Our team drives interdisciplinary collaboration through initiatives like Innovation Labs and Ideas Labs, uniting researchers across subjects. In addition, we spearhead internal funding programs, igniting research excellence within our campus, local communities, and beyond. Discover a wealth of resources to identify funding prospects, enhance grantsmanship prowess, and forge pivotal connections that bolster successful research proposals.

Growing Campus Connections

Sign up to be added to the RDO mailing list to receive the RDO Monthly Newsletter and other timely information.

Funding Opportunities

Ongoing Programs and Opportunities

Limited Submission Opportunities

The RDO manages the Limited Submission Opportunities process for grant applications to funding agencies that restrict the number of submissions allowed from an institution. An internal selection process has been established to make sure that multiple applications to the limited program do not render each other ineligible by the sponsor.

Arts and Humanities Initiative

The RDO coordinates the Arts & Humanities Initiative (AHI), an internal funding program within the Office of the Vice President for Research that encourages leading edge scholarship, creative activities, and interdisciplinary research. 

The deadline for Fall 2025 applications is Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

Past Programs and Opportunities

Seeding Excellence Initiative

The RDO's Seeding Excellence Initiative (SEI) aimed to sustain the continued growth of the campus research enterprise by providing competitive seed funding in four strategic areas. SEI was made possible through funding to RDO from the public-private partnership (P3) Year 1 funding cycle.

Jumpstarting Tomorrow

The RDO sought applications to seed interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research communities that advanced research, creative activities, and scholarship. Jumpstarting Tomorrow was a hybrid pilot grant/community-building program supporting innovative and collaborative teams that could become the vanguard for future strategic research investments by the university.

Upcoming Events

Reducing Iowa’s Cancer Risk through Novel Collaborations Ideas Lab - Onramp Talk #1 promotional image

Reducing Iowa’s Cancer Risk through Novel Collaborations Ideas Lab - Onramp Talk #1

Wednesday, October 15, 2025 10:00am to 11:00am
College of Public Health Building

The University of Iowa Research Development Office and Implementation Science Center are sponsoring a three-day Ideas Lab on Reducing Iowa’s Cancer Risk through Novel Collaborations on January 12-14, 2026. This in-person event will be hosted at the Terry Trueblood Park Lodge. See the webpage for additional details.

Participate in an Onramp Talk to Learn More

Onramp talks are hourlong sessions including background information on the challenge followed by ideating and networking between attendees...

Reducing Iowa’s Cancer Risk through Novel Collaborations Ideas Lab - Onramp Talk #2 promotional image

Reducing Iowa’s Cancer Risk through Novel Collaborations Ideas Lab - Onramp Talk #2

Thursday, October 16, 2025 9:00am to 10:00am
University Capitol Centre

The University of Iowa Research Development Office and Implementation Science Center are sponsoring a three-day Ideas Lab on Reducing Iowa’s Cancer Risk through Novel Collaborations on January 12-14, 2026. This in-person event will be hosted at the Terry Trueblood Park Lodge. See the webpage for additional details.

Participate in an Onramp Talk to Learn More

Onramp talks are hourlong sessions including background information on the challenge followed by ideating and networking between attendees...

NIH K Club+ 2025-26 Information Session promotional image

NIH K Club+ 2025-26 Information Session

Friday, October 17, 2025 10:00am to 10:45am
Virtual

This is an information session to describe the NIH K Club+. In collaboration with the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science’s K Club, the NIH K Club+ (2025-26) is designed to give you the knowledge and resources to craft competitive K award applications.

Event Information

The Research Development Office is hosting a NIH K Award virtual information session on Friday, October 17 from 10am-10:45am. This event is an introduction to this year's NIH K Club+, click here to learn more about the...

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