Research & Innovation Seed Grant Program
The CU Boulder Research & Innovation Seed Grant funds innovative, multidisciplinary research and creative projects that promote collaboration and high-impact scholarship across disciplines and with external partners.
Funder: University of Colorado Boulder
Due Dates: October 31, 2026 (Proposal / Full application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $60,000 per award (18 months); total program funding approx. $1,000,000/year; external partnership projects may total up to $85,000 with matching funds.
Summary: Supports innovative, multidisciplinary research and creative projects at CU Boulder, with an emphasis on collaboration and external partnerships.
Key Information: Lead PI must be CU Boulder faculty; external collaborators allowed but cannot be funded.
Description
The Research & Innovation Seed Grant Program at the University of Colorado Boulder is designed to stimulate inter- and multidisciplinary research, scholarship, and creative projects with high potential for innovation and impact. The program welcomes proposals from all academic disciplines, emphasizing support for creative, high-risk, high-reward initiatives and team development for future large collaborative projects. Projects may involve collaborations across disciplines or with external partners such as industry, national labs, other universities, or community nonprofits. For projects involving external partners, a matching contribution is required. The program aims to advance the university’s research, scholarly, or creative activities and foster new directions that could lead to future extramural funding.
