The Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program (CAFNR)

The Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program (CAFNR) is sponsored by University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR). This CAFNR seed grant program supports interdisciplinary research to help faculty conduct preliminary studies that position them to submit competitive proposals for federal funding agencies such as USDA NIFA AFRI, NSF, NIH, and DOE.

CAFNR Equipment Matching Grant Program Details and how to apply (PDF) CAFNR Ag-celerator for Agricultural Technologies (CAAT) This new CAFNR funding is designed to accelerate the translation of agriculture, food and natural resources innovations into products and processes that improve the lives of people in Missouri and beyond.

The program bridges the gap between academic research and industry by providing funding to CAFNR faculty-led teams to perform experiments to generate data that will ultimately lead to commercialization of new technologies. Due: Letter of Intent by Dec.

15; submission of a full proposal (maximum 3 pages), if invited, by March 15 Details and how to apply (PDF) The Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program A CAFNR “seed grant” program to support research. The Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program (CAFNR) – 2026 The Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program is a CAFNR seed grant program designed to support interdisciplinary research and increase competitive grant funding.

The CAFNR Office of Research launched The Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program in 2021. The goal of the program is to help faculty conduct preliminary studies that position them to submit competitive, interdisciplinary proposals for federal funding agencies such as USDA NIFA AFRI, NSF, NIH, and DOE. Including preliminary data in grant proposals increases the likelihood of funding success.

In its short history, this program has supported a number of highly competitive projects funded by NIFA, NSF, DOE, and NIH. Funding supports 8–10 small grants per year through an internal competition. Grants are awarded in two phases.

Phase 1: Up to $20,000 total, usable over a maximum of two years. Phase 2: For successful projects needing additional data before applying for a major competitive grant, up to $10,000 for one additional year. To date, the program has invested in 38 projects totaling approximately $700,000 over four years and has generated roughly $15 million in external funding, primarily from federal and state agencies and the private sector.

This represents nearly $21 in return for every dollar invested. The lead PI (Project Director) must be a CAFNR ranked faculty member. Proposals must clearly demonstrate the goal of submitting a competitive federal grant by the end of the project period; otherwise, submissions will be returned.

Funding may not be used for faculty salary or conference or workshop attendance. Funding requests may not exceed 24 months. Only one active project is permitted per lead PI.

Proposals are solicited in February, with final funding decisions announced in August. Proposals are reviewed by a faculty review committee. Funding decisions are based on the merit of the proposed activity, qualifications of project personnel, relevance to CAFNR strategic priorities, and the likelihood of securing continued competitive funding that contributes to AAU distinction.

A brief progress report is due by August 31 each year. A poster presentation at the annual CAFNR Research Symposium is required by the end of the project period. The PI must notify the CAFNR Office of Research when additional funding is secured.

Proposals are due April 15 at 5:00 p. m. Awards are announced by August 31.

Submit proposals as a single PDF file via email to Ms. Sue Leutschaft at leutschafts@missouri. edu. Cover Page (include the following): Applicant name (Project Director) and affiliation Other personnel and affiliations Federal agency or program where proposals will be submitted after project completion Maximum of four single-spaced pages (budget and justification excluded).

Include the following sections: Expected results and deliverables, including the expected proposal and funding agency Include requested amounts for: Travel (data collection only; no conference travel) Provide totals for Year 1, Year 2, and cumulative funding. Clearly and explicitly describe how funds will be used. Requests for gifts or incentives are not supported.

Awarded funds may only be used for items approved in the proposal budget. Itemize all expenses and reference all budget items within the project description. Final payment will not exceed the approved budget total.

Review Criteria (Maximum 50 Points) Scientific Merit of the Research (0–20 points) Novelty, originality, innovation Transferability of knowledge from model systems Conceptual strength and appropriateness of hypotheses Feasibility and suitability of methods Probability of success relative to risk Likelihood of continued competitive funding, especially AAU Phase I or II sources Project Relevance (0–20 points) Interdisciplinary nature of the project Alignment with CAFNR mission, vision, strategic priorities, Programs of Distinction, and Grand Ideas International collaboration, if applicable (note: funding cannot be used for international travel or research expenses) Qualifications and Facilities (0–10 points) Qualifications and track record of project personnel Awareness of previous or alternative approaches Adequacy of personnel, facilities, and instrumentation Project planning and administration Panel members will submit completed scores to Ms. Sue Leutschaft by the communicated deadline.