Facilitating Research at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions
Funding for research projects at predominantly undergraduate institutions to engage faculty, build research capacity, and integrate research with undergraduate education through RUI and ROA opportunities.
Funder: National Science Foundation
Due Dates: Proposals accepted anytime
Funding Amounts: RUI: Typically $75,000–several hundred thousand per year for up to 3 years | ROA: Up to $80,000 for 2–12 months | ~$56M total program funding annually
Summary: Supports research by faculty at predominantly undergraduate institutions to build research capacity, engage undergraduates, and foster collaborations through RUI and ROA mechanisms.
Key Information: Applicants must contact NSF program officers to confirm program-specific requirements and deadlines.
Description
The National Science Foundation (NSF) offers funding to support research by faculty at predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs) through two mechanisms: Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) and Research Opportunity Awards (ROA). These programs aim to strengthen research environments at PUIs, promote the integration of research and undergraduate education, and foster collaborations with research-intensive institutions.
RUI proposals support faculty research at PUIs, including individual and collaborative projects, and may include requests for shared research instrumentation. ROA awards enable PUI faculty to participate as visiting scientists at research-intensive organizations, often as supplements to existing NSF awards or as components of new collaborative proposals.
All NSF directorates may support RUI and ROA activities, and proposals are evaluated within the disciplinary programs relevant to the proposed research.
