Funding Mechanisms for Core Customers

ORT supports the efforts of PIs applying for funding for partial use supporting a university core facility.  Our core directors are always willing to write letters of support for PIs applying for various grants and should be contacted directly.  Our cores are also willing to discuss with PIs the feasibility of housing instrumentation obtained through federal grants in core facility space.

North Carolina Biotechnology Center Grants

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center (NCBC) offers several grants that could benefit a core facility including Flash Grants (rolling topics), Innovation Impact Grants (supports the purchase of research equipment for core facilities fostering innovation within North Carolina’s life sciences ecosystem), and more. Please also see North Carolina Biotechnology Center Grant Writing Tips.NCBC Website

NIH's S10 Instrumentation Program

NIH Shared Instrumentation and High-End Instrumentation grants provide a mechanism for NIH-supported investigators to obtain high end instrumentation. For advice on submitting a successful SIG check out Nancy Fisher’s slides from her presentation a the November 2015 Core Director Meeting.NIH S10 Instrumentation Program

NC TraCS Pilot Program

PIs interested in funds for pilot data to be used at core facilities should consider the NC TraCS Pilot Program funding source.NC TraCS Pilot Program

NSF Major Research Instrumentation

The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program serves to increase access to shared instruments for scientific and engineering research and research training in our Nation’s institutions of higher education, museums, science centers, and not-for-profit organizations. This program especially seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering, by providing shared instrumentation that fosters the integration of research and education in research intensive learning environments. Development and acquisition of research instrumentation for shared inter- and/or intraorganizational use is encouraged, as are development efforts that leverage the strengths of private sector partners as appropriate to the goals of the MRI Program. The MRI Program is intended to assist with the acquisition or development of research instrumentation that is, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs. Fund range: $100,000 – $4 million.

NSF Major Research Instrumentation

CFAC Voucher Program

Occasionally, CFAC offers a funding program targeted towards new users of core facilities or for method development and pilot data generation for existing core users.  Previous iterations of the voucher program have proven very successful for both the cores and their customers; the voucher program from the 2019 FY funded 27 projects, over half of which resulted in publications and grants.

CFAC Funding Programs