MIT Skoltech Program 2022 Call for Pilot Grant Proposals
After the 2020 successful round of pilot grants, the MIT Skoltech Program is calling for another round of proposals from MIT Principal Investigators from any of the Institute’s schools, departments, laboratories, or centers. The pilot grants are designed to seed and support idea generation for MIT faculty on topics that are of mutual interest to both MIT and Skoltech and that would promote collaboration between both parties. The call is open now through November 15.
For the 2022 Call for Proposals, the MIT Skoltech Program encourages both:
- New applications for innovative projects that have the potential to benefit the development of Skoltech, and
- Renewal applications to allow for the continuation of research projects that were funded in the first round of MIT Skoltech Program pilot grants (grants that will expire in June 2022).
Interested researchers are encouraged to submit proposals in the following 3 categories:
1. Research projects in the areas of science and engineering:
- Data Science
- Life Sciences and Health
- Cutting-edge Engineering & Advanced Materials
- Energy Efficiency
- Advanced Studies
2. Projects in the areas of policy, economics, humanities, arts, and social sciences. The Program is especially interested in research projects in the fields of:
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Technology & Policy
- Russian studies in general, including Russian history, Russian art, and Russian economy
3. Non-research projects to promote engagement and collaboration in topics and activities that may impact Russia or Skoltech, such as developing a course or an Entrepreneurship & Innovation program. If you have questions on whether a non-research project is appropriate, you can raise these with mitskoltech@mit.edu.
Preference will be given to proposals that have the potential for sustainability beyond the funding period.
The Program has supported close to 50 seed and pilot projects in this phase and in the previous phase of the collaboration. A list of past awards can be found at Seed Funds page.
Eligibility
Proposals will be accepted from MIT Principal Investigators from any school, department, laboratory, or center.
While this funding is exclusively for MIT Principal Investigators, proposals that include collaboration with Skoltech faculty are strongly encouraged. If you do not have a collaborator at Skoltech, we can help you connect with interested faculty at Skoltech.
How to Apply
The deadline to submit proposals is November 15, 2021. Pilot grants will be awarded in amounts up to $100,000 annual total costs, for a grant period up to two years. Applicants will be informed of the results in January 2022. Funds for new projects will be available for use from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023. Funds for renewal projects will be available for use from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024.
Funding may be used for, but is not limited to, MIT salaries (including summer salaries as well as RA, postdoc, and other salaries), tuition for MIT students, materials & supplies, services, equipment, travel & meeting costs to facilitate collaboration with Skoltech, and indirect costs. Funding should not be used for salaries for foreign collaborators.
Applications must include a project proposal and a project budget. Both the proposal and the budget templates can be found on MIT Funding Opportunities.
Please submit the project proposal and project budget via Apply Here button on MIT Funding Opportunities. Any area- or budget-related questions can be raised with mitskoltech@mit.edu. The proposal and budget do not need to be routed via Kuali Coeus (KC). Only if a grant is awarded will the proposal need to be routed via KC.
At the end of the grant period, grantees will be required to submit a brief report to the MIT Skoltech Program office highlighting the accomplishments and results of the project, the project’s impact on Skoltech or the Skolkovo Foundation, any publications resulting from the project, as well as a final financial statement. The report should be 2–4 pages in length and may be used in whole or in part in materials submitted to governing bodies and on the MIT Skoltech Program website.
Summary schedule:
| November 15, 2021 | Proposal submission deadline |
| January 2022 | Announcement of funded projects |
| January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023 | Funds available for use for new projects |
| July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024 | Funds available for use for renewal projects |