Pitt Momentum Funds

NOTE: The 2023-2024 cycle of the Momentum Funds is now underway. Deadlines for the 2024-2025 cycle will be posted at a later date.

Overview

Apply to the Pitt Momentum Funds   

Apply for a Microgrant   

The Pitt Momentum Funds are designed to support interdisciplinary research, scholarship, and creative endeavors across the entire University of Pittsburgh campus. The grants are sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research. All eligible faculty are encouraged to apply. Proposals are strongly encouraged to address Pitt’s academic theme for 2023-24 which is Discourse and Dialogue. Awardees will be announced in the Spring 2024 semester and honored in the Internal Funding Showcase next fall.  

All Pitt Momentum Funds, except for the Microgrants, require a Letter of Intent as the first step of the application process. The Proposal Abstract field serves as your Letter of Intent. Upon completion of this abstract, please scroll to the bottom of the page and submit your LOI for consideration. The Research Development team will reach out to LOI applicants with information on next steps. 

Please see the pages below for further information about each specific grant including eligibility and how to apply. 

• Arts & Humanities Microgrants are specific for faculty in the Arts and Humanities. The support existing projects, works-in-progress, or test the feasibility of a larger grant idea. Awards are for $3,000 for one year.
  • Fall 2023 applications are due by October 16, 2023, 5 PM.
  • Spring 2024 applications are due by March 8, 2024, 5 PM.
    • Note: In collaboration with the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, additional $2,000 supplements are available for Microgrants applicants with a link in their research to interdisciplinary sustainability programs. More information is available on the Microgrants webpage.
• Priming Grants support scholarly projects by individuals or small groups of faculty members. Awards are made up to $25,000 for one year.
  • Letter of intent due by September 27 2023, 3 PM.
• Teaming Grants help multi-disciplinary teams plan and build capacity to successfully pursue large-scale external funding and must include faculty from at least three schools, as defined in the application materials. Awards are made up to $60,000 for one year.
  • Letter of intent due by September 27, 2023, 3 PM.
• Scaling Grants support the detailed project planning, gathering of proof-of-concept results, and reduction of technical risk that positions teams to competitively pursue large, complex extramural funding. Awards are made up to $400,000 for two years.
  • Letter of intent due by September 27, 2023, 3 PM.

To learn more about applying to the Pitt Momentum Funds please visit our FAQ, as well as the Program Guidelines. To learn more about the work funded through this program, including project abstracts, please visit the PittResearch Fueling Our Future site.