Keck Research Program - medical/science & engineering

Sponsor Name: 
The Keck Foundation
Amount: 
1,000,000
Description of the Award: 

Workshop Announcement: A session conducted by the CFR, SIRO and Limited Submissions offices to explain the funding opportunity and process will be held on 12/14 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. in room W257 of the Millennium Science Complex.

The Keck Foundation supports basic research projects that are high-risk and have the potential for transformative impact in two program areas: Science & Engineering Research and Medical Research. Recent awards have supported pioneering research, with a particular focus on the development of promising new technologies, instrumentation, or methodologies. The Foundation has been holding requests to no more than $1 million in direct costs; awards may fund multi-year projects over a period of up to five years.

In recent years the number of applications Keck receives has quadrupled, mirroring cuts in funding from public agencies. Therefore, projects must be high-impact, high-risk, quantum leaps forward in their fields. Competitive projects typically exhibit the following characteristics:

  1. Focus on important and emerging areas of basic science research with the potential to develop breakthrough technologies, instrumentation or methodologies that would break down existing barriers to inquiry.
  2. Are innovative, distinctive and interdisciplinary with the potential for transformative impact across a number of fields and potential applications.
  3. Exhibit a high-level of risk due to unconventional approaches, or by challenging the prevailing paradigm.
  4. Demonstrate that the chances of success would be seriously impaired without private funding. Projects that are too early-stage, high-risk, or interdisciplinary to fit within traditional agency funding mechanisms are sought. In fact, Keck looks for assurance that other avenues of funding have been declined. More than speculating on the prospects of public funding, reviews or discussions with agency program staff should be pursued. A project that has received excellent reviews from NSF/NIH, but dismissed as too risky, ambitious, etc. would be considered optimal.

Keep in mind the focus is on basic science with the potential broad impact; not translational, clinical, or applied science. For example, Medical Research proposals should describe innovative research that has the potential to impact fundamental mechanisms of human health and disease. Proposals that focus exclusively on a single disease are not likely to be funded, as the Foundation is more interested in endeavors that address more basic mechanisms/questions that will impact a number of diseases or disorders.

Although Keck does not require formal cost sharing, the Foundation expects a significant commitment to the project from the applicant’s home institution and will recognize unrecovered F&A as well as commitments of graduate student support, space, renovations, equipment, etc. towards that match.

Full program guidelines may be viewed at: http://www.wmkeck.org/grant-programs/research

Abstracts of successful proposals from recent cycles may be viewed at:http://www.wmkeck.org/grant-programs/research/medical-research-grant-abstracts

Application Process:

The submission process is multi-staged, starting with a consulting period where the foundation will review 1-page concepts from an institution. From the pool of concepts submitted to this downselect, the internal review committee will select up to eight papers (four each in Science & Engineering/Medical Research) that are consistent with Keck’s funding priorities. Selected teams will have the opportunity to refine these papers based on internal reviews in preparation for sharing by Keck program staff. Keck feedback on each concept’s aims, methodologies, impacts, and rationale for support will be obtained by February 15. As a result, up to two projects (one each in Science & Engineering/Medical Research) may be selected to submit a 3-page Phase I proposal by May 1. Successful Phase I proposals are invited to submit a 12-page Phase II proposal by August 15.

The Office of Corporate & Foundation Relations (CFR) is the designated institutional contact responsible for communicating with the Foundation and is collaborating with Limited Submissions on the internal downselect process. Questions concerning the application process or the competitiveness of particular concepts should be directed to Eric Reinhard, Associate Director of Foundation Relations (3-4308) ereinhard@psu.edu.

Application Requirements:

  1. Concept Paper (1-page, Times New Roman, 12-point font, one-inch margins):

    1. PI Names and Keck Funding Category (Science & Engineering or Medical)
    2. Overview: An overview of the proposed project emphasizing any unique aspects and pilot studies. Say what the breakthrough and leap forward may be;
    3. Methodologies: A description of the methodologies. Note which aspects are greatest risk and why you can address that risk. This section should be the primary focus and largest section of the concept paper as Keck is more interested in the “what and how” rather than the “why”;
    4. Justification for Keck Support: A justification of the need for private funding (feedback from agency optimal);
    5. Key Personnel: Highlight key project personnel and demonstrate expertise/capacity to carry out proposed work;
    6. Budget: A roughly-estimated budget broken down by major areas, e.g., personnel, equipment, consumable supplies, etc.
  2. Internal Memo: (1-page):

    1. Explains to PSU reviewers the “so what” and why you can succeed.
Sponsor Final Deadline: 
May 01, 2017
To be considered as a Penn State institutional nominee, please submit a notice of intent by the date provided directly below.
This limited submission is in downselect: 
Penn State may only submit a specific number of proposals to this funding opportunity. The number of NOIs received require that an internal competition take place, thus, a downselect process has commenced. No Penn State researchers may apply to this opportunity outside of this downselect process. To apply for this limited submission, please use this link:
OSVPR Downselect Deadline: 
Sunday, January 15, 2017 - 4:00pm