Funder: University of Maryland
Due Dates: October 20, 2026 (Monthly deadline) | Rolling (Application calendar)
Funding Amounts: Equivalent to less than 10% of indirect costs (IDC), with a 5-year-plus option
Summary: Reinforcement Grants provide operational support for large-scale, externally funded UMD research awards when external funding does not cover critical operating expenses.
Key Information: Principal investigators must hold an eligible full-time UMD faculty position, and faculty units must contribute 50% of funding.
Description
Reinforcement Grants are an opportunity-specific program within the University of Maryland’s Maryland Catalyst Fund. They support activities critical to executing proposed large-scale, externally funded research awards when grant funding is unavailable for certain operational expenses. The program focuses on building the infrastructure needed to establish new center-level research awards that strengthen the university’s overall impact and reputation.
Rather than replacing external research funding, Reinforcement Grants reinforce the operational foundations of major research programs. Their goals are to make those programs more productive and more competitive for future renewal. Support combines contributions from faculty units with central resources from the Vice President for Research and the Provost.
