Research Initiatives and Infrastructure

Research and Innovation

Funding - Programs

Funding programs are administered by the Research Initiatives & Infrastructure (RII) office and align with the university’s strategic research priorities. For information on all research-related services offered by RII, please visit our homepage. Grant proposal applications must be submitted via RII’s Grant Portal.

For questions related to any of the funding opportunities or eligible expenses, or if you are experiencing technical issues with this website please contact rii@usc.edu. We are here to help!

Silvia da Costa, PhD
Director, Research Initiatives & Infrastructure

Funding Programs - At a Glance

Funding ProgramAward CapsProposal DeadlineReviewAward NotificationStart Date
RESEARCH PLANNING & INFRASTRUCTURE
Instrumentation AwardApr 17, 2024May-JuneJuneAugust
Shared Instrumentation Award
Preparation and matching funds for instrumentation grant submission		$250,000
Dean's Matching Fund
Instrument acquisition		No Cap
Institutional Training Planning AwardFeb 25, 2024March-AprilJuneAugust
Institutional Training Planning Award
Preparation for institutional training grant submission		$100,000
Collaborative Research Planning AwardMay 15, 2024May-JuneJuneAugust
Small Program Award
Planning grant		$50,000
Large Program Award
Planning & proposal submisson		$100,000
USC & IISc Collaborative Network AwardMay 20, 2024June-JulyAugustSeptember
USC & IISc Collaborative Network Award
Travel grant ($5,000 per team member)		$5,000
RESEARCH
Zumberge Preliminary Studies Research AwardFeb 5, 2024March-AprilJuneAugust
Large Program Award
Seed funding for research		$100,000
STEM Program Award
Seed funding for research		$50,000
DEI in Research Award
Seed funding for research		$50,000
President’s Sustainability Initiative AwardMar 18, 2024April-MayJuneAugust
Small Program Award
Seed funding for research		$50,000
Large Program Award
Seed funding for research		$250,000
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Mentorship AwardOct 2, 2024Oct-NovNov-DecDecember
HHMI Mentorship Award
Research and mentoring leading to HHMI investigator application		$85,000
Ming Hsieh Institute Research AwardJan 29, 2024Feb-MarchJuneAugust
Pre-Clinical Study
Seed funding for research		$150,000
Translational Research Project
Seed funding for research		$300,000
Student Empowerment AwardMar 4, 2024April-MayJuneAugust
Innovation Prize
Seed funding for research		$15,000
Entrepreneurship
Seed funding for research		$15,000
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Research ProgramJan 16, 2024Feb-MarchJuneJul-Aug
Building GenAI Research Networks
Seed funding for research		$100,000
GenAI Research Award
Seed funding for research		$50,000
Collaborative GenAI Research Award
Planning & proposal submission		$100,000
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
SBIR/STTR Planning AwardJan 8, 2024Feb-MarchJuneJul-Aug
SBIR/STTR Planning Award
Preparation & research for SBIR/STTR grant submission		$300,000
CREATIVITY & SCHOLARSHIP
Humanities & Humanistic Social Sciences AwardMay 29, 2025May-JuneJuneAugust
HHSS Scholars Award
Creativity, Scholarship, & Excellence in the Humanities & Humanistic Social Sciences		$110,000
HHSS Initiative Award
Creativity, Scholarship, & Excellence in the Humanities & Humanistic Social Sciences		$140,000
Associates Award for Creativity in Research and ScholarshipSept 25, 2024Oct-NovDec
Associates Award
Highest honors the university can bestow on its members for their distinguished achievements		Call for Nominations