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Seed Funds

The Population Research Center (PRC) Seed Grant Program supports our Faculty Scholars and External Faculty Affiliates as they develop new projects in the population sciences that have a high likelihood of leading to external funding. The PRC invites proposals for three types of seed grants :

  • Primary Seed Grants are for any Faculty Scholars affiliated with the PRC and based at UT Austin.
  • Interdisciplinary Seed Grants are for collaborative projects that involve at least two Faculty Scholars affiliated with the PRC from different departments, colleges, or schools at UT Austin.
  • Interuniversity Catalyst Grants are for collaborative projects that involve at least one PRC Faculty Scholar who is based at UT Austin and one Faculty Affiliate who is based at a different university within Texas.

These three types of seed grants are made possible through funding from the Population Dynamics Branch of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development as well as from the College of Liberal Arts. Applications for all three seed grants are accepted twice per year, by January 15th and by July 15th.

Priority is given to seed projects that fit under the priorities of the Population Dynamics Branch, that are led by early-stage investigators who are within 10 years of their doctoral degree, and that are led by Faculty Scholars who have not received seed funding in the past two years.

Applications are scored according to the following criteria: the relevance of the topic to the PRC’s mission and thematic areas, scientific merit, the extent to which the project is consistent with PDB scientific priorities, and the likelihood that the seed project will lead to future external funding.

To be eligible for this source of funding, seed projects must be conducted in the U.S. and must not involve an intervention. 

The three types of seed grants have different criteria and funding levels:

  1. Primary Seed Grants are for any Faculty Scholars affiliated with the PRC and based at UT Austin.
  • The project must fit within research priorities of NICHD’s Population Dynamics Branch.
  • The project must fit within NICHD’s research themes and objectives.
  • Priority is given to projects that are conducted in the U.S. and that do not involve an intervention.
  • The requested funds must be proposed for the collection or analysis of initial data to inform a Preliminary Studies section in an NIH proposal.
  • The PI(s) must plan(s) to submit a proposal to NIH or another federal funding agency within 18 months of receiving the award.
  • Budgets may not exceed $20,000. The following items are not eligible for seed funding: faculty salaries; travel to conferences; annual memberships; faculty computers. All projected expenses should be specific to the proposed project.
  • Funds will not be disbursed until IRB approval (or a letter of exemption) is obtained and submitted to the PRC administrative team. Funds must be spent within 12 months of the award date; extensions must be approved by the PRC Director.

To apply for the Primary Seed Grant , click here

2. Interdisciplinary Seed Grants are for collaborative projects that involve at least two Faculty Scholars affiliated with the PRC from different departments, colleges, or schools at UT Austin. The project must involve at least two UT PRC Faculty Scholars from different departments, colleges, or schools.

  • The project must fit within research priorities of NICHD’s Population Dynamics Branch.
  • The project must fit within NICHD’s research themes and objectives.
  • The requested funds must be proposed for the collection or analysis of initial data to inform a Preliminary Studies section in an NIH proposal.
  • The project must be conducted in the U.S. and must not involve an intervention. 
  • The PIs must plan to submit a proposal to NIH within 18 months of receiving the award.
  • Budgets may not exceed $15,000. The following items are not eligible for seed funding: faculty salaries; travel to conferences; annual memberships; faculty computers. All projected expenses should be specific to the proposed project.
  • Funds will not be disbursed until IRB approval (or a letter of exemption) is obtained and submitted to the PRC Administrative team. Funds must be spent within 12 months of the award date; extensions must be approved by the PRC Director.

To apply for the Interdisciplinary Seed Grant, click here.

3.  Interuniversity Catalyst Grants are for collaborative projects that involve at least one PRC Faculty Scholar who is based at UT Austin and one Faculty Affiliate who is based at a different university within Texas. The project must involve at least one UT PRC Faculty Scholar and one PRC Faculty Affiliate based at a different university within Texas.

  • The project must fit within research priorities of NICHD’s Population Dynamics Branch.
  • The project must fit within NICHD’s research themes and objectives.
  • The requested funds must be proposed for the collection or analysis of initial data to inform a Preliminary Studies section in an NIH proposal.
  • The project must be conducted in the U.S. and must not involve an intervention. 
  • The PIs must plan to submit a proposal to NIH within 18 months of receiving the award.
  • Budgets may not exceed $15,000 in direct costs and will be paid to the UT-based PRC Faculty Scholar, who will be responsible for spending the funds. The following items are not eligible for seed funding: faculty salaries; annual memberships; travel to conferences; faculty computers. All projected expenses should be specific to the proposed project. Funds will not be disbursed until IRB approval (or a letter of exemption) is obtained and submitted to the PRC Administrative team. Funds must be spent within 12 months of the award date; extensions must be approved by the PRC Director.

To apply for the Interuniversity Catalyst Grant, click here.

Seed Fund Award Administrative Requirements for All PRC Seed Awards:

  • For all awarded seed projects, funds will not be disbursed until IRB approval (or a letter of exemption) has been obtained and submitted to the PRC administrative team. This is true even for projects that are determined to be exempt.
  • Faculty who receive seed funds from the PRC to support a new research project are required to submit resulting proposals for external funding through the PRC and to administer any funded projects that result from those seed funds through the PRC.
  • Seed fund recipients must cite the PRC's P2C award in all publications that arise from the seed funding and deposit all published papers in PubMed Central (PMC). Information on how to acknowledge the PRC P2C support and deposit in the PMC can be found here.
  • Seed fund recipients will be expected to report in writing on accomplishments under the seed award during the award period and at the end of the seed fund award period. Information about funded projects and published papers in subsequent years after the award has ended will also be requested from the seed fund recipients on a regular basis.
  • Funds must be spent within 12 months of the award date; extensions must be approved by the PRC Director.