Emergency Funds—Salary Support

ÌýÌýThis application portal will remain open until all the funds are awarded. Please contact Joe Dragavon (joseph.dragavon@colorado.edu) with any questions.

The Research & Innovation Office (RIO) Emergency Funds—Salary Support program seeks to esnure the continuity of facility staff in support of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder's research enterprise.


Facility staff are an essential component of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Boulder’s Core Facilities. For this award, the Core should be beneficial to and frequently utilized by the broader community. Applicants seeking emergency financial assistance for salary support must explain why support cannot be solely obtained through other internal or external funding channels. Ìý

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ÌýBoulderÌýcoreÌýfacilityÌýdirectors/managers,ÌýfacultyÌýor staff.ÌýOnly one application is allowed per core.

ÌýÌýView Eligible Core FacilitiesÌý

Budget

The Emergency Funds—Salary SupportÌýprogram will fund up to one month salary + benefits for FY25 or $10,000, whichever is less. The program will remain active until all available funds are distributed or the end of FY25, whichever comes first. Ìý

Requirements

  1. Applicants must be a Core Facility director, manager, or staff member.
  2. A single award may be used to support a current Core staff member whose annual salary will be negatively impacted moving forward if support is not provided. Ìý
  3. The maximum award is up to one month FY25 salary + benefits or $10,000, whichever is less. Ìý
  4. All funds must be for one staff member. Ìý
  5. Funds cannot be used to support instrumentation. Ìý
  6. Funds must be spent in the Core Facility associated with the project described in the grant application. Ìý
  7. All awarded funds must be spent by the end of FY25 (June 30, 2025). There will be no no-cost extensions.Ìý

​Terms & Conditions

  1. Recipients will submit an annual Impact Report for three full fiscal years (three reports in total). Failure to do so may result in the Core Facility being disqualified from future funding opportunities. Recipients will receive a link through which the Impact Report can be submitted.Ìý
  2. If a significant outcome of this grant award is realized at any time, recipients will immediately notify Joe Dragavon, Director of Core Facilities & Shared Instrumentation in writing by emailing joseph.dragavon@colorado.edu.
  3. If there is a change or absence (60 days or greater) in PI, recipients will contact and provide a justification to Joe Dragavon, Director of Core Facilities & Shared Instrumentation at joseph.dragavon@colorado.edu. ÌýÌý
  4. If the project entails any compliance issues such as IRB, IAÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥C, EHS, biohazardous material, etc., recipients certify that the appropriate compliance offices on campus will be made aware of the proposed activities before initiating any work.Ìý
  5. All funds must be spent by June 30, 2025. There will be no No-cost extensions awarded. Unused funds at the end of the project will be returned to RIO.Ìý
  6. If a recipient fails to fulfill any of the aforementioned conditions, RIO reserves the right to suspend funds.Ìý

Reviews

Faculty volunteers review applications, provide comments and recommend proposals for funding. Proposals will be evaluated in four primary areas:

  • Need: How essential is the personnel to the facility? What will the negative impact(s) be if the staff member is lost? Is the Core experiencing financial hardship such that the increase in User fees or other funding possibilities such that it could negatively impact future cost recovery efforts? Ìý
  • Overall Benefit: Does maintaining the Staff member benefit Core Facility operations and Users, and ensure the essential capabilities of the University’s research infrastructure?
  • Management: How did the financial shortfall occur? How will this be avoided in the future?
  • Prevention: How will the Core Facility ensure that similar essential financial shortcomings are appropriately internally funded in the future?
  • Funding Request: Is the expenditure of these funds accurate and justifiable, and worth the investment from the Research and Innovation Office? Ìý

Application Deadline and Portal

Applications for FY25 can be submitted anytime until April 28, 2025, 11:59pm MST.

Proposal Preparation

Please provide the following information:

  • Application Title
  • Cover Letter (useÌýÌýÌýprovided template)
  • Applicant Details
  • Core Details
  • Instrument Details
  • Total Repair Cost
  • Total Request
    • Up to one month FY25 salary + benefits or $10,000, whichever is less
  • Usage statistics for FY23 and FY24 and FY25 (to date)
  • Why are the funds needed? (500 words max)
    • Responsibilities
    • Capabilities
  • Will the facility and university research be negatively impacted without the salary support?Ìý
  • Future avoidance of financial support?
  • Signed support letter from the home department/unit directly stating:
    • The department/unit financially commits to supporting the remainder salary for FY25.
    • The department/unit will perform a thorough evaluation of the Core to ensure improved fiscal sustainability for FY26 and beyond.Ìý
  • Annual award report agreement
    • By submitting for the Emergency Funds—Salary Support, you agree to submit an annual Impact Report for the next three fiscal years (three reports in total). Failure to do so may result in this Core's disqualification from future funding opportunities.