Faculty and Staff Resources — Research Resources

This page serves as a clearinghouse for information on research funding opportunities for faculty and students in the College of Education and Human Development. Below you will find information on grants and competitive research funds, as well as links to helpful resources offered by the University of Maine.

University of Maine Funding Opportunities

Faculty Funding Opportunities

  • Regular Faculty Research competition: Supports work that can be completed in one year and provides research support other than faculty salaries (Historically due in December)
  • Scholarly Materials and Equipment competition: Supports acquisition of equipment or library collections (Historically due late December)
  • Summer Faculty Research competition: Provides $8,000 awards for faculty summer salaries for a minimum of 1.5 months of research effort (Historically due late January)

For more information: Faculty Research Funds Program Information.

  • Innovation in Assessment Grants: $1,000 grants awarded to UMaine faculty or staff to conduct assessment-related projects or initiatives that directly support student learning outcome assessment processes for undergraduate, graduate or certificate programs. Priority will be given to applications received prior to Oct. 31. However, grants will be awarded throughout the year until all awards have been dispersed.

For more information: Office of Assessment Funding Opportunities.

  • Faculty Course Modification Incentive Grants and Maine Learning Assistant (FIG-MLA) Program: STEM instructors submit grant proposals for modifying a course to include more evidence-based and student-centered teaching strategies, such as the use of clicker questions, collaborative group work, think-pair-share and more. Proposals include the use of undergraduate Maine Learning Assistants (MLAs) in the class to help instructors implement course modifications. For 2018, a letter-of-intent is due in late January with a full proposal due in late February.

For more information: Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) FIG-MLA Program.

  • Rising Tide Center Leadership Development and Career Advancement Grants: Funding to facilitate participation of women faculty in training, mentoring, and leadership and professional development activities. Awards are for a period of one year and up to $3,000. Historically due November and December.

For more information: Rising Tide Center Professional Development.

Student Funding Opportunities

UMaine System Funding Opportunities

UMS Research Reinvestment Funds

  • Seed Grants: The seed grants provide funding for pilot research that will enable UMS faculty/professional staff from all disciplines and ranks to strengthen research, commercialization and economic development activities that support Maine businesses and industries critical to the state’s economy. Historically, applications are due in November and March.

For more information: UMS Research Reinvestment Fund

  • Planning Grants: The purpose of this program is to encourage the formation of new collaborative research teams spanning UMS campuses to develop and advance initiatives that expand UMS research and development capacity including, but not limited to, preparing these teams to submit competitive applications to the UMS RRF Seed Grant competitions. Faculty creative input and participation is highly valued in the planning grant process, particularly those of a “high-risk or boundary-stretching” nature. Groups of faculty/staff at the intersections of disciplines are encouraged to apply for planning grant support to advance R&D initiatives and in pursuit of UMS RRF Seed grant or other funding programs. A competitive process will be employed to identify the highest quality and most viable research and development groups. Research groups are encouraged to collaborate across UMS campuses, and/or to include external partners in order to form competitive teams. Eligible projects will propose research and economic development activities that directly benefit Maine industries and enhance Maine’s economic well-being. Rolling deadline, up to $5,000 available.

For more information: RRF Planning Grant RFP and guidelines

  • RRF Student Awards Competition: The purpose of the RRF student awards is to provide assistantships for UMS students (undergraduate or graduate) to work with UMS faculty/staff on research projects that will enable researchers from all disciplines and ranks to strengthen research, commercialization, and economic development activities that support Maine businesses and industries critical to the state’s economy. Applications may be in either Maine Economic Improvement Fund or non-MEIF focus areas.

For more information: UMS Research Reinvestment Fund

Grant Search Tools

Additional Resources

Office of Research Administration (formerly ORSP):

UMaine Office of Research Development

  • Assisting research teams with proposal development
  • Identifying targeted funding opportunities
  • Training and technical assistance related to grant writing
  • Grant resubmission support