¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß

The Research & Innovation Office (RIO)ÌýCoreÌýFacilityÌýAssistanceÌýGrant—Infrastructure ProgramÌýseeks to support the research enterprise and our faculty, staff and students by enhancing CU ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß Core Facility infrastructure, thereby ultimately augmenting the scientific impact and financial sustainability of these essential shared resources.Ìý

TheÌýProgramÌýhas limited funds to 1) ensure essential infrastructure; 2) promote the financial sustainability of our Core Facilities and Shared Instrumentation in support of our research enterprise and faculty, staff and students; and 3) expand the capabilities available to the local scientific community. Any and all awarded funds must be applied to resources found within our Core Facilities while resulting in growth in cost recovery, an expanded userbase, and/or inclusion in future funding opportunities.Ìý

For FY26, areas of emphasis include:ÌýÌý

• Promote financial sustainability of our Core Facilities and Shared Instrumentation. The cost of maintaining our essential infrastructure is significant, and steps must be taken to offset these costs to the greatest extent possible while ensuring accessibility to our investigators. Investments should improve the financial outlook of the resource while minimizing both the current and future cost burden experienced by the home unit and the users.
• Ensure essential Core Facilities and Shared Instrumentation infrastructure.Ìý
  Supporting and maintaining existing impactful and widely used instrumentation and technologies is critical to ensuring CU ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß's research infrastructure and our standing as an R1 research institution. Awarded funds should help to resolve urgent and imminent needs that fall beyond the ability of the Core Facility, and ensure that these essential resources remain operational and accessible, thereby stabilizing the financial outlook of the shared resource.
• Expand the technological and service capabilities found within our Shared Resources.Ìý
  The capabilities found within our Core Facilities must continue to grow to meet the investigative needs of our researchers. Upgrading existing technologies or acquiring new systems is critical to supporting CU ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß's research infrastructure and the broader scientific community. Resolving these growing unmet needs should not only expand what is currently available, but should also result in additional funding opportunities and growth in cost recovery while not increasing the ongoing operational cost of the shared resource.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include CUÌý¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏßÌýCoreÌýFacilityÌýdirectors/managers,ÌýfacultyÌýor staff.ÌýApplicantsÌýwho are not Core Facility directors/managers must collaborate with one or more CU ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß Core FacilitiesÌýin developing the projectÌýproposal. Other eligibility requirements and considerations include:

• Core Facilities must meet the current definition as approved by the Central Support Program.
• Cores must have an active rate sheet approved by the Office of Contracts and Grants.
• Cores must have provided their FY25 Key Metrics and Cores Cost Sheet.
• Only one application is allowed per core.ÌýView Eligible Core FacilitiesÌý

Budget

The Core Facility Assistance Grant—Infrastructure ProgramÌýwill fund up toÌý$200,000Ìýin grants in FY26.ÌýFunding for the program in future years is subject toÌýavailabilityÌýof funds. For FY26, there is no maximum award per application, regardless of the number of Core Facilities involved. Cost share is required for FY26. Please see the Required Cost Share table below for more details. Note: RIO will not provide funding to pay for GAR/GIR related to this funding opportunity.Ìý

Examples of Supported Items

The Core Facility Assistance Grant—Infrastructure Program funds are to be used to promote the financial sustainability of our Cores, ensure essential shared resource infrastructure, and expand the technological and service capabilities available to our investigators, all while reducing the ongoing operational costs and fiscal burdens carried by our home units.Ìý

Below are several examples of items and acquisitions that could be considered. This list is by no means exhaustive, and is intended to be informative:

• Technological/capability upgrade to current instrumentation and services
• Instrumentation to facilitate the operational efficiency of the Core or an instrument, and/or the impact of a service
• One-time repair of existing instrumentation
• Partial or full service contract support on recurring contracts (for one year only)Ìý

Application Terms and Limits

The Core Facilities Assistant Grant Program will fund up to $200,000 in grants in FY26. Terms, limits and restrictions include:Ìý

• No limit to the size of the ask.
• Individual Cores may combine efforts.
• An application may include multiple related items.
• Each Core may only be included within a maximum of one (1) application.
• Awarded funds cannot be used for Core staff salary (current nor future).
• Matching funds must be new to the facility and represent additional investment. Funds dedicated to existing staff, service contracts or other planned expenses (i.e. regularly scheduled service contracts) will not qualify as matching.
• Matching funds are not required to come from the home unit and can come from multiple sources.

Requirements

1. Applicants that are not core directors must co-develop the proposal withÌýone or more CU ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß Core Facilities or Shared Instrumentation centers to assess feasibility and discussÌýthe budgetÌýprior to applying. A single award may be used to support a projectÌýthat involves more than oneÌýCoreÌýFacility.
2. A single award may be used to support a project that involves more than one Core Facility.
3. All funds must beÌýspent in one or moreÌýCoreÌýFacilities.
4. FundsÌýcannotÌýbe used to pay salaries of Core Facility or other staff, even if said staff is not currently a full FTE.
5. Funds can be used forÌýsafety improvements, remote access capabilities and equipment (repair and acquisition). Funds may be applied towards a service contract, but the need and impact must be well justified, and the need for support thoroughly explained. Funds can be applied to a one-time maintenance visit.
6. Funds cannot be applied to normal/standard consumables. Exceptions may be considered, but not guaranteed, for unique consumables that are required to stand up a service or a capability.
7. Funds must be spent in the Core Facility associated with the project described in the grant application.
8. For acquisitions and purchases, quotes and related documentation (e.g. sole source justifications, compliance forms) must be submitted to the procurement officer by February 20, 2026. Failure to do so may result in the awarded funds being rescinded.
9. The Director of Core Facilities and Shared Instrumentation must be notified of your submission by sending a confirmation email to joseph.dragavon@colorado.edu.
10. All awarded funds must be spent by September 30, 2026. There will be no no-cost extensions.Ìý

Cost Share

Terms & Conditions

1. Recipients will submit an annual Impact Report for two full fiscal years (two reports in total). Failure to do so may result in the Core Facility being disqualified from future funding opportunities. Ìý
2. Recipients agree to provide the CU ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß Cores Executive Committee their Key Metrics and Cores Cost Sheet for the following three full fiscal years.
3. If a significant outcome of this grant award is realized at any time, recipients will immediately notify Joe Dragavon, Director of Core Facilities & Shared Instrumentation in writing by emailing joseph.dragavon@colorado.edu.
4. If there is a change or absence (60 days or greater) in PI, recipients willÌýcontact and provide a justification to Joe Dragavon, Director of Core Facilities & Shared Instrumentation at joseph.dragavon@colorado.edu. ÌýÌý
5. If the project entails any compliance issues such as IRB, IACUC, EHS, biohazardous material, etc., recipients certify that the appropriate compliance offices on campus will be made aware of the proposed activities before initiating any work.
6. Awards will be made available through the financial office in recipients’ respective college/school/institute on the 21st day of February following award notification (or earlier), at which time project spending can commence. The budget office at the PI’s respective college/school/institute will set up theÌýspeedtypeÌý(account) number for the award. RIO will transfer the funds to theÌýspeedtype. Recipients are advised to contact respective budget offices for theÌýspeedtype no later than June 10 following award notification.
7. RIO will not provide any funds to be allocated to staff salary, GAR, GIR or PIE/C.
8. The project duration is February 21, 2026—September 30, 2026). There will be no no-cost extensions awarded. Unused funds at the end of the project will be returned to RIO.
9. All resulting publications must include the following acknowledgement text:
   1. The [ID] instrument was supported in part by the FY26 CU ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß Core Facility Assistance Grant—Infrastructure Program.
      1. A unique ID will be provided to all recipients of the award.
10. If a recipient fails to fulfill any of theÌýaforementioned conditions, RIO reserves the right to suspend funds and void the Core Facility from future funding considerations.Ìý

Reviews

Faculty volunteers review applications, provide commentsÌýand recommend proposals for funding. Proposals will be evaluated in four primary areas:

• Need: Does the acquisition satisfy a growing unmet need that will be utilized by multiple investigators?
• Overall Benefit:  Does the acquisition/repair benefitÌýCore FacilityÌýoperations and users, andÌýenhance the capabilitiesÌýof the university’s research infrastructure? Is this a unique resource or capability that is not available elsewhere on our campus? Will this acquisition/repair encourage utilization by new users?
• Management and Expertise:  Is the Core Facility able to appropriately operate the acquisition and ensure that it can be accessed by the CU ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß scientific community?
• Education and Outreach: Does this resource support the education mission of CU ¶¶Òõ´«Ã½ÔÚÏß? Will it result in additional or expanded interaction with the broader scientific community?
• Funding Request:ÌýIs the expenditure of these funds accurate and justifiable, and worth the investment from the Central Support Program for Core Facilities? For service contract and maintenance support, was the Core able to support any of the service contract? If not, why not?
• Impact Tracking: How will the impact of the acquisition/improvement be monitored moving forward? Is there a quantifiable mechanism to demonstrate the return on investment? Ìý

Application Deadline and Portal

Applications for FY26 will close on January 21, 2026, 11:59pm MST

Proposal Format and Preparation

1.ÌýCover and Cost Share confirmation page—please include the following:Ìý

• Use the Cover Page template found here
• Submission format: PDF
• Date of application (submission date)
• Name of the applicant
• Applicant email
• Full name of the Core Facility
• Home department/institute/unit of the Core Facility
• Name of Core Facility director/manager
• Proposal Title
• Amount requested ($)
• Amount of Cost Share ($)
• Signatures of the applicant, department or committee chair, and the provider of the Cost Share are required; these signatures will constitute acknowledgment that the request has been discussed, and the application and Cost Share approved.Ìý

2.ÌýPurchase/Acquisition description—please include the following:

• Page limits:
  • Application text: 3 pages (maximum)
  • Tables and figures: 1 page
  • Reviewers will be instructed to stop reading if any section goes beyond the specified page limit.
• The full proposal should be in sufficient detail to be understood by a non-expert reviewer.
  • Justification of the need:
    • What will be purchased? For how much exactly?
    • If a repair, why does this fall outside your current budget or reserve capabilities/intentions? How will you account for this cost moving forward?
    • If a service contract, why were prior user fees unable to fully cover this cost? How will user fees improve support for this contract moving forward?
    • How does this purchase or repair complement the existing resources of the Core Facility?
    • How will this purchase ensure or advance the capabilities of the Core?
    • Do similar equipment, services or capabilities exist on campus? If yes, why does it not fit your needs? (i.e. Why is the duplication of technology needed?)
  • Broader impacts:
    • Improved financial sustainability currently and in the future
    • Improved cost avoidance/reduced operating cost moving forward and for multiple years
    • Current and future research
    • CU research enterprise
    • Overall benefit of the purchase
  • Future funding opportunities enabled
    • Specify any particular grant applications or FOAs
  • Education and outreach:
    • How does this fit into the current ecosystem?

3.ÌýOverview of the Core Facility—please include the following:

• Page limit, including tables and figures: 1 page
• Brief description of the Core Facility:
  • Users
  • Labs
  • Broad overview of the Core
  • Historical management and use
  • Technical expertise:
    • Who will oversee the acquistion/repair?
    • Any prior experience with the purchase or other relevant experiences?

4. Price quote and Budget Sheet:

• Current Price Quote (will not count against the page limit)
• Note: RIO will not provide funding to pay for GAR/GIR related to this funding opportunity.
• Please complete the Budget Template found here.Ìý

5.ÌýSupport letters

• Maximum number of support letters: 2
• Examples include:
  • From Core Facility if not the PI
  • Department/Institute Chair
  • At least one major user (max 2 users)
  • Future/new user

6.ÌýAnnual Impact Report agreement

• By submitting for the Core Facilities Assistance Grant, you agree to submit an annual Impact Report for the next three fiscal years (three reports in total). Failure to do so may result in this Core's disqualification from future funding opportunities.Ìý

For questions aboutÌýtheÌýCore FacilityÌýAssistanceÌýGrant—Infrastructure Program, please contact Joe Dragavon, Director of Core Facilities & Shared Instrumentation at (ÌýÌýjoseph.dragavon@colorado.edu).