employees of UC Davis cannot be included. It is best to consult with your departmental or unit financial analyst if you are uncertain of a proposed line item or UC policies.

Matching Funds

• Are matching funds required?

• Yes, 1:1 matching funding from the dean is required. You will need to include the dean's electronic signature on the Seed Grant cover sheet to confirm matching funding. 

Additional Funding or Support

• Can you provide examples of how to show promise for additional support or funding?

• Evidence of the Principal Investigator’s previous success in obtaining external funding as well as a clear plan outlined in the proposal for obtaining additional support are two indicators of whether the project is likely to be funded in the future.

New Interdisciplinary, International Partnerships

• Is there a clear definition of interdisciplinary?

• In order to foster projects with a broad impact, we define “interdisciplinary” as involving multiple departments on campus.

Eligibility

• Who is eligible to apply for the Seed Grant program?

• UC Davis Academic Senate faculty members and Academic Federation faculty with PI status are eligible to apply. All UC Davis locations are eligible. 

Application and Submission

• Can a Global Affairs staff member provide feedback on my proposal before final submission?

• Unfortunately, it is not feasible for Global Affairs staff to provide feedback on proposals prior to submission.

• Who reviews the proposals?

• Seed Grant proposals will be reviewed by an internal review committee with representation from the Global Affairs Office and the Office of Research, as well as other units on campus. 

• Are there examples of previously successful proposals?

• A few examples of successful proposals are listed on the Seed Grant call for proposals webpage. 

  You may also review the list of successful Seed Grant projects. You can contact the Principal Investigator directly for permission to view his/her Seed Grant proposal.

• If a project is funded, when will the actual funds be received?

• Principal Investigators who are successfully awarded Seed Grant funds will obtain funding in February or March. Within one year of receiving the funds, the project activities should be completed and the funds expended. Any unexpended funds must be returned to the Global Affairs Office to support other worthwhile projects.

Contact Information