Research Awards

Applications for Tier 1 and 2 which demonstrate consideration for the following will be given priority:

• Cross-disciplinary collaboration
• Diversity, equity, and accessibility
• Environmental sustainability
• Longevity of the program/project
• Bi-directional relationships with global partners

Application for Tier 3 – collaboration with Tohoku University:

• This call invites proposals for partnership development activity in areas of mutual interest and complementary strengths that will strengthen collaboration between UW and TU.   
• Proposals must include participants from both institutions.   
• Applications from all research areas are welcome
• Applications must demonstrate how the proposed activity will provide a platform for longer-term, larger-scale collaboration between UW and TU in the relevant field, for example, by providing a basis for ongoing joint research and education activity and/or applications to external bodies for research grant funding.  

Awards cannot support long-term projects.

Application for Tier 4 – collaboration with University of Sheffield

• Tier 4 invites proposals for research collaboration between UW and UoS in the following areas: 
  • AI
  • Manufacturing and Robotics
  • Quantum
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Medicine
• Applications must demonstrate how the proposed activity will provide a platform for longer-term, larger-scale collaboration between UW and UoS in the relevant field, for example, by providing a basis for ongoing joint research and education activity and/or applications to external bodies for research grant funding.  

Contact OGA with questions at uwgif@uw.edu

For Tier 1 Research Awards:

• First-time GIF Research Award applicants only.
• Early-career UW faculty members, research scientists, and non-faculty researchers, as well as post-docs from the Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell campuses, are encouraged to apply. Graduate students may apply with a faculty lead.
• Tier 1 awards are intended for applicants who are in the early stages of a research project or those who are looking to expand their research globally.

For Tier 2 Research Awards:

• UW faculty members, research scientists, and non-faculty researchers, as well as post-docs from the Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell campuses, are encouraged to apply. Graduate students may apply with a faculty lead.
• You can apply for Tier 2 awards only once every three years.

For both Tier 1 and Tier 2 applications, the priority are given to:

• Cross-college, cross-discipline, and multi-country collaboration
• Proof of concept with clear outcomes
• Sustainable funding models after the GIF award
• Development and submission of a collaborative proposal for external funding
• Development and submission of a collaborative scholarly publication, monograph, or exhibition of research or creative work
• Development of new collaborative curricular programs (degree programs, courses, faculty exchanges)
• Increased engagement in regions of the world where the UW already has academic partnerships and collaborative activities.

Applications aligned with one or more of UW’s strategic initiatives receive higher priority:

• UW Race & Equity Initiative
• UW Innovation Imperative
• UW Population Health Initiative
• American Indian and Indigenous studies

For Tier 3 Research Awards – collaboration with Tohoku University: 

• Applications are open to UW and TU staff members with the following roles:  
  • Professor or equivalent  
  • Associate Professor or equivalent  
  • Senior Lecturer/Principal Researcher/Principal Research Associate or equivalent
  • Lecturer/Senior Research Associate or equivalent 
  • Post Doc/Researcher/Research Associate or equivalent  

• Applicants from UW and TU must have an open-ended contract or a fixed-term contract that lasts until at least December 2025.
• Applicants are not required to have a doctorate to apply but do need to hold a role at one of the levels described above.  
• PhD students are not eligible to apply, but their involvement in the delivery of the project – for example as research assistants or interns – is encouraged. 

For Tier 4 Research Awards – collaboration with University of Sheffield: 

• Applications are open to UW and UoS staff members with the following roles:  
  • Professor or equivalent  
  • Associate Professor or equivalent  
  • Senior Lecturer/Principal Researcher/Principal Research Associate or equivalent
  • Lecturer/Senior Research Associate or equivalent 
  • Post Doc/Researcher/Research Associate or equivalent  
• Applicants from UW and UoS must have an open-ended contract or a fixed-term contract that lasts until at least December 2025.
• Applicants are not required to have a doctorate to apply but do need to hold a role at one of the levels described above.  
• PhD students are not eligible to apply, but their involvement in the delivery of the project – for example as research assistants or interns – is encouraged. 

All funded projects must submit a post-award report at the end of the award use period.

• Brief narrative report – describe the purpose, outcomes, and next steps for your project
• Photos and/or videos
• Updated budget including actual expenditures

Please mention the Global Innovation Fund in any communications or news related to your project. Use #UWGlobal on social media UWGlobal LinkedIn and UWGlobal Instagram.

OGA may follow up to do additional marketing and story-telling around each community.

Failure to submit the final report and budget on time will cause exclusion from future GIF applications.