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Who is eligible?

Prospective PIs applying to the U-POWER Research Pilot Project Program (RPPP) can be graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, or faculty at the University of Utah and other institutions of higher education in Region VIII or the neighboring state of Nevada. Applicants who are not students or employees of an institution of higher education may apply using a multiple PI (mPI) model, where the mPI is a faculty member at an institution of higher education in Region VIII or Nevada. Investigators may be from any disciplinary background.

Priority will be given to applications that include new interdisciplinary teams, interdisciplinary approaches, junior investigators, or investigators from under-represented groups. U-POWER will also prioritize projects that use community-based participatory research and proposals that explore social and structural determinants of work (in)equity.

May I request assistance with my application? 

All investigators, but particularly junior investigators and graduate students, are encouraged to request support from U-POWER staff and investigators before submitting a pilot project application. Interested applicants should contact Dr. Camie Schaefer, Associate Director of U-POWER (camie.schaefer@utah.edu; 801-310-0668) for more information on any of the following programs:

  • Writing assistance and pre-submission review
  • Scientific concept review
  • Grant-related professional development activities (e.g. mock peer reviews and pre-submission application critiques)
  • Assistance with finding a community partner for collaboration
  • Assistance with identifying a mentor

Interested applicants are encouraged to reach out for assistance as soon as possible, but at least two weeks before the application due date. Recipients of assistance are not obligated to submit a final application, nor are they guaranteed successful funding.

What are the important dates?

Applications are due March 1, 2023. Awards will be announced by May 2023, and the anticipated period of performance is May 2023 - April 2024, although no-cost extensions may be requested.

What kinds of projects are likely to be funded? 

U-POWER’s RPPP is interested in innovative research from any discipline that explores the role of power in defining conditions of work that create inequity in work and affect the safety, health, and well-being of workers and communities.

For other questions, please consult the Call for Applications and Detailed Application Instructions. If these documents do not answer your question, please contact Dr. Camie Schaefer at camie.schaefer@utah.edu.