Core Assistance Fund
ForecastedInternal — University of California San Francisco only
Core Assistance Fund supports UCSF cores and shared resources with equipment, repairs, and operational improvements that strengthen their services and benefit researchers across the university.
Funder: University of California San Francisco
Due Dates (Anticipated): March 2027 (Spring Cycle) | September 2027 (Fall Cycle)
Funding Amounts: $5,000–$25,000 per award; funds must be spent within 6 months
Summary: Supports equipment, repairs, and operational improvements that strengthen UCSF cores and shared resources.
Key Information: The core must be certified as a Campus Core or plan to become one, and must use or be scheduled to implement iLab.
Description
The Core Assistance Fund is sponsored by UCSF’s Research Resource Program (RRP), with funding from the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost’s fund for Core Improvement. It helps cores and shared resources maintain and improve the instruments, services, and advice they provide to UCSF researchers. Awards can support equipment, reagents for new services, upgrades, repairs, and costs that cannot be placed on recharge. Eligible operational uses include personnel, training, software, supplies, moving charges, and minor renovations when they improve efficiency and provide a return on investment.
The program prioritizes unexpected costs, safe equipment operation, sharing across cores and labs, and space freed by retiring non-operational equipment. Reviewers also consider scientific impact, broad benefit to UCSF researchers, collaboration, departmental contributions, and long-term sustainability.
