Fund Details
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Inventor Fellows, 2024
Award Duration
Three years
Maximum Award Amount
$825,000.00
Sponsor Name
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Nominations Available to Institution
2
Sponsor Letter of Intent Deadline
11/14/2023
Sponsor Deadline
12/13/2023

Brief Description:

This competition is enabled for Proxy applicants. Please scroll to the bottom of this screen for further instructions on how to use the Proxy functionality.

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's Moore Inventor Fellows program seeks to identify outstanding inventors and innovators who harness science and technology to enhance the conduct of scientific research, strengthen environmental conservation, or improve the experience and outcomes of patient care.

Harvard University, as single institution, is limited to submitting two proposals to this opportunity. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research is facilitating the internal proposal selection process.

Description:

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's Moore Inventor Fellows program seeks to identify outstanding inventors and innovators who harness science and technology to enhance the conduct of scientific research, strengthen environmental conservation, or improve the experience and outcomes of patient care. The Foundation looks to support scientist-innovators at a critical prototyping stage to capture opportunities that otherwise might be missed.

Harvard University, as single institution, is limited to submitting two proposals to this opportunity. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research is facilitating the internal proposal selection process.

Applicants must have received their terminal degree on or after January 1, 2014.

The Moore Foundation requires an institutional cost share of $50,000 per year in direct support of the awardee’s work. Applicants must provide evidence of cost share from their Department Chair or Area Dean to meet this requirement. A description of eligible costs is available on the Moore Foundation’s FAQ, and provided below:

The following is an excerpt from the 2024 Moore Inventor Fellows FAQs:

 Can you please clarify what costs are permissible as part of the institution’s $50,000 annual contribution?

Each host institution needs to contribute $50,000 in annual direct support of the inventor’s work each year of the fellowship. This could include support for undergraduate or graduate students, equipment, supplies, and other needs that will enable the fellow to make progress on their work. Direct salary support is acceptable provided it includes a proportionate release of time from teaching or other duties. Funds that were designated for a fellow’s use before the fellow was awarded a Moore Inventor Fellowship (such as start-up funds) do not qualify. A clear statement of the proposed institutional support is part of the nomination.

Are we allowed to include third party in-kind match to support a project that is field related in nature?

No. The required contributions must come directly from the nominating institution.

Can you provide more information about the Foundation’s Indirect Cost Policy?
The Moore Foundation has a 12.5% Indirect Cost Policy, of which is covered by the $75,000 provided to the home institution. Unrecovered indirect costs (or Facilities & Administrative) cannot go towards the $150,000 contribution as the institutional contribution is meant to support direct costs only.

Each fellow will receive $200,000 per year from the foundation for three years. In addition, the foundation will provide the host institution with $25,000 each year to cover costs associated with administering the grant, resulting in a total three-year award of $675,000.With the addition of $50,000.00 per year from the fellow's institution, ($150,000.00 total), the full award amount comes to $875,000.00.

Application Information:

Applicants are asked to submit the following (this information will be repeated on the applicant's electronic dashboard)
  • Proposal Title
  • Selection of the subject area the proposal most closely aligns with (Science, Environmental Conservation, Patient Care)
  • Six key words related to the proposed invention
  • A two page statement of invention that includes a description of the invention, its importance to science, environmental conservation or patient care and experience, the stage of invention, current and pending funding, feasibility, and approach for   measuring progress during the grant term.
  • A summary CV, no more than two (2) pages. Include educational and professional background, key accomplishments, honors, and demonstrated areas of expert knowledge, other background information relevant to the invention.
  • A letter of recommendation (this letter can be from someone inside or outside of Harvard). Applicants can select to upload this letter directly to their application, or initiate an email request that allows the author to upload the letter so that is it kept confidential from the applicant
  • A brief statement signed by the applicant's Department Chair or Area Dean ensuring that, if awarded, the applicant will have at least 25% of their time to devote to their invention and $50,000 in annual direct support of the inventor's work 



Eligibility Criteria:

  • Candidates must have received their terminal advanced degree in their field (M.S., PhD or M.D.) on, or after, January 1, 2014.

Additional Information, Related Websites, and Proxy Instructions:

This competition is enabled for Proxy applicants. Before beginning an application, Proxies will be asked to locate their Principal Investigator in HUFP. If your PI is not registered in HUFP, please ask them to create their profile using their Harvard Key. Proxies should never "Add User" in HUFP.

Additional information about the Moore Inventor Fellows opportunity is available on the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation website
   Moore Inventor Fellows FAQ
    Moore Inventor Fellows RFP

Applicants with questions about this opportunity should contact the Research Administration office at the school where they hold a primary appointment. A list of contacts by school is available here.


Search Filters:
Institution
  • Harvard Divinity School
  • Faculty of Arts and Sciences
  • Graduate School of Design
  • Graduate School of Education
  • Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
  • Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Harvard Kennedy School
  • Harvard Law School
  • Harvard Medical School (Quad)
  • Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM)
    Position
    • Postdoc/Fellow
    • Instructor
    • Assistant Professor
    • Associate Professor
    • Professor
      Type of Competition
      • Limited Submission
        Begin Accepting Applications Date:
        8/18/2023
        Deadline Date (EST Time Zone):
        10/22/2023 11:59 PM