Brief Description:

The WM Keck Foundation supports high-risk, high-reward research in the areas of Science & Engineering and Medical Research. Awards are made to both senior and early-career researchers and range from $500,000 to $2,000,000.

Description:

The WM Keck Foundation strives to fund endeavors that are distinctive and novel in their approach. It encourages projects that are high-risk with the potential for transformative impact. "High-risk" comprises a number of factors, including questions that push the edge of the field, present unconventional approaches to intractable problems, or challenge the prevailing paradigm.

The Foundation's research grants support pioneering discoveries in science, engineering and medical research. By funding the high-risk/high-impact work of leading researchers, the Foundation lays the groundwork for new paradigms, technologies and discoveries that will save lives, provide innovative solutions, and add to our understanding of the world. Both Senior and Early Career investigators are encouraged to apply.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read past grant abstracts before preparing an application. Abstracts are available at http://www.wmkeck.org/grant-programs/research/medical-research-grant-abstracts

Application Information:

Interested applicants will be asked to upload the following documentation:

1. A CV of the principal investigator;
2. A one-page concept paper. This paper should include:
o an overview of the proposed project emphasizing any unique aspects and pilot studies (please indicate area of emphasis for project - medical research or science and engineering research);
o a description of the methodologies and key personnel;
o a brief justification of the need for Keck support; and
o an estimated budget broken down, if possible, by major areas, e.g., personnel, equipment, consumable supplies, etc. (budgets can be rough approximations at this stage).

[If there is room, you are free to add other details (e.g., background to put the research into perspective, description of the institution’s prominence in the field, etc.). Avoid illustrations in these single-pagers – you will need all the room for text. If a reference is necessary, abbreviate it as (Science, 323, 45, ‘11). DO NOT USE (Jones et al., 2011).]

Eligibility Criteria:

Both senior and early career faculty are invited to apply. Awards range from $500,000 to $5,000,000, but are typically less than $2,000,000.

The Keck Foundation will not fund the following activities:
· Routine institutional or general operating expenses, general endowments, deficit reduction, or general or administrative overhead expenses
· General and federated campaigns, including fundraising events, dinners, or mass mailings
· Support for conduit organizations, unified funds, or organizations that use grant funds from donors to support other organizations or individuals
· Clinical research or treatment trials
· Sponsorship of conferences or seminars, publication of books or the production of films or theater, and public policy research or activities of any kind
· Student tuition or fees

Review Criteria:

Applications for funding should be:

- interdisciplinary or high risk projects that fall outside of traditional funding programs;
- projects that can have a transformative effect on their field or create new fields; and
- propose the development of pioneering new instrumentation, new technologies and/or novel methodologies that can then be available to be used in the field or across fields.

Reviewers will assess these criteria in addition to the scientific merit of the proposed work.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the abstracts of previously funded proposals at http://www.wmkeck.org/grant-programs/research/medical-research-grant-abstracts to determine whether an application may be duplicative of already-funded research or whether the research for which funding is sought is likely to align with the funding interests of the Foundation.

Proposal preparation, review and submission will take place according to the following timeline:
June 1: Deadline for submission of applications
June/July: Internal Review Phase 1 (Peer Review)
July/August: Discussion of highly-ranked applications with Keck program officers
August: Internal Review Phase 2
September: Notification of applicants of review outcome

Additional Information, Related Websites, and Proxy Instructions:

http://www.wmkeck.org/grant-programs/research

A list of Research Administration and Sponsored Research professionals by schools is available here. Applicants are encouraged to follow up with the contact at the school where they hold a primary appointment if they have questions about this opportunity.

Questions or comments about HUFP (Harvard University Funding Portal) should be directed to Autumn Bennett in the Office of the Vice Provost for Research.

Contact Information:

For questions about this application, please contact Autumn Bennett at autumn_bennett@harvard.edu

Search Filters:

Institution

Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Harvard Medical School (Quad)
Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM)
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Position

Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Professor

Type of Competition

Limited Submission

Discipline

Basic Science
Clinical Science
Environmental Science
Engineering
Life Science
Population Science
Multidisciplinary
Physical Science
Social/Behavioral Science
Translational Science
Other

Type of Award

Research