Grants

Program Solicitation

Washington Research Foundation (WRF) is launching a call for applications to fund planning grants that will enable teams of investigators from Washington state research institutions to develop and submit a proposal for a large-scale initiative that strengthens the life science innovation ecosystem in Washington state.

The planning grants may be used to craft a final proposal for submission to either WRF or to other agencies that support life-science innovation, such as ARPA-H, the NSF-TIPS program or other foundations.

Objective

WRF’s vision is for research institutions in Washington state to deliver innovations that can transform our lives. Through the planning grants, WRF is seeking to surface large-scale efforts that can significantly accelerate and enrich life-science innovation in the state.  The planning grants are intended to provide teams of investigators with time and resources to thoughtfully develop these large-scale initiatives.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be employees at a Washington state nonprofit research institution. All awards will be made to the institution as WRF does not directly fund individuals or companies through its grant programs
• Teams of applicants from different Washington state institutions are encouraged to apply. Team members from nonprofit research institutions in other states may also be included. The lead applicant and institution within Washington state must be identified, as the award will be made to only one institution
• Applicants are encouraged to contact WRF at PlanningGrants@wrfseattle.org if they have questions about eligibility

Award amount and duration of planning grants

• Applicants may request up to $200,000 in funding
• There is no fixed limit on the duration of the award. Applicants will be asked to justify the amount of time requested for planning their large-scale initiative
• Final proposals that are developed through the planning grant may be submitted to WRF on a rolling basis as soon as the proposals are ready

Budget guidelines for planning grants

Indirect costs are not allowed. It is the policy of the Washington Research Foundation not to pay any indirect costs on any award. WRF reviews the budget in each proposal to determine whether the direct costs being requested are appropriate.

The planning grant may be used for a variety of activities that are needed to develop a proposal for a large-scale initiative. These activities include but are not limited to:

• Gathering pilot data
• Project management for scoping out the initiative
• Faculty time that might be needed for putting together the final proposal
• Convenings and workshops
• Engaging other funders

Guidelines on the scope of large-scale initiatives

WRF is open to a diverse range of large-scale initiatives that align with our objective of strengthening the life-science innovation ecosystem in the state. The guidelines stated below are not strict requirements but describe elements that we think are important to consider while going through the planning process.

Scale

The scale of initiatives that we would consider for funding should be in line with some of our recent large grants, such as our award to the Invent at Seattle Children’s program, which was for $12.5 million over five years with considerable matching funds.

Life Science focus

Initiatives must be related to developing the innovation ecosystem in life sciences and enabling technologies. We think of life sciences in a broad sense. We see it as an interdisciplinary endeavor with a focus on understanding the fundamental aspects of life and on leveraging this knowledge to address pressing challenges such as diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of human, crop, and animal diseases as well as sustainable food production, environmental conservation, and impacts of climate change on living systems.

Focus on translation

Our goal is for these large-scale initiatives to have a tangible impact on the life science ecosystem in Washington state within five years. We therefore prioritize initiatives that align with our expertise in translational research and that have the potential to lead to the development of novel products, services or practices that will benefit the public.

Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

Initiatives should be able to articulate how they will contribute to supporting people who have been traditionally underrepresented in science and how they will build an ecosystem that is inclusive.

Responsive to unmet needs

Initiatives must demonstrate how they are solving a problem or filling a need that has been identified in the region.

Collaborations and partnerships

WRF recognizes that impactful innovation is often the result of multidisciplinary collaborations across departments, institutions, and regions. While we do not require these initiatives to be multi-institutional, we encourage all potential applicants to consider whether their proposals can be strengthened through collaborations with other institutions. Collaborations with institutions outside Washington state are allowed, although the center of gravity of the initiative must be in Washington state.

Prospective applicants are also encouraged to explore partnerships with other funders who might have interest in co-funding their initiatives with WRF.

WRF staff will be available to collaborate with teams that are selected for planning grants.

Application process and review

Submitting an application

Please download and complete this form if you are interested in applying for a planning grant. The completed application must be submitted to PlanningGrants@wrfseattle.org by 11:59 p.m. (Pacific) on March 11, 2024 to be considered for funding.

Review

Planning grants will be reviewed by WRF staff based on the following criteria:

• Impact of the proposed initiative on the Washington state life science innovation ecosystem
• Potential for the development of novel products, services or practices (translational focus)
• Strength of the applicant team
• Ability to leverage strengths at multiple WA state institutions
• Potential for contributing to diversity, equity and inclusion in the life-science ecosystem
• Potential for engaging other funders
• Sustainability of the large-scale initiative