Seed Funding

 
 

Seed funding supports innovative ideas at the earliest stage to kickstart the project and collect preliminary data that is necessary to secure subsequent extramural funding. 


 

The Center ICE Seed Fund sponsors projects performed by faculty, staff, and students at the University of Alaska; external entities/individuals can benefit from Center ICE Seed Funding by partnering with University of Alaska faculty, staff, or students.  The Center ICE Seed Fund accepts applications on a rolling basis.

Open Call for proposals from the UA academic community

Proposals may be submitted anytime and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Funding will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis. Follow Center ICE social media or subscribe to our newsletter to learn about occasional RFPs (requests for proposals) specific to certain timely topics of interest and/or new opportunities for growth of the Alaskan economy. 

Proposals should not exceed three pages and must include:

  • Title of proposed project or activity
  • Principal investigator
    1.  Name
    2.  UA affiliation: campus, department, faculty/staff/student
    3.  Description of the project team’s innovation experience or training (e.g., Lean Startup methodology, I-Corps customer discovery, design thinking), or state "none"
  • Fiscal officer contact information
  • Narrative that addresses each of the following:

    1.  What challenge does your proposed idea help solve?  I.e., what pain are you solving or what gain are you providing?
    2.  How is this problem/opportunity currently being addressed (if necessary think broadly because current solutions may be entirely dissimilar and inferior to your idea)?
    3.  How is your innovation novel?
    4.  Provide a description of the work you will perform to develop your solution.
    5.  How will you measure success for your project?
    6.  How could your solution be scaled into a commercial product?
    7.  The project duration, if applicable.
    8.  Provide a statement acknowledging that ICR will not be included in the project.  Please contact us if you have any questions.
    9.  List key personnel and provide a very brief biography of each (four sentences is sufficient).
    10.  Provide a budget including totals within each category.
  • Proposals should be submitted to centerice@alaska.edu in an email titled "Center ICE Seed Fund" with a copy (cc) to Ashley Guernsey, alguernsey@alaska.edu.

 

Evaluation of proposals:

Some factors for evaluation include completeness and professionalism, cost relative to likelihood of success and value of successful outcome if achieved, and impact and importance of seed funding to advancing the proposed project. A three-page final report will be required at project completion, and most project teams are required to participate in Center ICE’s I-Corps program or another similar program. Coordination of purchasing/procurement for funded projects will be handled on a case-by-case basis.  Center ICE will retain all ICR generated from funded projects.

 

Previous CISF funded innovative research

Jeff Rothman CISF IICP - Photo by JR Ancheta
Jeff Rothman CISF IICP - Photo by JR Ancheta

John Harley SVI Results
John Harley SVI Results

Orion Lawlor IICP Research
Orion Lawlor IICP Research