[Sloan Foundation](https://sloan.org)

February 15, 2023 (Letter of Inquiry) | April 5, 2023 (Full Proposal Draft, by invitation)

Up to $750,000 over two years per grant; possible additional two years of tapering support.

Supports U.S. research institutions in launching or expanding Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) to foster open source software in research.

--- ## Description The Sloan Foundation’s Technology grantmaking program is designed to leverage technological advancements for the benefit of the research community. This initiative currently focuses on supporting U.S. higher education institutions in launching or expanding Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs), which serve as organizational hubs for coordinating and supporting open source activities across campus. Grants aim to build sustainable institutional ecosystems for open source software, enhance research outputs, and promote community-driven development and collaboration. --- ## Due Dates - **February 15, 2023**: Letter of Inquiry (LOI) deadline (submissions due by 5:00pm ET) - **April 5, 2023**: Full proposal draft deadline (for invited full proposals) *All dates are based on the current call; there are no announced future cycles at this time.* --- ## Funding Amount - Grants of up to **$750,000** over two years per institution. - Following the initial two-year grant, institutions may request up to two additional years of tapering support contingent on successful progress and achievement of goals. - Funding covers salaries, administrative expenses, internship programs, community-building, dissemination, and small incentives for collaboration. --- ## Eligibility - U.S.-based non-profit two- and four-year higher education institutions, institutional systems or consortia, and university-affiliated research centers/laboratories are eligible. - Only **one Letter of Inquiry per institution** is permitted. - Proposals from diverse teams, especially those led by women and Black, Indigenous, and Latina/o/x individuals, are strongly encouraged. --- ## Application Process 1. **Letter of Inquiry (LOI):** - Must be submitted as a single PDF (max 5 pages, 11-point font, 1-inch margins) by email to [technology@sloan.org](mailto:technology@sloan.org) with the subject “OSPO LOI - [Lead PI Last Name] - [Institution Name]”. - LOI should include: - PI and key personnel information - A 3-page narrative outlining the vision, team, management, engagement plans, priorities, and institutional strengths - High-level tabular budget (up to $750,000, including up to 20% overhead) - List of early collaborators or relevant open source projects 2. **Full Proposal (by invitation):** - Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal draft by April 5, 2023. - Proposals will undergo expert review, with final award decisions expected in June 2023. --- ## Additional Information - The program seeks to identify institutions that can create sustainable structures for open source support, with a focus on long-term impact beyond the funding period. - Successful projects are expected to produce a “playbook” to guide other institutions. - There are currently no plans for future calls; this is not an annually recurring opportunity. --- ## External Links - [Technology Program Overview](https://sloan.org/programs/digital-technology) - [Call for OSPO LOIs Details](https://sloan.org/programs/digital-technology/ospo-loi) - [Sloan Foundation Grant Application Instructions](https://sloan.org/grants/apply) - [Sloan Budget Template (Excel)](https://sloan.org/storage/app/media/files/application_documents/sloan-budget-template.xlsx) --- ## Contact Information | Contact | Email | Phone | Web Contact Form | |--------------------|---------------------------------------|-----------------|---------------------------------------------------| | Technology Program | [technology@sloan.org](mailto:technology@sloan.org) | +1 212-649-1649 | [Contact Sloan Foundation](https://sloan.org/about/contact) |

Technology

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