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

Write Winning Grant Proposals Seminar promotional image

Write Winning Grant Proposals Seminar

Thursday, October 9, 2025 8:30am to 4:30pm
Iowa Memorial Union (IMU)
Write Winning Grant Proposals SeminarPresenter: John D. Robertson, PhDManaging Member & Owner: Grant Writers' Seminars & Workshops (GWSW)The Research Development Office in the Office of the Vice President for Research is pleased to partner with Dr. John Robertson from Grant Writer's Seminars & Workshops (GWSW) to conduct the Write Winning Grant Proposals Seminar.Click here to view the seminar's webpage.Event InformationThe seminar will take place on Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 8:30 a.m.–4:30...
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 InformationThe 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...
NSF CAREER Club 2025-26 Information Session promotional image

NSF CAREER Club 2025-26 Information Session

Friday, October 17, 2025 11:00am to 11:45am
Virtual
This is an information session to describe the NSF CAREER Club. The NSF CAREER Club (2025-26) is designed to give you the knowledge and resources to craft competitive CAREER applications.Event InformationThe Research Development Office is hosting a NSF CAREER Award virtual information session on Friday, October 17 from 11am-11:45am. This event is an introduction to this year's NSF CAREER Club, click here to learn more about the club.RegistrationRegister here by Thursday, October 16. The RDO will...
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