Major Research Instrumentation Program: (MRI) Instrument Acquisition or Development

Note: 3 documents are required for the final proposal to the sponsor (but not for the pre-proposal)

• Matching Funds Form - This requires 30% institutional matching, of which the Office of research will provide 1/3rd for any successful proposals – for this, a Matching Funds Request form will be needed: https://www.washington.edu/research/or/matching-funds-request/
• Cost share letter: PI works with Chair to draft the cost share letter outlining the funding from all units.
• Letter of Institutional Support: PI drafts the institutional support letter.

Program Description

The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) serves to increase access to shared scientific and engineering instruments for research and research training in our Nation's institutions of higher education, not-for-profit museums, science centers and scientific/engineering research organizations. The program provides organizations with opportunities to acquire major instrumentation that supports the research and research training goals of the organization and that may be used by other researchers regionally or nationally.

Each MRI proposal may request support for the acquisition (Track 1) or development (Track 2) of a single research instrument for shared inter- and/or intra-organizational use. Development efforts that leverage the strengths of private sector partners to build instrument development capacity at MRI submission-eligible organizations are encouraged.

The MRI program assists with the acquisition or development of a shared research instrument that is, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs. The program does not fund research projects or provide ongoing support for operating or maintaining facilities or centers.

The instrument acquired or developed is expected to be operational for regular research use by the end of the award period. For the purposes of the MRI program, a proposal must be for either acquisition (Track 1) or development (Track 2) of a single, well-integrated instrument. The MRI program does not support the acquisition or development of a suite of instruments to outfit research laboratories or facilities, or that can be used to conduct independent research activities simultaneously.

Instrument acquisition or development proposals that request funds from NSF in the range $100,000-$4 million may be accepted from any MRI-eligible organization. Proposals that request funds from NSF less than $100,000 may also be accepted from any MRI-eligible organization for the disciplines of mathematics or social, behavioral and economic sciences and from non-Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education for all NSF-supported disciplines.

Cost-sharing of precisely 30% of the total project cost is required for Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education and for non-degree-granting organizations. Non-Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education are exempt from cost-sharing and cannot include it. National Science Board policy is that voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.

Application Instructions

Please submit:

• a 1-to-2 page letter of intent with a description of proposed aims and approach
• Biosketch or CV of the PI
• a letter of support from the Dean or Chair. This letter of support signifies that the Dean or Chair have ensured that the nominee and application are likely to be of sufficient quality to be competitive nationally

to research@uw.edu by 5:00 PM Thursday, October 12, 2017 Proposals are due to the sponsor 1/10/18, so you will need to have your materials in to the Office of Sponsored Programs by 1/2/18 for processing, if given the go ahead by the Proposal Review Committee.