Sprout Awards

Sprout Award with illustration of a sprout

In 2022, Cornell Engineering launched the Sprout Awards program to support recently emerged collaborations. This funding opportunity aims to support teams of investigators with demonstrated collaborative success who are pursuing novel research at the intersection of multiple fields. It is expected that this investment will result in submission of a proposal to an external agency.

Read: Full call for SPROUT proposals

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs updated March, 2023.

Can I participate in more than one proposal?

No, each faculty member can only appear on one Sprout application.

What is the due date?

Proposals are due by 4/1/23.

Can I submit to this opportunity as well as other internal funding programs (e.g., New Frontiers, FAST)?

Yes, this is encouraged and will not count against you.

Can I apply for a second round of funding if my first sprout proposal was supported?

Yes, please see ‘previously supported project submission’ cover sheet and instructions below.

Do all researchers need to be in Cornell Engineering?

Only the lead PI needs to have an appointment in Cornell Engineering.

Can all investigators be from the same department?

Yes, but the case for interdisciplinary work must be strong. All investigators must have Cornell appointments; this is an internal funding opportunity.

How much funding is available?

For this full year cycle, up to $75k is available to teams on the Ithaca campus; up to $85k is available for teams that include other Cornell campuses.

What is the funding period?

For this cycle, the award period runs from July 2023 through June 2024.

How much detail should I provide in the budget?

We only need to know what categories you will spend in, so you may specify by position type, or materials, or travel, or other categories depending on what is appropriate. Please pay attention to cost per student as detailed in the funding opportunity.

How do I apply?

Please read the full call for SPROUT proposals for application instructions and be sure to fill out one of the following cover sheets that is specific to your submission.