Weinberg College
of Arts & Sciences

Weinberg Research Recovery Grants (WR2)

Please note this program has now ended. 

Weinberg Research Recovery Grants (WR²) – Final Round

Deadline: November 15^th, 2022 

Recognizing that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the research of many faculty members, Weinberg College is reimagining the W Awards to focus on providing support for research recovery. 

Please note that this is expected to be the final call for proposals for this program. Previous awardees who were unable to use WR2 research funds within the FY21/22 timeframe and who have not reapplied for FY23 funds must do so by Nov 15^th  in order to recover the funds. Reapplication instructions are included below. 

Proposals may request research support in the form of one course release or one quarter of graduate student support and may include a request for research funds. We expect to award research funds on the order of $5,000 per project but will consider proposals for research funds of up to $10,000 in exceptional circumstances.  The quarter of graduate student support is intended for fields in which graduate students are supported by externally sponsored funds. 

This final cycle of awards will be for use in FY23 (Sept 1, 2022 through Aug 31, 2023). Funds may not be carried over to FY24. 

Eligibility: All full-time tenured or tenure-line Weinberg College faculty members are eligible to apply, but priority will be given to untenured assistant professors and associate professors seeking to complete a project in advance of promotion to full professor. We do not anticipate making multiple WR2 awards to the same individual. Therefore, excepting those who are reapplying for use of previously awarded but unused research funds, previous awardees are not encouraged to apply for a second WR2 award. 

Application: Proposals should be written in a manner understandable to a general academic audience. Submit a single pdf file to Gina Berardesco, consisting of a two-page or less narrative (1-3 below), one-page Budget Form (4), and department letter, if needed (5):

1. Title of the project, faculty name and department(s)
2. Summary of the project and its goals: rationale, proposed activities, feasibility, anticipated findings or products, opportunities for external funding or continuation of the work
3. Statement of need relating use of the award for recovery of research productivity that has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
4. Budget Form: Use this Budget Form to specify the types(s) and amount of support requested, and provide appropriate justification
5. Department Letter/email. Requests for a course release require prior consultation with and endorsement by the department chair. The chair should confirm whether a course release can or cannot be accommodated in the curriculum without replacement teaching.

Reapplications should be submitted to Gina Berardesco as a single pdf containing:

1. Title of project, faculty name, and department(s)
2. Short description of the reason that funds were not spent before Aug 31, 2022
3. Dollar amount of remaining WR2 research funds that you wish to renew
4. Confirmation that research funds will be spent as originally budgeted, or a new budget justification if different activities would be supported by these funds.

 Deadline: November 15, 2022

1. Quality, creativity, and potential impact of the proposed research
2. Potential to address pandemic-related research recovery
3. Prospects for success (feasibility, dissemination of findings, future grant applications, or other products as relevant)
4. Feasibility and justification of the requested budget, including whether replacement teaching is required and whether other sources of research funds are available.

 Reporting: At the end of the project period, investigators should submit a brief report (1-2 pages) to Gina Berardesco that describes the results and the impact of the work.

Contacts for questions: