Bridge Funding

A primary goal of the College of Medicine is to support and strengthen the research capabilities of its faculty. As part of this goal, we implemented the College of Medicine’s Bridge Funding program. (See below for K-R Clinician Scientist Bridge Funding).The purpose of this program is to support COM  investigators with established clinical or basic research programs during periods when a competitive renewal or "next stage" application is not funded.  Bridge-funding awards are targeted to provide interim support for research programs when a full indirect cost- bearing competitive renewal or “next stage” is not funded. Active, full time, COM Tenured and non-tenured faculty members are eligible. * Examples of eligible grants include competing RO1 and NSF renewals and new RO1 resubmissions that were initiated by an RO3, R21, or K award.

Bridge Funding Application Schedule; Applications are accepted three times per year - April 15, August 15, and December 15. If the fifteenth falls on a weekend, the Monday immediately following that weekend is the deadline. Read more about the program details and application format.  Note: Dates subject to change.

Eligibility

Bridge-funding awards are targeted to provide interim support for research programs when a full indirect cost- bearing competitive renewal or “next stage” is not funded. Tenured and non-tenured faculty members are eligible. Examples of eligible grants include competing RO1 and NSF renewals and new RO1 resubmissions that were initiated by an RO3, R21, or K award. Research programs funded by pilot-project grants, infrastructure (e.g., core and instrumentation) grants, training, foundation and VA awards, and industrial research contracts are ineligible. Principal investigators with substantial funding from other sources or reserves are not eligible.

Funding

Bridge-funding awards will not exceed $60,000. Awards will be co-funded by equal contributions from the Dean’s office and the Department where the original award was assigned. If a Department is unable to identify matching funds, the Chairman can petition the Dean’s office to investigate alternative sources for matching funds. The award period will be for one year. Only one such award will be given during the renewal period of a specific grant. Funds may be used for all normal research activities except principal investigator salary or travel.

Please email applications to Mary McConnell at mcconnem@musc.edu.

K to R Clinician Scientist Bridge Funding - Fall/December Cycle only

In addition to the COM Bridge Funding Program outlined above, early career clinician scientists are invited to apply for the K to R Bridge Funding.  Read more.  Note: Dates subject to change.

Eligibility:  K to R bridge-funding awards provide extended K-award equivalent salary support for COM clinician scientists to pursue new federal grants not funded during their initial K award. * Examples of eligible federal grants to pursue include RO1, RO3, R21, and NSF awards. K to R bridge-funding awards cannot be used to pursue training and foundation awards or industrial research contracts. Only tenure-track faculty members are eligible for consideration.

Funding:  K to R Bridge Funding awards are for the clinician scientist’s salary and fringe benefit support only and cannot exceed the annual salary and fringe benefits provided in the individual’s original K award or $100,000, whichever is less.  Funding maybe used for normal research activity except PI salary or travel The award period will be for one year.

*Note: Non-COM faculty investigators are encouraged to review the Blue Sky Program

Programming Quick Reference:

Bridge Funding - April 15th; August 15th; December 15th

High Impact Research Publications - April 15th; August 15th; December 15th

K-R Clinician Scientist Bridge Funding - December 15th

Translational Team Science - March 1st

COM-PPG - August 15th

Notes:   Program announcements are made in the Dean’s weekly newsletter sent via email to all COM employees.

If due date falls on a weekend the following Monday is the due date. All dates subject to change.