R-Initiatives
R-Initiative programs nurture scholarship and discovery at Clemson University by providing funding opportunities and professional development support, while recognizing excellence through awards programs.
Since 2017, Clemson University has invested more than $17 million in research projects involving nearly 685 faculty members spread across every college through its R-Initiative funding programs. These funds have helped faculty secure $46 million in additional external funding (several proposals are still pending), acquire 27 new pieces of instrumentation, publish 13 books and 320 + journal articles and presentations, and conduct 11 art exhibitions and residencies, among other scholarly activities. Funds also helped 142 students earn PhDs. More proposals are being prepared and numerous R-Initiative projects remain active.
R-Initiative programs available are listed below, including funding opportunities, services and tools, and awards and recognitions.
Funding Opportunities
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Major Research Instrumentation Program
The MRI initiative provides $50,000 or more to fund the purchase or upgrade of equipment.
View more information including the 2024 awardees.
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Clemson Research Fellows
Fellows provides funding to support the hiring and training of research faculty and postdoctoral researchers.
FUNDING: As appropriate and justified
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Clemson Faculty Succeeds
CLEMSON FACULTY SUCCEEDS (CU SUCCEEDS) is a competitive internal funding initiative that positions faculty to succeed at various stages of the research process. CU SUCCEEDS provides funding across four programs to support leading-edge research and scholarship that capitalize on the existing intellectual capital at Clemson University. This initiative consists of four programs: (1) Project Initiation/Seed Funding, (2) Collaborate, (3) Project Completion, and (4) Fast Track.
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Clemson Core Incentivized Access (CU-CIA)
CU-CIA provides access to core research facilities for electron microscopy, light imaging, micro fabrication, high performance computing and animal research services.
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External Review Initiative
This provides principal investigators with external reviews to strengthen proposals before submission to funding agencies. Applications are accepted any time but must be submitted 12 weeks before the sponsor deadline.
External reviewers of proposals provide valuable feedback that investigators can use to strengthen proposals prior to submission to funding agencies, thus increasing their potential funding success. The Division of Research facilitates and provides honoraria for the external peer-review of grant proposals with the External Review Initiative. Clemson faculty may receive external reviews of grant proposals on which they are the Principal Investigators (PIs). PIs will suggest external reviewers, and ORD staff will coordinate the receipt of written peer reviews.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Anytime
FUNDING: $300 per reviewer, split by a 1:1 VPR/PI costshareCall for Proposals
Rolling deadline -
Sponsor Travel Grant
This provides investigators with up to $1,000 to visit agency or foundation program officers to establish relationships and discuss new funding opportunities. Applications are accepted any time.
The Division of Research will award Sponsor Travel Grants of up to $1,000 for investigators to visit agency or foundation program officers to establish relationships and discuss new funding opportunities. Sponsor Travel Grants are available on a rolling deadline.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Anytime
FUNDING: Up to $1,000Call for Proposals
Rolling deadline -
Doctoral Dissertation Completion Grant
A collaborative effort between the Offices of the Vice President for Research and the Dean of the Graduate School, this initiative supports students working to complete their doctoral degree. The Doctoral Dissertation Completion Award is not currently accepting applications.
FUNDING: Up to $10,000 for a long semester (Up to $6,000 for summer)
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Industry Engagement Seed Grant Program
Clemson University Industry Engagement Seed Grant Program is intended to provide financial support to eligible Clemson faculty with the goal of engaging for-profit companies to foster sponsored project activities.
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Industry Pilot Project Program
New in 2023, the Industry Pilot Project Program provides a waiver of indirect costs and GAD for the first two sponsored projects submitted by an eligible applicant to be funded by a for-profit company.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Anytime
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Industry Research Initiative for Postdoctoral Researchers
New in 2024, the Clemson University Industry Research Initiative for Postdoctoral Researchers (CU-IRIP) program is intended to promote and support industry research experiences for postdoctoral researchers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).
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BSRA/SRNL Collaboration Initiatives
Clemson University has established three funding initiatives to nurture collaboration with Battelle Savannah River Alliance (BSRA)/Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). These initiatives will help researchers acquire equipment; recruit, hire and train graduate student researchers; and recruit, hire and train research scientists or postdoctoral researchers who are not currently affiliated with Clemson University.
Services and Tools
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Research Symposium
The annual Research Symposium is a gathering of faculty from every discipline to share ideas and form research collaborations, as well as to celebrate our successes in scholarship and discovery. The event features numerous interdisciplinary workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities and awards ceremonies.
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Career Academy
The Office of Research Development’s annual CAREER Academy provides a dedicated support structure for untenured junior faculty who are planning to submit National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) proposals.
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Faculty Insight
The online Faculty Insight database tool provides a platform for faculty to search for potential collaborators and funding opportunities by expertise.
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Limited Submissions
Some funding opportunities limit the number of applications that an institution can submit per cycle. The Office of Research Development works to establish and implement a fair, effective, and timely process for internal competitions for limited-submission funding opportunities.
Awards and Recognitions
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Researcher of the Year
The Researcher of the Year awards recognize the efforts of high-achieving faculty whose work is improving society through the generation and dissemination of new knowledge. Each college nominates one senior faculty member and one junior faculty member who received their terminal degree within the past 10 years.
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University Research, Scholarship and Artistic Achievement Awards
URSAAA was created in 2018 to recognize Clemson University faculty who have achieved rare career milestones, such as: receiving the highest level of national or international recognition in their field; authoring a paper that has received more than 1,000 citations; or expending more than $1 million on research in a fiscal year.
