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University of Connecticut - Quest Portal

Seed Instrumentation Support (SIS) Program
Deadline Aug 3 2026 12:00 PM (EDT)
Description

Seed Instrumentation Support (SIS) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)



Limited Submission Process Overview

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is pleased to announce this limited submission funding opportunity/award. Limited submission programs restrict the number of applications an institution may submit to the sponsor.


All interested PIs must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) through the UConn Quest Portal by the deadline listed below to be considered.


After the NOI deadline, OVPR will determine whether an internal competition is needed based on the number of NOIs received. If the number of NOIs does not exceed the sponsor’s limit, eligible PIs who submitted an NOI by the deadline are typically approved to move forward without an internal competition. If no NOIs are received, the opportunity may remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until all available slots are filled or the sponsor deadline passes, whichever comes firs(see full process on our website).

                                                                                                                                     

Key Deadlines

Deadline

Date/Time

Notes

Internal NOI Deadline

Monday, 8/3/2026 by 12 noon

Required

Internal Pre-proposal Deadline

Monday, 8/10/2026 by 12 noon

Only required if an internal competition is needed.

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline

9/25/2026, 5 p.m. ET


Opportunity Quick Reference

Item

Details

Program Link

https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360882 

Quest Portal Link

https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/SIS_FY27 

Award Details

$50,000 - $400,000

Number of UConn Applicants Allowed

1 UConn & 1 UCH

Eligibility Requirements

  • Proposed instruments cannot currently exist at UConn/UConn Health
  • A minimum of two NIH-funded users must be identified, with at least one from UConn. NIH-funded users from other institutions are highly encouraged. 
  • Each of the NIH funded users must be a PD/PI on a distinct active NIH award.

Funding Opportunity Description

Program Description

This program aims to build new research capacity and develop a sustainable research program by supporting the purchase of a single commercially available biomedical research instrument currently unavailable in the institution. Instruments funded through this program must be shared among the users to create new research opportunities, enable reproducible data generation, encourage collaborative research and training, and strengthen long-term research capabilities.

FAQ and Additional Information

Question

Answer

What happens after the NOI deadline?

After the NOI deadline, one of three outcomes typically applies.

  1. If the number of NOIs received exceeds the sponsor’s limit, OVPR will conduct an internal competition. 
  2. If the number of NOIs does not exceed the sponsor’s limit, eligible PIs who have submitted an NOI by the deadline are typically approved to move forward without an internal competition. 
  3. If no NOIs are received by the deadline, the opportunity will remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until all available slots are filled or the sponsor deadline passes, whichever comes first.


Only PIs selected and approved by OVPR are eligible to submit to the sponsor.

What are the pre-proposal requirements?

If an internal competition is necessary, pre-proposals should include:

  1. Maximum two-page summary describing the project and demonstrating how it will fulfill the program/solicitation criteria and contribute to meeting the research/education goals of the institution (if applicable).
  2. A brief budget overview and justification, 1-2 pages.
  3. Biosketches or CVs for all key personnel.


Please see the sponsor’s guidelines for details about program goals and application components.

What happens after the pre-proposal is submitted? 

  • Pre-proposals are reviewed by an ad hoc faculty committee with expertise in grant submission and relevant research areas. External reviewers may be involved when necessary.
  • After selections are made, all applicants will receive notification of the results (and reviewer feedback, when available) at the conclusion of the review.
  • Selected investigators will be approved to complete and submit full proposals according to the sponsor’s guidelines.

Where can I find more information?

For more information about the limited submission process, please visit our FAQ page.

For additional assistance, please contact us at research@uconn.edu.

How can I stay connected with UConn Research?

Follow UConn Research on Instagram & LinkedIn for all the latest information.

Submissions to this program are made via a third-party software application, SurveyMonkey Apply. The terms of use and privacy statements for this software apply to your use of it and to the information you provide in your application.  Before proceeding with your submission, please review their terms and privacy statements linked below.

Seed Instrumentation Support (SIS) Program


Seed Instrumentation Support (SIS) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)



Limited Submission Process Overview

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is pleased to announce this limited submission funding opportunity/award. Limited submission programs restrict the number of applications an institution may submit to the sponsor.


All interested PIs must submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) through the UConn Quest Portal by the deadline listed below to be considered.


After the NOI deadline, OVPR will determine whether an internal competition is needed based on the number of NOIs received. If the number of NOIs does not exceed the sponsor’s limit, eligible PIs who submitted an NOI by the deadline are typically approved to move forward without an internal competition. If no NOIs are received, the opportunity may remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until all available slots are filled or the sponsor deadline passes, whichever comes firs(see full process on our website).

                                                                                                                                     

Key Deadlines

Deadline

Date/Time

Notes

Internal NOI Deadline

Monday, 8/3/2026 by 12 noon

Required

Internal Pre-proposal Deadline

Monday, 8/10/2026 by 12 noon

Only required if an internal competition is needed.

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline

9/25/2026, 5 p.m. ET


Opportunity Quick Reference

Item

Details

Program Link

https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360882 

Quest Portal Link

https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/SIS_FY27 

Award Details

$50,000 - $400,000

Number of UConn Applicants Allowed

1 UConn & 1 UCH

Eligibility Requirements

  • Proposed instruments cannot currently exist at UConn/UConn Health
  • A minimum of two NIH-funded users must be identified, with at least one from UConn. NIH-funded users from other institutions are highly encouraged. 
  • Each of the NIH funded users must be a PD/PI on a distinct active NIH award.

Funding Opportunity Description

Program Description

This program aims to build new research capacity and develop a sustainable research program by supporting the purchase of a single commercially available biomedical research instrument currently unavailable in the institution. Instruments funded through this program must be shared among the users to create new research opportunities, enable reproducible data generation, encourage collaborative research and training, and strengthen long-term research capabilities.

FAQ and Additional Information

Question

Answer

What happens after the NOI deadline?

After the NOI deadline, one of three outcomes typically applies.

  1. If the number of NOIs received exceeds the sponsor’s limit, OVPR will conduct an internal competition. 
  2. If the number of NOIs does not exceed the sponsor’s limit, eligible PIs who have submitted an NOI by the deadline are typically approved to move forward without an internal competition. 
  3. If no NOIs are received by the deadline, the opportunity will remain open on a first-come, first-served basis until all available slots are filled or the sponsor deadline passes, whichever comes first.


Only PIs selected and approved by OVPR are eligible to submit to the sponsor.

What are the pre-proposal requirements?

If an internal competition is necessary, pre-proposals should include:

  1. Maximum two-page summary describing the project and demonstrating how it will fulfill the program/solicitation criteria and contribute to meeting the research/education goals of the institution (if applicable).
  2. A brief budget overview and justification, 1-2 pages.
  3. Biosketches or CVs for all key personnel.


Please see the sponsor’s guidelines for details about program goals and application components.

What happens after the pre-proposal is submitted? 

  • Pre-proposals are reviewed by an ad hoc faculty committee with expertise in grant submission and relevant research areas. External reviewers may be involved when necessary.
  • After selections are made, all applicants will receive notification of the results (and reviewer feedback, when available) at the conclusion of the review.
  • Selected investigators will be approved to complete and submit full proposals according to the sponsor’s guidelines.

Where can I find more information?

For more information about the limited submission process, please visit our FAQ page.

For additional assistance, please contact us at research@uconn.edu.

How can I stay connected with UConn Research?

Follow UConn Research on Instagram & LinkedIn for all the latest information.

Submissions to this program are made via a third-party software application, SurveyMonkey Apply. The terms of use and privacy statements for this software apply to your use of it and to the information you provide in your application.  Before proceeding with your submission, please review their terms and privacy statements linked below.

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Deadline
Aug 3 2026 12:00 PM (EDT)