Rutgers Global Grants

We are accepting applications for Rutgers Global Seed Grants in the following categories:

• International Collaborative Research
• Global Health
• Faculty-Led Study Abroad
• Korea University-Rutgers Collaborative Research

Please refer to the additional information about these categories on this webpage.

Proposals must use funds as seed money to develop a new project or idea with the goals of obtaining external funding and having a long-term impact. Proposals that include some form of matching and/or in-kind contribution are welcome, but matching is not required. Proposals that include collaboration with external partners is encouraged. For a full list of Rutgers’ institutional partners, visit our database. All applicants are encouraged to consider accessibility and inclusion during proposal development.

Please note that you cannot apply for a Global Seed Grant and another internally funded grant program on the same topic. In addition, there is a limit of one grant application per cycle. You may not submit proposals in more than one grant category.

Eligibility

All tenured, tenure‐track, clinical, or NTT faculty with Rutgers appointments—and who do not have current Rutgers Global Seed Grants—are eligible to apply. (NTT faculty, including NTT clinical faculty, will need to provide a letter from their Dean, Chair, or Director stating support for the proposal. It is expected that the applicant holds a position which will be renewed for the duration of the grant period.) Priority will be given for applicants who have not received a Global Grant award in the past three years. Also note that if you have received a Rutgers Global Travel Grant last year, unrelated to a Global Grant, you will not be eligible for Global Grant consideration.

Inquiries

Questions may be directed to Afia Asamoah, Program Coordinator, Rutgers Global, at grants@global.rutgers.edu.

The International Collaborative Research grants support international research, projects, and programs initiated by faculty with scholars around the world. The aim is to promote collaborative and inter-institutional research and scholarship with existing or new international partners. Successful proposals will outline a collaborative research project that makes a significant contribution to advancing a particular field of study. Proposals should focus on topics that have international and/or global implications, understanding of which is advanced by the proposed collaboration with partners. Proposals must be a collaboration between Rutgers faculty and faculty/programs from a foreign institution. Funds will be available for a one- or two-year time period, as requested by the applicant(s) in the proposal. Proposals will be considered for projects with collaborations in all countries, however, special priority will be given for those projects that include collaborators from South Korea, India and Ghana.

This grant does not support short-term lecturing or attendance at international conferences or symposia. 

Maximum request per award: $10,000

Duration: up to 2 years

In collaboration with Rutgers Global Health Institute, the Global Health Seed Grants are awarded to faculty conducting collaborative, interdisciplinary activities that address health challenges around the world and in communities in New Jersey. With these grants, the Institute aims to help faculty pursue new ideas and seed expanded research and funding. Awards will be given in either of the following two categories:

• Education, Training, and Capacity Building
• Research

Priority will be given to those projects that focus on partnerships that directly impact health inequities. Awarded projects can take place over a one- or two-year time period. Global Health Seed Grant funding may not be used for ongoing costs such as salaries and overhead.

Maximum request per award: $10,000

Award duration: up to 2 years

Questions related to this grant should be directed to info@globalhealth.rutgers.edu and include “Global Health Seed Grant” in the subject line.

Faculty-Led Study Abroad Grants are designed to support the creation of new short-term programs that offer meaningful cultural immersion through travel while providing academic credit for at least 12 students. These programs emphasize experiential learning and global engagement. Awardees are expected to work in partnership with the Study Abroad Office within Rutgers Global to develop their program.  

Faculty-Led Study Abroad seed grants will be offered in two categories: 

Site exploration: These awards are designed to assist faculty in determining whether a particular location is suitable for a Faculty-Led Study Abroad program. Seed funding can be used for a scouting trip to the intended destination to evaluate potential program sites, meet with local partners, and assess key logistical elements such as accommodations, ground transportation, guest lecturers, and cultural opportunities. This will ensure that the site meets academic, safety, and logistical standards for a successful program.

The primary objectives are to explore, evaluate, and document the following: 

1. Site Assessment: Visit and evaluate potential partner institutions for on-site support, accommodations, and cultural immersion opportunities to ensure alignment with academic goals and student safety standards.
2. Partnership Development: Establish collaborations with local universities, NGOs, or other organizations to create a robust and sustainable study abroad program.
3. Curriculum Design: Develop a curriculum tailored to the location’s unique cultural and academic offerings, incorporating experiential learning components.
4. Risk Management: Identify and address logistical and safety considerations to ensure the program's future success and sustainability. 

All awardees must meet with Rutgers Global—Study Abroad prior to travel. Faculty will be required to submit a site report upon completion. 

Maximum request per award: $3500 
Award duration: 1 year 

Program implementation: These awards are designed to support faculty in establishing and launching a Faculty-Led Study Abroad program who already have significant local experience in a location. This includes faculty who have already received a Site Exploration Grant. Funding may be used to support initial implementation efforts, including offsetting faculty travel expenses and minimizing program costs for students. A portion of the award may also be allocated to on-campus recruitment activities aimed at increasing visibility and student interest in newly launched programs. Faculty will be required to submit a report upon completion of the program. If the program doesn’t recruit enough students to run, the remaining funds can be carried over to the following year for a second attempt. 

Maximum request per award: $6500 
Award duration: 1 year 

Proposals should plan for program implementation in either Winter 2027, Spring Embedded 2027 or Summer 2027. 

All proposals should describe global learning opportunities which are academically rigorous, demonstrate a clear commitment to curricular alignment and relevance to students’ graduation plans.  Programs should model best practices for inclusion of diverse and multidisciplinary perspectives and for engaged scholarship.    

Priority will be given to programs that demonstrate potential for the program to run beyond the initial year, with plans for future iterations or expansion. 

Questions about Faculty-Led Study Abroad Grants should be directed to Rocio Ruiz, Assistant Director, Study Abroad, rruiz@global.rutgers.edu.

Purpose of the Call 

Korea University (KU) and Rutgers have entered into an agreement to foster mutual collaboration with the aim of promoting their research works and accomplishments to both international academic and industrial communities. As a result, researchers from both universities are invited to submit proposals for collaborative research projects. These research project should engage researchers and personnel from both KU and RU. KU and Rutgers will jointly fund each approved project, with KU contributing a maximum of KRW 10,000,000 and Rutgers providing up to $10,000. The allocated funding is intended to cover the following eligible costs as described in the General Information for all Global Grants. 

Topics for Collaborative Research 

There are no limitations regarding the research topics. 

Structure of Research Team 

Each research team should comprise one Principal Investigator (PI) from KU and one PI from Rutgers. Inclusion of students and other personnel is optional. 

Project Execution Period - one year 

Reporting and Deliverables 

A final report should be submitted within one month following the project’s conclusion along with at least one of the following deliverables: 

• Submission of a joint, peer-reviewed research paper to an SCI(E) journal — ideally within the top 10% of the field — within one year from the project end date. 

• Submission of a proposal for an international joint research grant within one year from the project start date. 

Application Procedure 

To apply for the research grant, an application form must be submitted to: 

• Rutgers Global Grants Program, by the Rutgers counterpart,  https://global.rutgers.edu/global-grants 

• International Research Collaboration Center, by the KU counterpart, email: kuircc@korea.ac.kr 

Please notice that both the submission to KU and the submission to Rutgers must be performed in parallel. 

Application Deadline 

Applications must be submitted by February 2, 2026. 

Contacts for inquiries at Rutgers: Johanna Bernstein, Assistant Dean for Faculty Engagement,  jrbernst@global.rutgers.edu.  

Apply via this link. (NetID of the PI is required to complete form)

Completed applications for all grant proposals must be submitted on or before the deadline. Proposals may be individual—submitted by a faculty member—or institutional—submitted by programs, institutes, centers, departments, or schools. However, each proposal may only have a single Principal Investigator.  

An example list of the questions in the online proposal submission portal can be found in the templates listed below. The online application process will have a place for you to upload the following required documents: 

• A completed and fully signed coversheet. NTT and clinical faculty will need to provide a letter from their Dean, Chair, or Director stating their support for the proposal, and that it is expected that the applicant is in a position which will be renewed for the duration of the grant period. Please attach this letter to your coversheet. 

• A project description (3 pages maximum) that includes the following sections:  

  • Statement of Need or Research Question: This will depend on your grant category. See the details in the grant category description for any additional details. 

  • Project Objectives 

  • Project Design: To include design/methodology, timeline, list of activities, success measures and plan for evaluation.  

  • Innovation: Acknowledge what is distinct or unique about your project and its potential findings or impact.   

  • Potential for Beneficial Partnership 

  • Sustainability Plans: Include capacity for future funding.  

• Detailed budget. Use either the budget template provided by the Office of Research or the budget template preferred by your unit when submitting your proposed budget. Budget guidelines can be found below. (Note: This is not required for Faculty-Led Study Abroad grant proposals.)

• A detailed budget narrative. Use the template below. 

• A signed letter of support from the project director(s) at partnering institution(s) outlining the importance of the collaboration and intended impact on the partnering institution. If you are not collaborating with someone at another institution, this is not required. 

• A 2-page CV from the Principal Investigator at Rutgers and the project director from each partner institution. 

Documents and templates needed for submission:

• Sample Online Submission 

• Proposal Coversheet 

• Budget Guidelines 

• Budget template: You may use either the Budget Template from the Office of Research, or a template used by your department or unit. Make sure to include the cost share in your budget. 

• Budget Narrative template 

• Global Grants FAQs 

Please be aware that the awarded amount may be less than requested. Applications requesting more than the maximum allowable amount, excluding cost share, will not be reviewed. A faculty member may submit only one application for a global grant. 

Please check the Grant Category Description for specific proposal evaluation requirements. 

In general, for International Collaborative Research Grants and Global Health Seed Grants, priority will be given to proposals that:

• Have high research value;  
• Strengthen an institutional partnership between Rutgers and a current partner institution or offer the potential to develop a productive and sustainable relationship with a new institution;  
• Are interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary in nature;  
• Will use the funds as seed money to develop a project or initiative with potential to have a long-term impact on one or more university units and/or to lead to external funding. 

For Faculty-Led Study Abroad grants, priority will be given to grants that:

• Provide a significant cultural immersion through a travel experience.  
• Offer one or more units of academic credit. Proposals should demonstrate a clear commitment to curricular alignment and relevance to students’ graduation plans.  
• Model best practices for inclusion of diverse and multidisciplinary perspectives, and for engaged scholarship.   
• Create capacity for at least 12 students.  

All proposals, with the exception of Faculty-Led Study Abroad proposals, must be submitted through RAPSS. This can be done before or after award notification. Funds will be released in two stages: 

* 75 percent at the start of the grant cycle  
* 25 percent after the final report is received 

Faculty-Led Study Abroad funds will be released upon awarding of the grant. 

A final report will be due within 30 days after the end of the grant cycle. 

The applicant agrees to comply with the Institutional Review Board (IRB), IACUC, and conflict of interest (COI) requirements as a condition of receiving awards. If the research project involves human or animal subjects, the recipient must provide proof that they have complied with IRB/IACUC requirements. The recipient must also have entered the appropriate information into the COI website. Funds must be spent in accordance with the proposed budget and follow all University policies on the use of funds. Requests to modify one’s budget or plan should be emailed to grants@global.rutgers.edu along with a justification. 

Note that all travel must be booked using the Rutgers online booking tool found here.