MPower Early Scholars Investment Fund

This opportunity is intended to provide temporary funding to graduate students whose assistantships were impacted by grant pauses, terminations, or executive branch reprioritizations in the federal funding landscape.  Up to $32,500 in funding per graduate student will be available.  

Requirements:

1. Faculty PI or advisor must submit the request to apply in support of the student.
2. A letter of support from the advisor or department chair.
3. A brief CV or biosketch of the student.
4. A 1–2 page narrative, prepared collaboratively by the PI or advisor and the student, describing the need for funding is required. The narrative must highlight why the funding is critical to support the graduate student, how the temporary funding will be used, and the likelihood that the graduate student will either complete their doctoral degree or be supported by a new funding source by the time the funds are spent.

This opportunity is intended to offer postdoctoral bridge funding support for recent PhD graduates seeking permanent employment or postdoctoral fellows seeking to transition to a TT or NTT faculty position in a school or department at UMB. The fund will provide up to six months of transition financial support. Up to $75,000 in funding per post doc is available.

Requirements:

1. A letter of support from the dean, associate dean, or department chair.
2. A brief CV or biosketch.
3. A 1–2 page narrative written by the postdoctoral fellow that highlights why the funding is critical to support the postdoctoral fellow, how the temporary funding will be used to maintain continuity of research and professional development, and the likelihood that the postdoctoral fellow will either secure a permanent position, obtain new extramural funding, or transition to the next stage of their career by the time the funds are spent.

This opportunity is intended to provide bridge and seed funding for junior tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty whose research may be interrupted by federal grant instability. Up to $50,000 in funding per faculty is available.

Requirements:

1. A letter of support from the dean, associate dean, or department chair
2. CV or biosketch
3. A three-page proposal is required describing how the funding will be used to strategically pivot or pilot new lines of research that position the junior faculty member for more sustainable funding pathways. The proposal must identify specific prospective funding partners and clearly articulate why this bridge funding is critical to support the faculty member’s ongoing scholarly or research activities. The narrative should explain how the temporary support will sustain or advance their work and demonstrate the likelihood that the faculty member will secure new external funding, establish a stable funding stream, or achieve a key milestone in their academic career by the time the funds are spent. Proposals that promote research across departments, schools, and universities (UMB and UMCP) are encouraged.
4. A letter that explains the consequences and impact to the faculty member and institution of not receiving funding support.