Baylor PI Newsletter - September 28, 2026
Discover the latest information for Baylor researchers on institutional research policies, opportunities and workshops. Baylor PI Newsletter is a monthly newsletter from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research.
Community Project Funding Opportunity and Information Webinar
Each year, Baylor identifies a set of federal funding priorities for our members of Congress to support projects that engage with and benefit our surrounding community. We are inviting faculty members to submit proposals for projects that align with this mission.
If you are interested in submitting a project to be considered, please review our FAQ document for more information about the process. If you think you may have a project that meets the outlined criteria, please prepare a brief proposal (1-2 pages max) covering the items listed in the document titled “FY 2028 CPF Proposal Template.” Then, share your proposal with me and Director of Federal Relations Amy Davenport. Email us at Kevin_Chambliss@baylor.edu and Amy_Davenport2@baylor.edu with your ideas. Please submit by Friday, October 23.
Additionally, we will hold a virtual information session Thursday, October 1 at 11 a.m. for interested parties. While you do not have to attend the information session to apply, this will provide an opportunity to learn more about eligibility criteria and the application process, as well as to ask any questions you may have. Click here for further information and to register.
OVPR and the Office of Government Relations will review all the submissions and work with university leadership and our congressional champions to select projects to be included among Baylor’s FY 2028 federal funding priorities. If you have questions about eligibility, scope, or the submission process, please reach out to Amy Davenport via email.
Changes to ONE-URC Awards, and a New Award Opportunity: Announcing Baylor in Deeds Incubator Awards
OVPR will provide two mechanisms through which Baylor faculty can apply for internal research funds during the 2026-27 academic year. The University Research Committee (URC) will award multiple $5,000 standard awards to individual faculty. Applications for these awards will be due March 19, 2027 at 11:59 p.m., and the University Research Committee will review the proposals. Funds will be available to spend from June 1, 2027 to May 31, 2028. See the URC website for Standard Award application details.
In the past, larger awards (up to $50k) were also granted through the ONE-URC mechanism; these $50k awards are no longer granted through the URC. Instead, larger awards are only available through the Baylor In Deeds Research Incubator Awards.
Baylor in Deeds Incubator Awards
The Office of the Vice Provost for Research is launching the Baylor in Deeds Research Incubator Awards, a new initiative designed to build interdisciplinary research communities around areas of strategic importance to Baylor. Rather than requiring faculty to form teams before seeking funding, the program brings together faculty from across disciplines to develop new collaborations, identify external funding opportunities, and design compelling pilot projects.
For 2026–27, faculty may apply to participate in one of two incubators: Human Flourishing or Advanced Materials and Manufacturing. Selected faculty will participate in a series of facilitated sessions from November through March, where they will connect with colleagues, explore funding opportunities, and form interdisciplinary teams. Teams emerging from the incubators will then be eligible to compete for $30,000–$60,000 in OVPR research funding, with an emphasis on projects positioned to pursue future external support. Details are provided on the Baylor in Deeds Incubator Awards website. All full-time Baylor faculty are eligible to apply.
To submit a Step 1 application for either the Human Flourishing or the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing incubator groups, individual faculty should email 1) a CV and 2) the application form that indicates the incubator group(s) of interest and provides a 250-word description of how the faculty applicant’s work connects to the incubator group to Research@baylor.edu. Step 1 applications are due November 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Why Baylor Uses the 30-10-5-3 Internal Proposal Deadline Framework
Research universities commonly set internal proposal deadlines ahead of the sponsor’s deadline. These deadlines create time to review your proposal, check for compliance issues, get required approvals, and submit successfully. Timelines vary across institutions, but the goal is the same: reduce the risk of a late or incomplete submission and make sure proposals get the review and support they need.
At Baylor, the 30-10-5-3 Internal Proposal Deadline Policy gives you time to develop and finalize your proposal while giving your Pre-Award University Research Administrator (URA) time to review your materials, request revisions, and secure the approvals and institutional review your proposal needs before it goes to the sponsor.
The framework also allows Baylor, as the institution submitting on your behalf, to meet its own responsibilities. Before any proposal goes out, the University must confirm the budget is accurate, verify compliance requirements are met, make sure required disclosures and training are complete, and finish institutional review and approvals.
The 30-10-5-3 Timeline at a Glance
- Day 30 (if your proposal includes a subaward to another institution) or Day 10 (if it doesn't): Let your URA know you plan to apply and send key information along with a draft budget so they can set up your proposal in CARA, Baylor’s proposal system.
- Days 10 to 5: Send your proposal documents to your URA as you finish them. During this window, your URA reviews your materials, requests revisions, builds your budget, and works through sponsor and University requirements with you.
- Day 5: Your complete proposal package must be in CARA and ready for institutional review. All administrative documents and budget must be final. Your narrative can still be near-final.
- Day 3: Your narrative is finalized, and all required approvals are in place.
- Days 2-0: Pre-Award completes the final institutional review, resolves any last issues, and submits your proposal.
- Day 0: The sponsor’s deadline
The 30-10-5-3 internal proposal deadlines are necessary to review, revise, approve, and submit your proposal. Getting materials to your URA on time allows us to identify and resolve issues and gives your proposal the best chance of a successful, on-time submission.
Updated OVPR-14 Advance Accounts Policy
Advance accounts can be helpful when funding is on the way but final terms are still being negotiated. For example, an advance account may be appropriate to allow an incoming subaward to be set up and for eligible project activity to begin while the agreement terms are finalized, helping avoid delays and unnecessary cost transfers.
To support the use of advance accounts, the OVPR-14: Advance Accounts policy has been updated to make the advance account process clearer and easier to navigate. The revisions expand eligibility for continuation funding, provide additional guidance on resolving advance accounts, and reorganize the policy for greater clarity and consistency.
Workshops
Oct. 16: Finding Funding for STEM faculty and Early Career Grants
Learn how to use Baylor resources to find grants for your research. Understand internal funding, Baylor-curated grant lists, and how to use Baylor-subscribed search engines. We will discuss Early Career grants available for tenure-track faculty in STEM.
- October 18th from 12-1 Teams or in-person at BSB Room A201
- Register here: https://baylor.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bseOxDjL7X08zLo
Nov. 13th A&H & Business Faculty: Finding Grants and Getting Started in Grant Writing
Learn how to find and use Baylor resources for finding grants for faculty who are not in STEM, and the basics of applying for grants at Baylor. Receive a digital copy of the Baylor Grant Writing Handbook, learn how to get help with editing, and how to schedule one-on-one consults.
- November 13th from 12-1 Teams or in-person at the Hankamer Business School, FOS conference room 211
- Register here: https://baylor.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ageMuzEhV8vbWCO
Dr. Benjamin F. Brown IV Fund for Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Scholarship
Full-time faculty across the university are invited to apply for the Brown Fellowship, which provides support to research or curriculum-development projects that are collaborative, interdisciplinary, and of global significance. Multiple awards of up to $25,000 are available, and applications are due by November 16, 2026. For more details, visit the Baylor in Washington Website.
