Small Equipment Grants

The Neuroscience Research Priority Area is committed to providing broad-based support for neuroscience investigators across the University.  As part of this strategy, the NRPA is funding a small equipment grant program.  The purpose of the program is to help neuroscience research laboratories and groups acquire equipment that is needed to develop preliminary data or conduct studies to support submission of competitive external research proposals.  Grants can be used to assist with the purchase of new instrumentation or to upgrade existing instrumentation. The maximum target for these awards is $30,000; there is no minimum amount.

Description

Faculty who are participating in the NRPA from all colleges at UK are eligible to apply.  Awards will be made to individual investigators or to teams of investigators. Only one piece of equipment may be requested per applicant.

As with other NRPA initiatives, equipment that facilitates the research of multiple investigators or that will be available within a core facility or shared space, will be given priority.

Applications can be submitted with or without matching funds.  Applications with matching support will be given higher priority.

Equipment maintenance, installation costs, remodeling or renovation requests will not be supported with equipment funds from the NRPA.

Application Instructions:

Format: All applications should be submitted in a single PDF document (11 pt. type, single spaced) that includes the application form, proposal, PI biosketch, and the equipment quote provided by the vendor.

• Cover Page 
• Equipment Proposal – 3 page limit
  • Equipment Description – brief description of the equipment, location for housing the equipment, and indication of support for the location if it is outside of an individual investigator’s laboratory.
  • Justification: Describe the research the proposed equipment will support. If the request is for support within a grant application, briefly describe the grant, Include the need for the equipment and the number of users. If the equipment will be shared, please describe how it will be shared including how other investigators will access the equipment and provisions for any required training. This section should also address whether similar equipment is available on campus and, if so, why the existing equipment does not meet the investigator’s needs.
• NIH-style biosketch of PI
• Vendor Quote

Proposals may be submitted via email to susannahmstitzer@uky.edu

The NRPA will prepare the purchasing documents for equipment awarded.

This application is now closed.