Early-Stage Research Development Grants

The Early-Stage Collaborative Discover Grants under the REF provides competitive funding for early-stage, proof-of-concept, pilot discovery research conducted by multi-system member collaborative teams on transformative research topics. These grants are designed to help A&M System investigators lay the groundwork for large-scale, interdisciplinary, and high-impact proposals to federal, state, and private sponsors. By investing in early-stage discovery, this program aims to increase the A&M System’s success rate in securing major awards and to foster collaborative research teams across the A&M System that are prepared to compete at the highest levels.. Proposals must include at least two A&M System member institutions as substantive partners to the lead institution. Three total A&M System member institutions required.

Early-Stage Collaborative Discovery Grants are designed to:

Seed Innovative Research Ideas: Provide resources to refine novel research concepts into competitive proposals for large-scale funding.
Build Collaborative Teams: Support the formation of interdisciplinary, inter-institutional teams across A&M System institutions to pursue major funding opportunities.
Enhance Proposal Readiness: Enable pilot data collection and preliminary or early-stage research needed to strengthen future submissions.
Increase Competitiveness for Large External Awards: Position A&M System researchers for success securing funding from major federal, state, and private sponsors.
Align Strategic Research Priorities: Align early-stage discovery with areas of System-wide importance and state or national relevance.

Office of Research and Innovation