Singular Exceptional Endeavors of Discovery Awards
The Cottrell SEED award is designed to support the members of the Cottrell Scholar community (Cottrell Scholar and Holland Award recipients) as they launch high-impact research activities. There are two types of SEED submissions:
- New Research Directions. This submission type is to start innovative research projects with potential to lead to a transformative line of inquiry. Risky, interdisciplinary, and exploratory projects are strongly encouraged. No preliminary data are required. Available to Cottrell Scholars and Holland Awardees from research universities and primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs).
- Exceptional Opportunities. This submission type is to advance existing research projects to higher levels of innovation and impact at PUIs. Preliminary results are expected along with an explanation of how this work has high potential for exciting results that could then attract funding from other sources. Available to Cottrell Scholars and Holland Awardees at non-doctoral departments.
Award size is up to $60,000 for research projects, which includes an indirect cost allowance of 10% of total direct costs. Proposals contain a three-page plan.
Eligibility
- Cottrell Scholar applicants must be at least six years beyond the year of their Cottrell Scholar Award. For the 2025 competition, eligibility is limited to Cottrell Scholars who received their award in 2018 or earlier and hold faculty appointments in the United States or Canada.
- Holland Awardees are eligible to apply, regardless of the year of their award.
- In addition:
- New Research Directions will accept only Physics and Astronomy proposals in 2025. This initiative accepts Chemistry proposals in even-numbered years, and Physics and Astronomy proposals in odd-numbered years.
- Exceptional Opportunities will give preference to Physics and Astronomy proposals in 2025, but Chemistry proposals will also be accepted. In even-numbered years, preference will be given to Chemistry proposals.
- Proposals with multiple principal investigators may be submitted, provided that ALL principal investigators are eligible to apply and the requested amount for direct costs does not exceed a total of $54,545. If you are planning to submit collaborative proposals, please contact Silvia Ronco for submission details.
- Eligibility is limited to one SEED application per Cottrell Scholar per year. Also, no submissions are accepted from those with active SEED awards.
Proposals
SEED proposals are limited to a three-page research plan, with the proposed work to be conducted over a period of two years. Successful proposals must convince reviewers that the applicant is an accomplished researcher and that the proposed project is both innovative and of potential high impact.
Allowable Expenses
Funds may be used to cover the stipends/salaries and benefits of research personnel up to their percent effort on the project, to purchase research supplies and computer time, to pay for access to shared facilities, and to meet other expenses directly related to the project; a more complete listing of allowed and unallowed expenses would be provided to the institution as conditions of acceptance after notification of an award.
In addition to these typical research expenses, allowable uses of funds for Exceptional Opportunities submissions include:
- Support of a graduating senior as a post-baccalaureate fellow.
- Purchase of equipment needed for the project. (Note that the remaining funds or other sources of support must be sufficient to carry out the proposed research.)
- For PUI faculty or research team member, travel to collaborate with off-campus research groups.
Application Process and Deadline
Applications will open in PRISM on December 9, 2024.
Submissions must conform to guidelines and directions, and must be endorsed by the applicant’s home institution. Please note: Endorsement from your institution is no longer a signature page at the end of the application. In PRISM, applicants will enter the name and email address of their institution’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). When submitted by the applicant, the application will first route to the AOR for approval. Once approved, the application will be submitted to RCSA to review. Please consult your internal policies on approval timelines and plan to submit accordingly to ensure your proposal meets the deadline below. Proposals cannot be submitted to RCSA without institutional approval by the AOR.
SEED proposals are due by 11:59 p.m. MST March 12, 2025. This deadline includes approval by the institution’s AOR, so allow ample time to route through your Office of Sponsored Projects.
Awards will be announced not later than August 2025.
Evaluation and Award Approval
Applications that conform to guidelines are sent out for external review by experts in the specific research area. Innovation and high-impact are key criteria for selection of SEED awards.