The Institutional Office of Equity and Inclusion is providing short-term and immediate funding to support faculty research through the Research Equity Fund Program (REFP).  During Spring/Summer 2022, the REFP will support full-time University of Rochester faculty for research activities disrupted by COVID through two funding strands:

• Research funding for clinical/instructional faculty engaged in research activities* (C-REFP).
• Research funding for tenure line faculty who did not have research funds during 2021-22** (T-REFP).

Awards will be for up to $5,000 to cover any costs associated with research/research productivity between June 1 and August 31, 2022, including childcare; travel costs; equipment; software; transcription or editing services; statistical, consulting, or data management or analysis support; publishing fees; etc.

To Apply:

By May 20 at 5:00 pm submit an application (approx. 1-2 pages) detailing the following to equityandinclusion@rochester.edu (include “C-REFP” or T-REFP in subject line).

1. Name, Title, and Department/Unit at University of Rochester
2. Funding strand: C-REFP or T-REFP
3. Brief description of your research area and why these funds are necessary to support your research at this moment. Note: the REFP can be used for more than one project or research activity, e.g., it might support data analysis on one project and allow you to submit a manuscript to an open access journal for another project.
4. Amount requested (up to $5,000) and expected allocation of funds. [Example, “I am requesting $2500 and would use the funding to purchase software ($X), for childcare ($X), and transcription services ($X).”]
5. A statement acknowledging 1) you are a full-time clinical/instructional or tenure line faculty member at the University of Rochester, 2) you will use the funds for research activities before August 31, 2022, 3) you do not have access to any other research funds between June 1 and August 31, 2022 to support your research.

Note: All awardees of REFP funds will be required to provide a report to IOEI by 9/15/22 discussing how the funds advanced their research activities. [template will be provided].

Questions?  Email Kara S. Finnigan, Distinguished Equity, Inclusion, and Social Transformation Fellow, University of Rochester Office of Equity and Inclusion (kfinnigan@warner.rochester.edu)

* Note: clinical/instructional faculty may be engaged in these activities as part of their employment or they may have research-related work that they have had to put on hold in their current role but, if completed, could potentially allow them access to research-oriented positions or career pathways.

** If REFP funds are available, tenure line faculty who had a small amount of research funds during 2021-22 but those funds are not available during summer or they have needs that exceed those funds to advance their research this summer may be awarded the T-REFP.  Applicants must specify the amount of research funds they had, how those were spent, and why the additional funds are needed this summer.