Internal Funding Opportunities
Internal funds are available from the Office of Research and from the Research Council to support research, scholarship and creative activities through annual university-wide competitions.The two award programs have slightly different application requirements. (PLEASE NOTE: Do NOT submit applications for internal funding through NUgrant!)
Office of Research Funding Opportunities
The table below lists each award program, the maximum award amount available, and general application deadlines (when a specific deadline has been established, the actual deadline date will appear), with links to the RFP and application guidelines and forms.RFPs will remain available online past the application deadlines. You may use an old RFP as a general guide in planning your application for the next award cycle, but please be sure to check this site for updates and new RFPs, as deadlines and some requirements will change from year to year.
To apply, download an application package for Office of Research awards here or by clicking on the Red "Apply" button in the table below. Full instructions for completing forms, writing project descriptions and submitting proposals are included in the application package.
Submission Process:
- Download and complete the appropriate application form by clicking the link in the right hand column in the table below.
- Obtain signatures from your chair and dean.
- Scan the entire application form (including the signed cover page) into one file.
- E-mail the scanned file (in a single Word or pdf file), to unlresearch@unl.edu.
| Award Program Click on award name for full RFP |
Maximum Grant Request | Deadline | To Apply |
| Arts & Humanities Research Enhancement Program To foster research, scholarship and creative activity in the arts and humanities to enhance academic excellence in these disciplines and to increase UNL's competitiveness for external grants. |
$10,000 for one year (grant provides 75%; 25% match from department required) | 11/11/09 | ![]() |
| Strategic Research Cluster Grants To foster and support interdisciplinary research groups at UNL in developing their competitiveness for large-scale grants. Research clusters that build collaborations across departments, colleges and campuses, and with other institutions of strategic importance are critical to enhancing our competitiveness. |
$50,000 for one year | Rolling Deadline | ![]() |
| Minority Health-related Research Projects To support research regarding disparities in health outcomes among diverse populations, differences in disease prevalence, and systematic variations in behavioral processes that contribute to disease and burden. Preference given to applications that develop or build collaborations across areas, departments, colleges, and campuses and that propose research in areas area where there is a known opportunity for obtaining competitive federal funding. |
$10,000 for one year for research initiation projects, $50,000 for one year for collaborative, interdisciplinary projects | 11/11/09 | ![]() |
| Layman Awards To provide seed money for projects that will enhance the grantee’s ability to obtain external funding to support prominent scholarly work. Priority will be given to untenured tenure-track faculty and to other eligible faculty who propose projects of high promise and who make a compelling case that Layman funding is critical to their success. |
$10,000 for one year | 11/11/09 | ![]() |
Research Council Awards
The Research Council represents the diversity of research, scholarship and creative activity at UNL with twelve faculty members who are appointed for three-year terms of service. Among the Council’s duties is to review and award internal grants for research, scholarship and creative activities with funds allocated from the University of Nebraska Foundation.The table below lists each award program, the maximum award amount available, and application deadlines, with links to the RFP and application guidelines and forms.
To apply, download an application package for Research Council awards by clicking on the Red "Apply" button in the table below. Each Research Council award requires a slightly different application form, so be sure to click on the appropriate Red “Apply” button. Full instructions for completing forms, writing project descriptions and submitting proposals are included in the application package.
Submission Process:
- Download and complete the appropriate application form by clicking the link in the right hand column in the table below.
- Obtain signatures from your chair and dean.
- Scan the entire application form into one file
- E-mail the scanned file, along with an electronic copy of the proposal (in a single Word or pdf file), to unlresearch@unl.edu.
| Award Program Click on award name for full RFP |
Maximum Grant Request | Deadline | To Apply |
| Grants-In-Aid To support projects that promote a faculty member’s research creative and scholarly activities that may or may not enhance the prospects for obtaining outside support. |
$6,500 (individual applications) $10,000 ( joint applications) | 10/15/09 | ![]() |
| Faculty Seed Grants To support projects that encourage and enhance research, creative and scholarly activities, and enhance the prospects of obtaining outside, competitive support. |
$10,000 | 10/15/09 | ![]() |
| Interdisciplinary Research Grants To support new initiatives in interdisciplinary research, creative and scholarly activities to increase competitiveness of groups in applying for external funding and could also serve as ideas for future development for strategic initiatives. |
$20,000+ for one year (may be competitively renewed for one additional year) | 10/15/09 | ![]() |
| Visiting Scholars To support visiting scholars who are recognized for excellence in their fields and whose research and scholarly activities are closely related to the research interests of the faculty and graduate students at UNL. |
$800 (reimbursement for airfare and actual expenses for lodging and meals up to $130 per day for up to a two-day stay in Lincoln) | 10/15/09 & 3/22/10 | ![]() |
| Symposium/Distinguished Lecturers To support outstanding invited scholars who will give symposia or colloquia that should be of interest to a large interdisciplinary segment of the university community. |
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| Symposium | $3,000 | 10/15/09 & 3/22/10 | ![]() |
| Distinguished Lecturers | $3,000 ( Montgomery Lectureship) $500 (Tom Osborne Visiting Scholar Award) |
10/15/09 & 3/22/10 | ![]() |
| Special Opportunity Fund To help cover the costs associated with visits by distinguished speakers to UNL in special cases when the opportunity arises after the application deadline for the traditional Distinguished Lecturers program has passed. |
varies | Rolling deadline (academic year) | Choose appropriate category above |







