Seed to R01 Accelerator Grants

• Faculty with full time (75% FTE or greater) primary academic appointment at (and employed by) the University of Minnesota, with a minimum of 1 year in the role. Early- or mid-career faculty are especially encouraged to apply. This includes:
  • MD, PhD, DVM, or equivalent advanced degrees
  • All promotion tracks are accepted
  • Please note that students, PhD candidates, medical residents, fellows, and post-docs are not eligible to apply as a PI for this funding.
• Successful completion of a past CGHSR Seed Grant cycle, active CGHSR Seed Grant, or substantial experience in externally-funded global health research (including mentored research).
• Established collaboration with international partner(s) and institution(s) involved in the proposed project. Each application must have at least one UMN faculty as Principal Investigator (PI) and a Co-PI or co-investigator based at the collaborating international site who is fully engaged in the research project.
• Commitment to applying for an NIH R01 award or equivalent funding* within three years of receiving this award.
  • *Equivalent funding is defined as 7-8 figure, multi-year research grants. Priority will be given to applicants pursuing an NIH R01 grant; however, applicants pursuing equivalent funding will also be considered.
  • Note: Applicants who have previously received an NIH R01 grant for a different project or a different collaborative partnership are eligible to apply. Applicants are not eligible if they have received an R01 grant for the proposed project or with the current collaborative partner.
• The PI should have at least 10% protected or unfunded research time for the duration of the award.
• Applicants should have a primary research mentor identified (not required for full professor applicants).
  • CGHSR will work with awardees to facilitate a second mentor who is experienced in global health funded research as needed.
• Basic, translational, or clinical research is eligible.

• Strength of proposal in terms of specific aims, research methods, and potential for external funding.
• Demonstration of strong collaboration and equitable partnership with international investigators.

Awardees will have access to: 

• Funding to be used in the furtherance of the research project.
• Dedicated, customized project management support from CGHSR research support staff (up to 10% effort each year).
• Resources for best practices in global health, including training and guidance for unique operational dynamics of working with international collaborators such as budgeting, project management timelines, travel and sample shipping logistics, etc.
• Assistance connecting with current research development programs and trainings for more specific skill development.
• Review and feedback for the resulting NIH R01 or equivalent application by researchers experienced with NIH-sponsored investigation.

Letter of Intent (LOI)

All applicants must submit a “letter of intent” form by February 9, 2026. The letter of intent allows the applicant the opportunity to briefly describe their research plan and how this funding will help advance their work and lead to NIH R01 or equivalent funding. Applicants will be notified if they are invited to submit a full application by February 20, 2026. Submit letters of intent here.

Proposal

Proposals are submitted via a Google Form which will be sent to invited applicants. All proposals should be submitted as a PDF document with ½ inch margins, Arial 11 point font, single spaced, with page numbering on the right bottom page. A document template is provided for your convenience (recommended but not required). Please either use the provided document template or refer to the list below to ensure all required components are included in each section:

Cover page (1 page maximum)

• Project title
• Name, degree(s), title, departmental/division affiliation, and role in project for each principal investigator (UMN and international) and other key personnel (Co-I’s).
• Abstract (up to 30 lines of text): Concise summary of proposed research and its anticipated impact on your research career development
  • Include a succinct description of the project’s long-term objectives, specific aims, and the research design and methods.
  • Should be informative to others working in related fields and understandable to a scientifically literate reader. 

Research Project Description (7 pages maximum, excluding references)

• Background and scientific significance (Up to 1 page)
  • Include how your approach might be considered novel or innovative.
• Specific aims of the research (Up to 1 page)
• Research plan (Up to 3 pages)
  • Include study design, methods, analysis plan, timeline.
  • If the research is a continuation of a previously-awarded CGHSR Seed Grant, please include a brief description of the outcomes of the initial project and how this funding will build upon that research (1 paragraph).
  • Briefly describe how the findings or methods from this research could be applicable or translatable to U.S. populations or health contexts, if relevant.
• Collaboration history with your international project partner (~½ page)
  • Include any funding previously received, and mention any joint publications.
• Future plans (~1 page)
  • Include timeline for applying for external funding, specifying the NIH center(s) or institute(s) or any specific NIH RFA you have identified, and next steps for this research. For applicants pursuing alternative funding sources, indicate the specific grant(s) planned. Please note, awardees are expected to apply for an NIH R01 or equivalent grant within three years of receiving this award.
  • Describe any past experience your international project partner has in obtaining and/or operationalizing NIH or equivalent research funding.

Career Development (1 page maximum)

• Briefly summarize your career path in global health research up to this point.
• Identify your current primary research mentor, including their title and the length of your mentorship relationship (not required for full professors).
• Describe how this funding will help you accomplish your short- and long-term career goals in global health and/or contribute to the growth of your individual or team’s research program. Please also address how this award will enhance the research capacity of your international partner(s) and provide opportunities for mentorship, training, or professional development for other team members or trainees (at UMN or partner site(s)).

Budget and Justification

Awards are up to $50,000 each for up to two years of research activities. This funding can be used to support the applicant’s effort (e.g. protected time for research), salary support for other research staff (e.g. statistical support, research assistant, technician, postdoctoral fellow, graduate students), research costs (e.g. participant reimbursement, lab/other services, supplies), training (e.g. grant writing), and other project-specific costs including travel. F&A (indirect costs) are not allowed under this award.

• Provide a clear and detailed budget AND justification for each budget item for the duration of the funding cycle. Templates will be provided to invited applicants.

Biosketch and Other Supporting Materials 

• Provide an NIH biosketch of the UMN PI(s) and the Co-PI/Co-I(s) at the collaborating research site.
• Two letters of support; one from your UMN department head/division head (using the template provided) and one from your international Co-PI/Co-I(s).

• Request for proposals announced: Nov. 3, 2025
• Letter of intent due: Feb. 9, 2026 by 11:59pm CST
• Invitations for full proposals: By Feb. 20, 2026
• Full proposals due: March 30, 2026 by 11:59pm CDT
• Notification of Award: May 1, 2026
• Funding available: July 1, 2026

• Submit six-month check-ins and annual reports of progress. The report form template will be provided to awardees.
• Awardees and their international Co-PI/Co-I(s) participate in periodic progress review meetings with their designated global health mentor.
• Awardees are expected to report their progress on applying for an NIH R01 or equivalent grant within 3 years of receiving funding.

Peter Larsen, MSc, PhD | College of Veterinary Medicine | Elucidating Blood Meal Hosts and Pathogen Diversity of Aedes Mosquitoes in Borneo: Implications for Global Arbovirus Disease Mitigation 

• Co-PIs: Jonathan Oliver, PhD, Associate Professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, UMN School of Public Health; Faisal Ali Anwarali Khan, MSc, PhD, Associate Professor, Dean, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Sarawak, Malaysia

Kelly Searle, ScM, PhD | School of Public Health | Novel Methods for Quantifying Infrastructure Damage Related to Severe Weather Events and its Impact on Malaria Risk in Mozambique 

• Co-Is: Mr. Danilo de Sousa Nhantumbo, MA, Managing Director Navitas Group Global, Maputo, Mozambique; Baltazar Candrinho, MD, Director, National Malaria Control Program, Ministry of Health, Maputo, Mozambique

Irina Stepanov, PhD | School of Public Health | Chemoprevention of the Harmful Effects of Air Pollution 

• Co-PI: Kanokwan Kulprachakarn, PhD, Research Institute for Health Sciences (RIHES), Chiang Mai University
• Co-Is: Stephen Hecht, PhD, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, UMN Medical School; Chris Hogan, PhD, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UMN College of Science and Engineering; Wason Parklak, PhD, Research Institute for Health Sciences (RIHES), Chiang Mai University; Kittipan Rerkasem, MD, PhD, Research Institute for Health Sciences (RIHES), Chiang Mai University; Hataichanok Chuljerm, PhD, School of Health Sciences Research, Chiang Mai University