Brief Description:

The goal of the Incubation Award is to support strategic investments that foster rapid innovation and advance our shared vision for a stronger, more dynamic, and more globally engaged school. Proposals will be accepted from across disciplines and may relate to a broad range of research topics that address key public health challenges.

Description:

The Dean’s Fund for Scientific Advancement expands the School’s internal research funding program and is designed to create a pipeline of support that facilitates the exploration of early ideas, the development of strong interdisciplinary team science, and the creation of new transformative research collaborations that advance the frontiers of science. Incubation Awards represent a critical component of the funding program and are intended to support innovative ideas of particular promise.

Application Information:

You must complete all sections within the application portal before submitting your application. The sections within the application portal are as follows:

1. Applicant Information

2. Collaborators

3. Project Information: In this section, you must complete a 200-word research abstract and upload the following documents as a single PDF:

· Project Proposal: Maximum of 4 pages of text, not including items listed below. Figures and references are allowable in addition to this page limit. No other appendix material will be accepted.

· Biosketch: Current NIH Biosketch for each participating investigator

· Budget Request: Budget estimates should be submitted on NIH PHS 398 detailed budget form with major divisions of funds (personnel, equipment, etc.). PIs may include effort and salary support commensurate with their effort. The full amount of the award may be used for direct costs. PLEASE NOTE: Indirect costs, including indirect costs on sub-contracts, cannot be charged to internally funded awards.

· Budget Justification

Electronic Signature

Eligibility Criteria:

Primary Harvard Chan School faculty whose research operation is based at the Harvard Chan School are eligible to apply. Co-investigators or team members may include individuals with any academic appointment. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility to apply for this award, please contact Elizabeth Sylvester at esylvester@hsph.harvard.edu or visit the Dean’s Fund FAQ page.

Review Criteria:

Proposals will be reviewed by a standing committee of faculty with broad representation across the School’s three disciplinary clusters (life sciences, quantitative sciences, social & policy sciences). The purpose of the Incubation Award is to support innovative ideas of particular promise. As such, reviewers will evaluate applications based on the following review criteria:

a. Overall Impact: The likelihood of the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the review criteria below.

b. Significance: The extent to which the application addresses an important problem or a critical barrier that is central to the mission of the School.

c. Innovation: The extent to which the application seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions.

d. Feasibility: The extent to which the application demonstrates that measurable results are achievable within an 18-month timeframe.

Additional Application Guidelines:

Preliminary data: Because the goal of the program is to foster rapid innovation in response to real-world problems, preliminary data will not be required as part of the application process.
Subcontracts: External collaboration is permitted in cases where there is a clear scientific rationale for why the work needs to be done externally. A letter describing the subcontractor’s commitment to the work outlined in the proposal and the scope of their contribution should be submitted at the time of application. All other paperwork needed to set up the subcontract can be submitted if and when the project is funded.
Outside spending/salary support: Funds may be used for project-related expenses at other Harvard schools, though they cannot provide salary support for faculty outside of the Harvard Chan School whose salaries are already fully covered by institutional funds.
Indirect costs: Indirect costs should not be included. The full award should be used to support direct project costs. PLEASE NOTE: Indirect costs, including indirect costs on sub-contracts, cannot be charged to internally funded awards.

Additional Information, Related Websites, and Proxy Instructions:

If you are using the application portal for the first time, you must complete a short registration process (see below). Please note, you can search for awards without logging in but you must be registered and logged in with your Harvard Key to submit an application. There is an option to assign a proxy for proposal submission but your grant manager cannot use your Harvard Key to submit your application. Please see below for more information on registering for an account and assigning a proxy.

Registering your HUFP Account: Select “Log-in” in the top right corner of the HUFP webpage, which will bring you to a log-in page with two options. Select the "with Harvard Key" icon, which will prompt you to enter your Harvard Key. You will be led through a short three-question registration process. Once registered, you will be able to log in with your Harvard Key to submit applications.

Assigning a Proxy for Submission: Before beginning an application, both proxy and PI must register for individual accounts in HUFP using their Harvard Key credentials. Once the proxy and the PI are registered, the proxy can begin an application on behalf of the PI. The Proxy will indicate that they are a proxy applicant and will be asked to locate their PI in HUFP. Proxies should never “Add User” in HUFP. Once this is done, both the PI and the proxy will be able to access and edit the application.

Please contact ORSD (esylvester@hsph.harvard.edu) if you have any questions about using HUFP.

Contact Information:

For questions about this application, please contact ORSD @hsph.harvard.edu at orsd@hsph.harvard.edu

Search Filters:

Institution

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

Position

Instructor
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Professor

Begin Accepting Applications Date:

5/19/2022

Deadline Date (EST Time Zone):

7/13/2022 11:59 PM