VPDoR $50,000 Propel Grant - FY26 Autumn Cycle

The Stanford Research Development Office (RDO), a unit within VPDoR, supports Principal Investigators (PIs) throughout the proposal development process. To improve the competitiveness of large and complex external funding proposals, RDO invites applications for Propel Grants, which fund the final stages of proposal preparation.

Purpose and Scale

Propel Grants support the final stages of developing collaborative proposals for large-scale, complex external funding opportunities. These grants target efforts that go beyond the usual preparation, enhancing competitiveness through strategic, value-added activities. Eligible projects exceed standard expectations in terms of scope, budget, or team size, and often involve interdisciplinary partnerships that address major societal or research challenges.

Projects may span any discipline. Examples include large team grants in STEM (e.g., NSF Science and Technology Centers, DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers, NIH P50/U54) and collaborative grants in the arts, humanities, or social sciences (e.g., NEH Collaborative Research Grants, NEA Grants for Arts Projects, Mellon grants). This list is illustrative, not exhaustive.

Teams must have completed preliminary work and be positioned to submit a proposal within 12 months. Propel Grants do not fund initial team formation or concept development; instead, they support strategic activities that significantly improve the competitiveness of the external proposal, such as advancing preliminary work, strengthening collaborations, demonstrating meaningful progress between stages of proposal development, or addressing gaps that typical preparation would not cover.

Priorities

Priority is given to Stanford-led teams that:

• Involve faculty partnerships across two or more Stanford schools.
• Include team members from interdisciplinary backgrounds.
• Engage with disciplines that have limited internal grant support.
• Strengthen collaboration between Stanford and SLAC.

RDO aims to award a portfolio of grants representing Stanford's breadth of scholarly areas.

Eligibility

• Stanford faculty who meet the university's PI eligibility requirements (i.e., members of the Academic Council and University Medical Line faculty).
• School of Medicine applicants must have a co-PI from another Stanford school.
• The external funding opportunity must be large-scale, collaborative, and multidisciplinary, typically involving substantial budgets, cross-disciplinary teams, and complex project scopes.
  • Not eligible: Proposals for single-investigator or narrowly focused projects.
• Propel Grants support activities that strategically elevate competitiveness, rather than routine tasks. Applicants should demonstrate how their requested activities go beyond standard preparation to position the proposal for success.

Grant Supported Activities

Propel Grants support strategic, value-added activities that enhance the quality, clarity, and competitiveness of proposals for large, complex external funding opportunities. These grants do not fund routine proposal preparation tasks (e.g., drafting standard sections, collecting baseline data, or meeting basic submission requirements).

For more examples of how Propel funds can be used, please refer to the Propel Grant FAQs.

Timeline

Large Propel Grants are reviewed twice a year. For the FY26 Autumn Cycle:

• October 22, 2025 - Application deadline
• December 15, 2025 - Award start date
• January 25, 2027 - End-of-grant report due

Exceptions to the deadlines may be requested under certain circumstances. Please see the FAQs for more information.

Award 

Large Propel Grant applicants may request a University Research Award of up to $50,000 in direct costs for up to 12 months.

The external funding request should be at least 20 times greater than the requested Propel Grant amount, reflecting the program’s emphasis on advancing large-scale proposals. For instance, a $50,000 Propel Grant request would typically align with an external proposal budget of at least $1,000,000.

Awards may not cover the full requested amount if the activities are not aligned with the program's purpose. Smaller budget requests are welcome and appreciated.

Multiple Applications

Teams may submit more than one Small Propel Grant application for the same project, provided each request supports a distinct stage of proposal development (e.g., preliminary proposal, full proposal, site visit, etc.).

The total Propel Grant support a project may receive (across both Small and Large grants) is capped at $50,000.

Each application should clearly differentiate the stage of work and show continued progress toward the targeted external funding opportunity.

Review Process and Criteria

RDO staff will review all applications to ensure compliance with program guidelines, alignment with program goals, appropriate justification of requested funds, and evidence of the team’s readiness for external funding. In addition, Large Propel Grant applications may undergo peer review to assess the application, focusing on the significance, feasibility, and overall potential for funding success of the proposed research.

Applications are evaluated on the following criteria:

Significance

• The research idea is likely to be compelling to external sponsors.
• The proposed project goes beyond the usual for the discipline in terms of scope, budget, or team size.

Readiness

• The external funding project is grounded in existing preliminary work.
• The team demonstrates a strong collaborative partnership.

Proposed Activities

• Activities are designed to enable a competitive proposal to an external funder.
• The plan increases the likelihood of securing external support.
• Learn more about what makes a successful grant application on the RDO website.

Appropriate Budget

• The budget is reasonable and focused on essential activities that address the stated needs.
• The requested amount is proportional to the proposed scope of work.

Feasibility

• The research design/approach for Propel Grant activities is achievable.
• Activities can be completed within the proposed timeline and budget.
• The team has sufficient expertise and cohesion to execute the project.

Potential for External Funding

• By the end of the Propel Grant period, the team will be well-prepared to submit a competitive proposal aligned with an external sponsor.
• A contingency or backup plan is articulated if submission plans change.

Applicants should focus primarily on demonstrating how their project aligns with the Propel Grant’s purpose and explaining how the proposed activities will strengthen the competitiveness of their external funding proposal. These aspects will carry the most weight in assessing programmatic alignment.

Application Format

Large Propel Grant applications should be uploaded as a single PDF, limited to seven (7) pages (including any figures and excluding references).

Formatting requirements: minimum 11-point font, 1-inch margins on all sides.

Include the following sections:

1. Research idea for the external proposal
   1. Introduce the problem/need and proposed solution. Clearly state the research challenge your project addresses and how your approach offers a solution compelling to external sponsors. This idea should form the basis of your external proposal.
   2. Demonstrate readiness. Briefly describe the current stage of the project and any preliminary work or foundational research.
   3. Show significance. Explain how the project goes beyond conventional expectations in scope, scale, or team structure and why the targeted external grant and project scope align with Propel’s goals
2. Propel Grant activities
   1. Describe proposed activities. Specify the tasks the Propel Grant will fund and explain how these activities will strengthen the competitiveness of the external proposal.
   2. Address feasibility. Demonstrate how proposed activities can be completed within the requested budget and timeline by describing key milestones, deliverables, and anticipated outcomes between now and the external funding deadline.
3. Team composition
   1. List members. Include names, titles, and departments or institutions if external to Stanford, noting who is confirmed and who is proposed.
   2. Highlight strengths. Describe prior collaboration and interdisciplinary expertise to show the team can execute the project effectively.
4. External funding plan
   1. Identify target(s). Name at least one external grant. Proposing an alternative or backup option is encouraged.
   2. Provide details for each targeted external grant:
      1. Sponsor name
      2. Program name or identifier
      3. External sponsor deadline
      4. Expected budget request
      5. URL to the funding solicitation
5. Budget* and justification
   1. Provide a detailed breakdown of the requested funds.
   2. Explain the rationale for the requested funds
   3. Indicate existing support and describe how Propel funds address gaps or avoid overlap.
6. Appendices (optional)
   1. References or works cited
   2. PDF of the targeted external funding solicitation(s)

*Proposed budgets do not need institutional representative review for this internally funded program; however, we highly encourage applicants to work with their department administrator/financial analyst on budget development.

Award Reporting Requirements

1. Impact Survey: Large Propel Grant recipients will be expected to (a) submit an initial report at the end of the grant period describing what was accomplished or lessons learned, and (b) complete a survey two years after the award period describing the impact and outcomes of the Propel Grant activities.
2. Notification: Teams should notify RDO if the Propel Grants contributed to a noteworthy outcome or if any external funds were received for up to two years after receiving the award.