OVPR, UMMS Office of Research Launch Pandemic Relief Programs

Based on substantial feedback from the U-M research community, the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) and the U-M Medical School (UMMS) Office of Research have launched several new programs to support faculty and trainees whose research has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

OVPR Pandemic Relief Program

The OVPR Pandemic Relief Program is comprised of a variety of resources, including:

• A funding program for research-focused faculty at the early associate and assistant ranks across all tracks at the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses. Assistant professors who meet OVPR eligibility requirements can receive up to $3,000, and eligible associate professors can receive up to $15,000. The program provides flexible relief funds for a variety of purposes – from data collection costs, research equipment and supplies, to support for graduate students and research assistants.
• No-cost extensions across OVPR internal grants programs awarded 2019-2021.
• Workshop series on how to revise deliverables and budgets on current grants that have been impacted by COVID-19, as well as focused guidance and online resources on how to navigate the pandemic relief with external sponsors.
• Workshop series to facilitate internal networking and creative processes focused on planning new projects at this point in the pandemic.

For additional information, including application instructions for funding and eligibility requirements, visit the OVPR Pandemic Relief Program webpage.

Questions? Contact OVPR-Pandemic-Relief@umich.edu.

UMMS Office of Research Pandemic Research Recovery Program

The UMMS Office of Research has developed the Pandemic Research Recovery (PRR) Program to support the restoration of research programs by establishing new mechanisms to bridge revised grant applications, bolstering researchers disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, mitigating lost research progress, and aiding post-doctoral fellows and Ph.D. graduate students.

Resources include:

• Pandemic Research Recovery Program – offers four different funding opportunities, up to $100,000 for faculty, $10,000 for post-docs, and $5,000 for graduate students. 
• Valuing Our Own – a three-year program under “Support for Outstanding Research” that provides an annual return of 3% of the indirect cost (IDC) recovery from sponsored research expenditures to a faculty member’s research discretionary account. 
• Research Climate Advisory Council – to evaluate the Medical School research climate and formulate actionable recommendations to create a research environment where Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) faculty and trainees; women; and other marginalized groups can flourish. The Council is currently accepting applications for new members through Thursday, March 31.
• NIH Other Support Resources – review information about how to address pandemic-related productivity in your NIH grant applications due on or before May 7, 2022 (for the August/October 2022 Council Round).

Learn more about each of these initiatives by visiting the UMMS Office of Research website or viewing an archived recording of the UMMS Office of Research Pandemic Research Recovery Town Hall (Level-1 login credentials required).

Questions? Contact ummsresearch@umich.edu or call (734) 615-1332.

Early Tenure-Track Faculty Research Support Initiative

Announced in mid-February, the Provost’s Early Tenure-Track Faculty Research Support Initiative will provide flexible funds to support tenure-track faculty from the Ann Arbor campus as they undertake research, scholarship, and creative practice that has been slowed or postponed by the constraints of the pandemic.

Funding made available through the Provost’s Office initiative can be used to support a wide array of activities, including travel, data collection, editorial or research assistance, and collaborations or consultations with colleagues.

Questions about the Provost's Initiative should be sent to ADV-Funding@umich.edu.