The GCTC grant programs are not accepting proposals at this time.

See the Calendar for a tentative timeline.  A prior call is below for your information.

Team Development and Global Challenges – Phase 1 (Round 2)
Released May 2013

Background

The Third Century Initiative (TCI) is a plan from the University of Michigan president and provost to develop innovative, multi-disciplinary approaches to teaching and to address global challenges at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor. The overall goal is to stimulate creative thinking about how to intensify learning experiences in and beyond the classroom and how to approach some of the foremost challenges facing our world. TCI is a five-year program with $50 million dollars of dedicated funding.

The Third Century Initiative has two components: (1) creating innovative student learning experiences and (2) developing creative approaches to the world’s greatest challenges and opportunities. Global Challenges for a Third Century (GCTC) represents a funding mechanism associated with the second component of the Third Century Initiative.

The purpose of the GCTC grant program is to inspire and cultivate transformative ideas about how to address some of the greatest challenges facing the world today. The program is open to faculty in all units and disciplines—and seeks a broad array of proposals.

Global Challenges for a Third Century has two grant programs:

1. Team Development will fund small-scale proposals for activities that help develop multi-disciplinary teams across the campus in order to address major global challenges. Team Development will provide up to $15,000 on a one-time basis.
2. Global Challenges is a two-phase program that aims to fund the most innovative and creative ideas from across the campus to address some of the world’s greatest challenges. The program embraces risk taking, multi-disciplinary approaches, and engagement with the internal and external community (including students). Projects are encouraged that have potential impact that is scalable and transferable (e.g., local to global). The single most important criterion in evaluating proposals will be the potential for transformative impact on any of the world’s greatest challenges.

Proposals for Phase 1 seed funding ($10K to $300K, one-time) should be based on a clear explanation of the transformative idea as well as defined milestones that can be achieved after one year. If successful, the outcomes from Phase 1 will form the basis of a proposal submitted to the Phase 2 full funding program ($100K to $3 million). It is expected that only a small minority of proposals funded in Phase 1 will receive full funding in Phase 2.

Questions related to the GCTC programs should be sent to: GCTC.Questions@umich.edu

 

GCTC—Team Development Call for Proposals (May 2013)

Description of Program:Team Development will fund small-scale proposals for activities that help develop multi-disciplinary teams across the campus in order to address major global challenges. Team-building assistance may involve the sponsorship of various theme-based workshops, as well as institutional help fostering synergies with potential partners, including institutes across the campus, alumni, various foundations and private industries. The program encourages new ideas for how to facilitate the development of multi-disciplinary teams. Team Development projects could result in the submission of a proposal to the Global Challenges – Phase 1 program.

For example, an individual or small team may have an idea that relates to sustainability, energy, or a global health issue, but needs additional partners with expertise in areas different from their own, but with a shared interest in the global challenge to be addressed. It may be helpful to run a theme-based workshop over a period of days (or a weekly event that lasts several weeks) in cooperation with institutes on the campus (e.g., Graham Institute of Sustainability; Erb Institute, Energy Institute; Life Institute, as examples). There may be other ideas for which a theme-based workshop is needed, but not necessarily in cooperation with existing institutes. Another example is that a faculty team may have an idea that requires partnership with industry, and funds can be provided to help identify and develop those contacts, perhaps with the assistance from the Erb Institute, the Ross School of Business or other units across the campus. A third example is that a faculty team with technical expertise may need help with community organizing, and therefore may need funds to help identify and develop appropriate contacts and partners, perhaps with assistance from the School of Public Policy, the Department of Sociology, or other units across the campus. These are just a few examples, and other innovative ideas for developing teams are strongly encouraged.

Competition for Team Development grants will occur at least twice, approximately nine months apart. Team Development projects could result in the submission of a proposal to the Global Challenges – Phase 1 program.

Funding Available: The Team Development program will provide up to $15,000 on a one-time basis, appropriate to the scale of the project.

Eligible Applicants: All faculty members on the Ann Arbor campus.

Application Format:

• Cover page containing (1) signature(s) of applying faculty, (2) signature of unit leader (Dean or Director, as appropriate), (3) budget (and concise justification), (4) timeline for project. Please attach a 1-2 page CV or biosketch for each faculty participant.
• Proposal (1-2 pages) describing the global challenge that will be addressed, research direction and academic competencies needed, proposed team building activities and anticipated outcomes.

Funding Criteria: The single most important criterion in evaluating proposals will be the potential for transformative impact on any of the world’s greatest challenges.Other characteristics that will be viewed favorably are the inclusion of innovative ideas for activities to help develop an interdisciplinary team (possibly including students) and a clear path to translate into a proposal for Global Challenges – Phase 1 funding.

Timeline:
Call: May 20, 2013
Due Date: September 9, 2013
Notification: by November 15, 2013

Submission Procedure:
Applications should be submitted as a single PDF file here.

 

GCTC—Global Challenges Phase 1
Call for Proposals (May 2013)

Description of Program:

Global Challenges is a two-phase funding program that seeks to inspire and cultivate transformative ideas for how to address some of the greatest challenges facing the world today. The program is open to faculty in all units and disciplines, and it embraces risk taking, multi-disciplinary approaches, and engagement with the entire internal/external community, including students. Projects are encouraged that have an impact that is scalable and transferable (e.g., local to global). The single most important criterion in evaluating proposals will be the potential for transformative impact on any of the world’s greatest challenges. 

The Global Challenges program has two parts: Phase 1 seed funding and Phase 2 full funding. All Global Challenges proposals must first be submitted to the Phase 1 program, which will provide funding for approximately one year to test ideas, techniques and/or strategies, develop protocols and/or prototypes, and present clear milestones of achievement. At the completion of Phase 1 activities, teams are invited to submit proposals to the Phase 2 program, an opportunity to fully fund ($100K to $3 million) the initiatives over a multi-year period.

PHASE 1 – Seed Funding

Funding Available: Seed funds of $10K to $300K on a one-time basis, appropriate to the scale of the project, will be available over a 12-month period.

Eligible Applicants: All faculty members on the Ann Arbor campus

Application Format (A template will be provided):

• Cover page (1 page) containing (1) signatures of applying faculty, (2) signature of unit leader(s) (Dean or Director, as appropriate), (3) budget, (4) timeline for project. Please attach a 1-2 page CV or biosketch for each faculty participant and a letter of support from any non-UM primary partners.
• Proposal (2 pages) outlining a major global problem and/or opportunity and how the proposed approach will have a transformative impact. The proposal should also present achievable milestones that will demonstrate the initial effectiveness of the planned approach.
• Budget page (1 page) detailing the proposed project budget.

Funding Criteria: The single most important criterion in evaluating proposals will be the potential for transformative impact on any of the world’s greatest challenges. (Please note that proposals that seek funds to establish a center/institute at the University of Michigan will be low priority. Proposals that focus on activities (vs. logistics and infrastructure of a center) will be viewed more favorably.)

The following criteria will be viewed favorably but are not required:

a. Is not well suited for traditional external funding sources (e.g., NSF, NIH, DoE, DoD)
b. Engages the broader UM community, including students
c. Addresses multiple dimensions of a problem or opportunity (i.e., interdisciplinary)
d. Has an impact that is scalable and transferable, including potential for wide, even global, application
e. Establishes meaningful collaborations or partnerships with individuals or organizations outside UM

Timeline:
Call: May 20, 2013
Due Date: September 9, 2013
Notification: by November 15, 2013

Submission Procedure:
Please use the template provided. Applications should be submitted as a single PDF file here.

PHASE 2 – Full Funding

Below is a summary of the Global Challenges – Phase 2 program. Additional information will be provided to Phase 1 funding recipients this fall regarding the Phase 2 proposal process in the future.

Funding Available: Full funding of $100K to $3 million, one-time, will be available over a multi-year period.

Eligible Applicants: All recipients of Global Challenges Phase 1 funding.

Application Format (A template will be provided):

• Cover page containing (1) signatures of all participating faculty, (2) signature of unit leader(s) (Dean or Director, as appropriate), (3) budget (and concise justification), (4) timeline for project. Please attach a 1-2 page CV or biosketch for each faculty participant and a letter of support from any non-UM primary partners.
• Proposal (up to 12 pages) providing a clear articulation of the major global challenge that is being addressed and how the proposed activity will have a transformative impact on it. Up to four pages should explain lessons learned and milestones achieved from Phase 1 activities and up to eight additional pages should explain plans to fully implement the project.
• Budget page (1 page) detailing the proposed project budget.

A small subset of competitive Phase 2 proposals will be invited to make a short (15-minute) oral presentation to the review board, which is anticipated to be highly interactive.

Timeline (We are anticipating multiple or rolling calls.):
Initial call: TBD
Due Date: TBD
Notification: TBD