Internal Funding

Internal funding helps to support faculty and student research while fostering innovation and collaboration.

Key programs include the Interdisciplinary Seed Grants, which offer three levels of support for collaborative research and creative scholarship; the opportunity to become a Research Champion for one of KSU's four Research Communities; and the PI Development Program, a new program that will enable KSU faculty to be mentored by faculty at R1 institutions.

Which program is right for you?

Additional opportunities funded by the Office of Research and Office of Undergraduate Research are listed below as well.

ksu student in lab

Interdisciplinary Seed Grants

$5k 1 semester

Kickstarter

The Kickstarter seed grant provides up to $5,000 for one semester to support activities that lead to interdisciplinary research and creative scholarship. Teams must include at least one tenured/tenure-track KSU faculty member plus one other person from KSU. Examples of potential deliverables include journal articles, books, local exhibitions, performances, or small grants.

Deadline(s):

  • April 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM
  • Depending on the availability of funds, we may or may not re-launch the call with a deadline of September 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Learn more and apply

Initiatives

The Initiatives seed grant provides up to $10,000 for one fiscal year to support activities that develop collaborative interdisciplinary research projects across the university. Teams must include at least one tenured/tenure-track KSU faculty member plus one other full-time KSU faculty member. The expected deliverable is the submission of a "standard" grant proposal. Publications are not required but are encouraged.

Deadline(s):

  • April 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM
  • Depending on the availability of funds, we may or may not re-launch the call with a deadline of September 16, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Learn more and apply Browse funded projects
$10k 1 year
$200k 2 years

Grand Challenges

The Grand Challenges seed grant provides up to $200,000 for two fiscal years to support activities that develop large-scale interdisciplinary programs across the university. Teams must include at least one tenured/tenure-track KSU faculty member plus two other full-time KSU faculty members. Projects should target a high-impact issue and include a plan to sustain the program for 5-10 years beyond the seed funding period.

Deadline:

  • April 17, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Learn more and apply Browse funded projects

Faculty Development

KSU research communities

Research Community Champions

Three faculty Research Champions per Research Community are expected to work together to provide strategic leadership for growth. Applicants must be tenured/tenure-track faculty members. Research Champions should strive to build multi- and interdisciplinary research teams, facilitate collaborations within KSU and externally, increase and diversify extramural funding, include students and their workforce preparation, and ensure participation in external relations, including philanthropy, public–private partnerships, engagement with federal and state legislators, and engagement with the local community.

Deadline:

  • April 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Learn more and apply

PI Development Program

The PI Development Program provides up to $5,000 for travel to enable KSU faculty to receive mentoring from faculty at R1 institutions located in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, or Virginia. Applicants must be tenured/tenure-track faculty members with at least 30% of their workload assigned to research and creative scholarship. Expected deliverables are to visit the mentor's research group for at least one week but no more than two weeks and to attend and present at a national meeting or Gordon Research Conference that the mentor is also attending.

Deadlines:

  • April 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM
  • October 16, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Learn more and apply
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Additional Opportunities

Previously Available Programs