Teams accepted into the RIGs program will partner with OVPR and be connected to other resources such as Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR), Tufts Technology Services (TTS), Government and Community Relations, and Lewis-Burke Associates (LBA), among others, to advance the team’s capacity and skills for effective interdisciplinary collaboration and increase readiness to apply for emerging center-level or large-scale external funding opportunities. RIG-sponsored activities will be tailored to the individual team based on a mutual needs assessment at the time of application and may include any of the following specific activities:

• Dedicated sessions on team science, strategic planning, collaboration planning
• Facilitated ideation, brainstorming, or team-building sessions
• Guidance on creating a strategic plan or research project management plan
• Grant proposal development and networking opportunities
• Participation in focused writing groups
• Strategic and competitive intelligence assessments

While dedicated financial support will not be provided, OVPR will provide support as above based on team needs and may provide a facilitator and/or funding of outside consulting toward one ideation or /team-building session per team as determined during intake interview. Simple costs may be covered such as light refreshment, while expenses such as travel for collaborators or stipends for external partners are not covered.

RIGs applications are open to advanced interdisciplinary research teams that have been working on a research concept together for 6 months to 2 years, such as those that have sought prior center-level or large-scale extramural funding as a team. Requirements include:

• Team must be working towards a research/societal challenge that aligns with an area of Tufts’ strengths.
• The lead PI(s) of the team must hold a primary appointment at a Tufts’ School or unit and PI-eligible (per School requirements and restrictions).
• The lead PI(s) must display passion for the project, be dedicated to leadership, be able to commit the necessary time if the center-level or large-scale funding is secured, and have a proven track record of successful leadership.
• Team must consist of at least 4-5 members, representing at least 2 different schools at Tufts, and demonstrate a history of successful collaboration as evidenced by funded awards, publications, or other collaborative efforts.
• Team has identified key external partnerships.
• Team has secured support from school and/or center leadership (including a letter of support).
• Team has a preliminary draft of strategic intelligence, which will be refined with assistance from Strategic Research Development (SRD) and Lewis-Burke Associates (LBA) if RIGs participation is awarded.

The selection process includes two elements: a written application submitted via InfoReady, and a consultation/interview with the RIG review committee to assess appropriateness for this program.

1. Applications will be reviewed by the RIGs review committee, composed of faculty members with diverse expertise and leadership representatives. While committee members will be chosen for their expertise, applicants should remember that committee members will likely sit in disciplines outside the immediate research field, so proposals should be written for a general scholarly audience and any (sub)field terms or processes should be explained.

*All applicants recommended for RIG support must receive approval from the Dean(s) (or their delegates) of School(s) involved in the project.

2. Teams will participate in an initial consultation with the Strategic Research Development (SRD) team before a final selection decision is made. This consultation will include an assessment of team leadership, team readiness, and conceptual fit for the RIGs program.

Key criteria to be evaluated include:

Is the proposed strategy appropriate for developing a center-level grant as defined by progress on the following four foundational components?

1. Innovative research: Is the proposed research idea compelling?  If a convergent research approach required, how developed is the conceptual work in this area?
2. Societal impact: To what extend do the potential outcome have community and/or global benefit?
3. Team formation, including effective leadership/management: Does the proposal clearly identify what impact the planning grant activities will have on team and proposal progress?
4. Stakeholder community engagement: Are the proposed strategies for engaging and developing the stakeholder community feasible, appropriate, and adequate to meet a center-level proposal need?

All applications must be submitted electronically via InfoReady.

In addition to completing the proposal demographic data (PI, collaborators, etc.) in InfoReady, applicants must prepare and upload the following components (I-VII):

I. RESEARCH PROGRAM AND SIGNIFICANCE (1-page limit)

Provide an overview that includes a rationale for the research initiative. This concept outline should leverage existing strengths and priority areas of university excellence, address university priorities, and may refer to review criteria for a specific targeted large-scale FOA as warranted. Please include specifically:

1. a brief outline of the core research concept
2. an assessment of competition in the proposed research area
3. anticipated local and national impact of a successful project
4. planned team participants

II. TEAM PLANNING (2-page limit)

Assess the preparedness of the proposed team with respect to the following four components:

1. innovative concept research (if convergent, please discuss where in the process the team stands)
2. societal impact
3. team formation, including effective leadership/management
4. stakeholder community engagement

This description should consider the following questions:

• What are gaps on your team for targeting a competitive center-level FOA, and how would RIGs activities enable you to close those gaps? 
• What is the current team’s capacity to carry out the proposed work (as evidenced by sponsoring symposia, conferences, joint publications)?
• Where does the team stand with respect to key and final stakeholder relationships, including internal and external collaborators, industry contacts, program officers, or developing collaborative research

III. CURRENT INSTITUTIONAL FOOTPRINT (1-page limit)

Provide a summary that describes existing resources, including institutional/scholarly and educational footprint at Tufts.

1. Physical, financial, and human resources (e.g., labs or other research/scholarship space, current investments, estimated number of faculty) 
2. Student, postdoc, and trainee engagement (e.g., estimated number of students/postdocs/trainees, ability to recruit top talent, post-Tufts success) 
3. Cross- or multi-disciplinary collaborations or partnerships relevant to the project

IV. TIMELINE AND MILESTONES (1-page limit)

Provide a detailed plan for external funding targets, including clear milestones and deliverables, and specific FOAs for long-term sustainability. Key milestones as required by RIG program are already included on the following chart:

PROJECT TIMELINE EXAMPLES/TEMPLATES:
 

V. Abbreviated CV or NSF/NIH-style Biosketch (no more than five single-spaced pages per person)

VI. Letters of Support from Tufts leadership, Collaborators, and/or Partners (1-page limit per letter)

VII. References/Bibliography. A list of references relevant to the project may be included but not required.