To be eligible, proposals must meet all of the following requirements: 

1. The proposed project must directly address a health-oriented need within Connecticut. 
2. The project must include at least one eligible UConn or UConn Health faculty member and at least one community-based partner who will serve as Co-PIs. Larger project teams are also acceptable. 
3. At least one project representative (from UConn, UConn Health, or community partner) must attend the Community Engaged Health Research Forum on May 15 and deliver a pitch presentation of no longer than 10 minutes. 

Project teams may apply to both the InCHIP FY26 Community-Engaged Research Seed Award and the FY26 Community-Engaged Health Research Rapid Pitch Seed Award, as long as their proposal meets other eligibility criteria. However, project teams will not receive funding for more than one of these awards. 

InCHIP invites Rapid Pitch proposals with budgets up to $10,000. Rapid Pitch proposals are awarded for up to two years after award.

Allowable Costs

• Personnel who are essential for conducting the research project, such as graduate research assistants, student labor, and postdocs (postdoc stipends should follow the NIH NRSA stipend levels).
• Individuals who are not on the regular state payroll (i.e., community partners, consultants and other off-campus assistance) may include effort for project tasks as needed.
• Resources that require fee-for-services within UConn.
• Participant incentives for recruitment or study participation.
• Out-of-state travel that is necessary to conduct the research.
• Equipment necessary for conducting the research (“equipment” is defined as an article of tangible, non-expendable personal property that costs $5,000 or more).
• Project supplies, including drugs and services.
• Other specifically authorized expenses essential for carrying out the project.

Not-Allowable Costs:

• The salary of any Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, or other faculty member who has an appointment at UConn Storrs, UConn Health, or any of the UConn campuses. This includes Connecticut Children’s faculty with joint appointments.
• Living expenses.
• Laptops or desktop computers, unless used exclusively for the project and not for any other activities.
• Service/maintenance contracts on equipment.
• Laboratory renovations or other infrastructure renovations.
• Institutional and/or individual memberships in professional organizations.
• Travel to professional meetings to present the results of the research, or any conference attendance.
• Indirect costs, including clerical and administrative personnel salaries.
• Costs associated with the publication of results of the research, such as the purchase of reprints.
• Investigator training costs, including tuition.

Projects will be evaluated based on: 

• Relevance and significance of projects to CT communities.
• Strength and authenticity of the partnership. 
• Appropriateness of the proposed approach or activities for achieving the proposed project aims.
• Feasibility of accomplishing the proposed project aims within the proposed budget and timeline. 
• Appropriateness of budget for scope of work and allowable costs. 
• Clarity and persuasiveness of the pitch.
• Potential for sustainability, scale up, and/or future funding. 

The awarded PIs are responsible for obtaining all required approvals for the research from their relevant IRB(s). Please visit the UConn IRB website for more information on IRB approval for research conducted at the UConn Storrs Campus, the five regional campuses, the School of Law and the School of Social Work. For more information on IRB approval for research conducted at UConn Health, please visit the UConn Health IRB website.

Awardees will be required to submit a brief progress report after 6 months, a final report at the conclusion of the project or award period, and periodic check-ins over the following 5 years to track external grant applications/awards stemming from the seed grant. Changes to the project’s objectives, PIs, and budget will require prior approval from InCHIP staff.

Detailed awardee instructions/requirements will be distributed to seed grant winners when they are notified of the award decisions. All awardee requirements described above are subject to change in accordance with updated institutional procedures (e.g., routing requirements).