We invite proposals for the COEIT Innovations and Interdisciplinary Projects (CIIP) program to advance use-inspired convergence research, transition to practice, collaborations across disciplines and preparing for future external funding. In addition, this year CIIPs will also focus on translational research which facilitates partnerships with industry or has direct entrepreneurial outcomes. The competition is open to all COEIT tenured and tenure-track faculty, instructional faculty, and research faculty. External Collaborators are welcome but not required. In selecting the awardees, emphasis will be on assessing potential for translational research and acquiring future external funding.
We invite following types of CIIPs:
- Convergence Research project: Ideal for a well defined interdisciplinary problem. The budget is up to $20,000 for no more than 1 year. These are suitable for standard projects but we also welcome center scale ideas for future external large grant submissions. Proposals for this category must include collaborative faculty across distinct disciplines with collaborative aspects clearly highlighted in the proposal.
- Translational project: This category is for research projects nearing completion and ready for transition to practice or research transition to a product or tool. These projects must outline a plan for transition to practice or getting to a higher technology readiness. These projects must also outline plans for industry partnership in the future or plans for entrepreneurial outcomes. The budget is up to $20,000 for no more than 1 year.
- Seed funding: This category is for projects that are ramping up and can have core disciplinary focus to advance a seed idea. The budget is up to $3,000 for no more than 1 year.
We anticipate funding multiple projects depending on the scope of the projects. There are no limitations on categories for use of funds, however the budget should be clearly justified. It is an expectation that each project will submit a proposal for external funding at the end of the project but no later than within a year after completion of the project. A report with outcomes will be required at the end of the project period. While preference will be given to new proposals, previous CIIP awardees are also eligible to apply. If you are a past CIP recipient, please clearly outline activities from your past CIP award(s) and external funding or scholarly activities (one additional page), and why this work is novel or extends beyond your initial project. Prior CIPs are especially encouraged to consider the Translational projects.
Submission Requirements:
Applicants should submit a proposal including the following:
- Two-page project description (excluding references) including research description, team expertise as it relates to the project, timeline, deliverables, budget, and concrete plans for future funding. If you are a past CIP recipient, please include an additional one page to summarize activities and outcomes from your prior CIP award(s).
- Two-page CV for each team member (in one document).
Review process:
Review will be performed by a group of faculty members across COEIT departments. The review process will focus on the merit of the proposed idea, its potential impact, potential for research translation, and potential for future external funding. Final decisions based on these reviews will be made by the Dean’s office, and will include input from chairs. Plans for acquiring future funding will play a key role in the final decisions of awarding these grants. We also encourage considering diverse programs and sources as you plan for acquiring future funding.
Deadline: May 28th, 2026
Funding Period: August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027
Submission: 2026 CIIP
For questions, please reach out to vjaneja@umbc.edu