Minnesota Robotics Institute Research Grants

Major External Proposal Opportunity Grants

A Major External Proposal Opportunity Grant is aimed at supporting the submission of a large external proposal (> $1 million) within the 12 months of the grant period.  Each proposal should involve multi-disciplinary collaboration between two or more Co-PIs and can involve fundamental or translational science and engineering. The proposal should describe the specific external proposal opportunity that is being targeted, the proposed technical objectives, the preliminary research results needed to enable the submission of a strong external grant proposal, and the potential collaborative team for the external proposal. Budgets can range from $60,000 to $75,000 depending on the scope and potential impact of the proposed activity. 

The proposal should contain the following sections:

1. Cover page: Proposal title, names, and contact information for PI and Co-PIs/ Co-Is.

2. Project Description: 3-page document including an Abstract (< 250 words), Introduction, External Proposal Opportunity, Intellectual Merit, Research Description, Potential Proposal Team, and Key Milestones.

3. References cited and support letters as appropriate.

4. Budget for a project period of 1 year, starting Spring semester 2025.

5. Curriculum Vitae for PI and Co-PIs, 2 pages each.

6. List of current and pending projects for PIs and Co-PIs.

Please use a minimum font size of 11 and 1-inch page margins, and submit your proposal as a single PDF file (including all sections) to [email protected] by November 15, 2024.  Please include in the title of the email the words “MnRI RFP.” Funding decisions are expected to be made by the end of the calendar year.

Minnesota Robotics Institute Seed Grants

Seed Grant proposals can be submitted for research that has the potential to lead to future large projects of transformative impact.  Each proposal should involve multi-disciplinary collaboration between two or more Co-PIs and can involve fundamental or translational science and engineering. The proposal should describe how the seed project will lead to high-impact outcomes, including possible submission of future external grant proposals to government agencies or other sponsors.  The availability of matching funds from an industrial partner will be viewed favorably by the review committee but is not a necessary requirement. Budgets can range from $30,000 to $50,000 depending on the scope and potential impact of the proposed activity. 

The proposal should contain the following sections:

1.  Cover page: Title of proposal, names, and contact information for PI and Co-PIs/ Co-Is.

2. Project Description: 3-page document including an Abstract (< 250 words), Introduction, Intellectual Merit, Research Description, Key Milestones (including external grant proposal submission), and Timeline.

3. Potential Impact Description: 1-page document including descriptions of

   1. Future Impact: Plans for submission of external grant proposals as a result of the work initiated in this seed project.

   2. Past Work: If you have received past MnRI funding, describe project results and any success with follow-up external grant submissions.

4. References cited and support letters as appropriate.

5. Budget for a project period of 1 year, starting Spring semester 2025.

6. Curriculum Vitae for PI and Co-PIs, two pages each.

7. List of current and pending projects for PIs and Co-PIs.

Please use a minimum font size of 11 and 1-inch page margins, and submit your proposal as a single PDF file (including all sections) to [email protected] by November 15, 2024.  Please include in the title of the email the words “MnRI RFP.” Funding decisions are expected to be made by the end of the calendar year.