Impact Driven |
| Leadership Focused
Impact Driven | Leadership Focused
Frequently Asked Questions Full Proposal
Letters of Support
Q1: Does the lead PI need to submit a Letter of Support (LOS)?
No. The lead PI does not need to submit a LOS. The purpose of the LOIs is to provide an attestation from Co-Investigator (Co-I) from each unit. Broad unit-level endorsements (such as letters signed by unit leadership) are not required.
Q2: Who from the unit is the letter expected from? Is it the co-PIs and co-Is representing the units or some unit head (e.g., dean or director)?
The letter can be signed by the collaborating faculty member (co-PI or co-I).
Q3: We have 10 faculty collaborators from one unit. How should we submit Letters of Support (LOS)?
You may submit one letter for all 10 collaborators, with individual signatures. Alternatively, you can combine individual letters into a single PDF.
Q4: For the Impact Institutes Seed Stage full proposal applications, are teams allowed to include letters of support from external partners and industries?
Yes. These are optional. Letters from external partners are not required for this stage.
Q5: Are letters from external partners required, and do they need to specify or quantify in-kind commitments?
No, letters from external partners are not required. While an optional Letter of Support (LOS) from external partners can strengthen your application, there is no requirement to quantify in-kind commitments.
Budget
Q6: Is this program funding from an external source where indirect costs would be included in the budget?
This program is not supported by an external funding source. Indirect costs are not included.
Q7: Our proposed institute includes several collaborating faculty members. Should we list all their current and pending funding, their current and pending that would fit into the objectives of the institute or, funding that would go directly to supporting the institute (which does not yet exist)?
Please list using your discretion any current or pending awards which could appear to overlap or are complementary to the proposed institute.
Q8: Can administrative staff and outreach efforts be billed to the grant?
Yes
Q9: For related campus programs currently internally funded, should existing internal funds be listed if the people involved are not on our proposal?
No. Only include funding that is directly relevant to the Seed Stage proposal.
Q10: Is the budget template included in the 4-page proposal limit?
No. The budget/budget justification template is separate. Please refer to the RFA.
Q11: Can PI summer salary be charged to the grant?
Yes
Co-Investigators / Co-Directors
Q12: Can a current UM postdoc be listed as a Co-Investigator on an Impact Institutes proposal?
It would not be typical to list a postdoc as a Co-Investigator. However, postdocs can be included as members of the core project team, receive salary support, and be recognized for their contributions in the proposal, just under a different title than Co-I.
Q13: Can a faculty member serve as a Co-Investigator (Co-I) on more than one Impact Institute full proposal?
Yes
Q14: Can new PIs be added to the proposal, who were not present in the LOI?
Yes
Q15: Is there a limit to the number of Co-Investigators (Co-Is) allowed?
No. However, there is a maximum of two Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs) allowed.
Q16: Outside of the commitments listed in the full proposal, are there any additional requirements for awarded teams during the Seed Stage program?
Yes. In addition to proposal commitments, the following are required:
- Institute Director Leadership Program: There will be four workshop days, held as one-day sessions each month in March, April, May, and June. Specific dates will be finalized and shared within 2–3 weeks. At least 80% attendance is required from one of the Co-Directors or Directors.
- Orientation Session: Will be scheduled for one half-day in February. Attendance is required from one of the Co-Directors or Directors.
- Interim Report: An interim report must be submitted mid-way through the program.
Q17: Is a Co-Director required, and how does this relate to the requirement for participation from different units?
No, a Co-Director is not required. While Co-Directors and Co-Investigators have different titles, both can fulfill key roles in the project. To satisfy the requirement for cross-unit (multi-departmental) participation, you may have Co-Investigators from different units; Co-Directors do not need to be from separate units as long as Co-Investigators represent additional units. We anticipate many institutes will have a single Director, but Co-Director is allowable.
General
Q18: Is there a target for the number of units involved?
Minimum of 2
Q19: Am I expected to include a direct response to the reviewer comments in my application?
No, you are not expected to include a direct response to the reviewer comments in your application. The application should not include a “response to reviewers” section. These comments are provided for your consideration only, to use as you see fit when preparing your full application.
Q20: To what extent do potential institutes need to focus on the details of the best practices for U-M institutes in the proposal stage? Is the assumption that the business plan and bylaws for institutes will be established after the competition?
The development of strategic plan and by-laws (if applicable) will be a part of the Seed Stage program.
Q21: Will the Impact Institutes be Regentially-approved? Will the Regents appoint leadership for the Impact Institutes?
No. Seed Stage institutes are expected to reflect the early stage of development for an institute.
Q22: Can minor adjustments be made to the proposal title at this stage?
Yes
Q23: How many proposals out of the 42 will advance in this round? If not selected, can we apply in the next round?
Ten (10) proposals will be selected for Seed Stage funding and notified in January 2026. Institutes not funded in this round are welcome to reapply in the next cycle (July 2026).
Q24: Can I get additional feedback from reviewers beyond the comments in the approval email?
Yes, if you have specific questions, please send your queries to [email protected], and they will be added to the FAQ.
Q25: What will happen during the transition from Seed Stage to Venture Stage? Will Seed Stage institutes apply to Venture?
Yes. Seed Stage institutes will have the opportunity to apply for Venture Stage funding. Please refer to our website for more details.
Q26: For the July 2026 competition, is the number of awards still 10?
Yes. The number of awards for the July 2026 competition will also be 10.
Q27: Are references included in the 4-page proposal limit?
No, references are not included in the 4-page proposal limit.
Q28: Can we include hyperlinks or website addresses in the 4-page narrative?
No. Proposals must be self-contained. Reviewers will only consider the content included within the 4-page document. External links or website addresses are not permitted.
Q29: On the RFA, Section III.C.4 - What is meant by "membership type"?
This refers to additional members of the proposed institute beyond the co-directors & co-investigators. For example, this could include faculty affiliate members, external community partners, and/or other categories of planned internal or external participants in the proposed institute.
Q30: Is cost sharing or matching funds required for Seed Stage applications, and will voluntary cost share be considered either formally or informally during review?
There is no requirement for cost share, and this will not be used as a formal or informal criterion.