Strategic Research Initiatives

I. Program Overview

The A&M System announces the inaugural call for proposals under the Research Excellence Fund (REF), a bold initiative to elevate the research enterprise across all A&M System member institutions. The REF provides competitive funding to accelerate discovery, strengthen collaboration, and enhance national competitiveness.

Strategic Initiative 7: The Strategic Research Initiatives program under the REF supports System-wide participation in high-impact research themes. These initiatives will align with state and national research priorities, and emerging areas of opportunity with significant societal, economic, and scientific impact. Funding through this initiative is intended to position the A&M System as a leader in addressing grand challenges, fostering collaboration among system members, and increasing competitiveness for large-scale external funding from federal state, and private sponsors.

II. Program Objectives

The Strategic Research Initiatives program seeks to:

• Advance System-wide Research Priorities that benefit the needs of Texas and the nation and align with state and national research priorities.
• Catalyze collaboration among multiple A&M System universities, agencies, and centers to pursue large-scale, mission-aligned research programs.
• Leverage REF funding to attract major federal, state, and private support.
• Strengthen A&M System visibility and leadership in key strategic areas that address critical societal and economic challenges.
• Support rapid-response efforts to new funding opportunities or policy shifts that align with identified research themes.

III. Eligibility

• Eligible Institution: Any A&M System member university.
• Eligible Applicants: The lead principal investigator (PI) and other PI and co-PIs must be PI-eligible and hold a full-time faculty or research staff appointment at an A&M System member university or agency.
• Collaborating Members: Proposals must include at least two A&M System member institutions as substantive partners to the lead institution.
• Eligible Activities:
  • Development of System-wide research consortia.
  • Seed projects aligned with system-wide, state, and national research priorities.
  • Symposia, workshop, roundtables, and planning meetings to strengthen team formation and proposal development.
  • Rapid-response activities addressing timely funding opportunities.
  • Coordination of large-scale external proposals in targeted areas.
• Ineligible Activities:
  • Routine operational expenses unrelated to the proposed initiative.

IV. Award Information and Allowable Costs

• Total Funding Available (FY26): $1,000,000
• Maximum Individual Award: Up to $100,000 (no less than $25,000)
• Project Period: 12 months
• Expected Number of Awards: 10 – 40 annually
• Limited Submission: Submissions limited to five lead proposals per A&M System university as approved by designated university Chief Research Officer (CRO) (i.e., Vice President of Research). Note: A&M System agencies are included under Texas A&M University (TAMU) led submissions.
• Cost Share: Not required but encouraged to leverage the REF investment and demonstrate institutional commitment.
• Allowable Costs:
  • Planning meetings, team workshops, and travel for collaboration development
  • Collection of pilot data or preliminary experiments
  • Technical writing, editing, or grant development support
  • Research coordination, administrative assistance, or proposal management
• Non-allowable Costs:
  • Routine operational expenses
  • Salaries for faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral staff, or administrative staff

All funds must be expended within 12 months of award unless an extension is approved.

V. Proposal Requirements

A. Proposal Components

Proposals must include the following sections, combined into a single PDF document:

1. Cover Page (1 page)
   • Title of proposed project
   • Lead and partner institutions
   • Lead PI and other PIs and Co-PIs
   • Lead PI contact information
   • Total amount requested
2. Project Summary (1 page)
   • Overview of proposed initiative
   • Alignment with state and national research priorities
   • Anticipated impact
3. Project Description (up to 3 pages)
   • Overview of research initiative and its significance.
   • Clear articulation of project goals, methodologies, and expected deliverables (i.e., Statement of Work).
   • Identification of the external funding opportunity.
   • Anticipated outcomes and plan for future proposal submission.
4. Collaboration Plan (1 page)
   • Description of team, planned collaborations, roles and responsibilities of each participating A&M System institution and mechanism for coordination.
5. Milestones and Deliverables (1 page)
   • Timeline with key activities, decision points, and expected outputs.
6. Budget and Cost-Share Details (1 page)
   • Detailed itemization of proposed expenses.
   • Institutional cost share commitment to leverage the REF investment.
7. Biographical Sketches (Key investigators – PIs and co-PIs)
   • Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (SciENcv) format.
8. Letters of Commitment (up to 5 letters; 1 page per letter) from collaborating A&M System institutions.
9. Memo of Support (1 page) from CRO endorsing this proposal for submission.

VI. Review Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated by an independent peer-review panel composed of internal and external experts using the following weighted criteria:

VII. Reporting and Expectations

Awardees will be required to:

• Submit a mid-year report describing milestones achieved, collaborations formed, and preliminary outcomes.
• Submit a final report summarizing accomplishments, outcomes, proposals submitted, and funding results.
• Participate in the annual A&M System Research Excellence Meeting and present key findings and collaboration impacts.

Renewal proposals will be considered. Funding for subsequent years will be contingent on demonstrated progress toward external funding and project deliverables.

VIII. Submission Instructions

• Submission Portal: Submit single PDF document to ref@tamus.edu
• File Format: Single PDF document, 12-point font, 1-inch margins.
• Deadline: May 1, 2026, 11:59 PM CST
• Questions: Contact E-mail: ref@tamus.edu

IX. Program Governance

The Strategic Research Initiatives program will be administered by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research under guidance from the REF Advisory Committee, composed of representatives from A&M System member institutions.
 
Proposals will be reviewed through a competitive independent peer-reviewed process. Decisions on funding will be approved by the Vice Chancellor for Research and endorsed by the Chancellor of the A&M System.

X. Key Dates

XI. Summary Statement

The Strategic Research Initiatives program of the Research Excellence Fund will advance system-wide leadership in critical research areas of state and national importance, strengthen collaborative networks that enhance competitiveness for major external funding, demonstrate the collective power of the A&M System in addressing pressing societal challenges, reinforce the REF’s mission of sustained research excellence and impact across all member institutions.