Research Start-Up Grants for New Science Faculty

Research Start-Up Grants for New Science Faculty

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: M J Murdock Charitable Trust
Amount: Up to US $36,000
Last Updated: June 20, 2025

Summary

The Research Start-Up Grants for New Science Faculty program, funded by the M J Murdock Charitable Trust, provides financial support to help new faculty positions in natural sciences at private colleges in five states. Grants match institutional funds 1:1, up to $36,000, to assist with start-up costs, including cash and in-kind support, ensuring institutions can attract qualified candidates while enhancing research capabilities.

Overview

This program offers support to supplement start-up cost for the establishment of new faculty positions in the natural sciences at private educational institutions. Grants are primarily targeted at undergraduate colleges and universities in the Trust’s five-state region. It is expected that an institution will apply for support in this program after a tenure‐track position is approved, but early in the search and hiring process, so that a Trust grant, if awarded, can be made part of the offer to the candidate.  A representative of the institution, usually the chair of the department that has the opening, will prepare the application Start-up packages are often offered by colleges and universities to new faculty in the sciences to assist them with initiating their research. These start-up packages usually include both a cash component and in-kind, non-cash, support. A Trust grant will match institutional monies 1:1 up to a maximum of $36,000 from the Trust.  (Institutional dollars may exceed $36,000, but dollars in excess of $36,000 will not be matched by the Trust.)

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The institutions that are eligible to apply in this program are the private predominantly undergraduate colleges and universities in the Trust’s five‐state region: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Institutions may apply toward support for hiring a new faculty person for any approved tenure‐track position, at any academic level (assistant professor, . . . ) in any natural science department (biology, chemistry, . . . ).A college or university may submit as many separate applications in a given year as it has open and approved positions to fill.An expert scientific consultant external to the college must be involved in every hire for which Trust support is sought.It is expected that this consultant, to be chosen by the institution, will provide advice on the professional scientific credentials of the applicant.

Ineligibility

Trust grant monies will not be available to match in‐kind institutional contributions (such as academic year released time for research), but these in‐kind contributions are expected to be a normal part of start‐up packages.