Director's Award: Call for Proposals FY2025
Director's Award: Call for Proposals FY2025
The Director of the Chen Institute seeks innovative high risk/high reward proposals that address fundamental problems in the development or function of the nervous system in any experimental organism. Collaborations between different Caltech labs are encouraged and will be prioritized. Applicants should explain how the work is different from projects already underway in their labs, and what risks the proposed project entails.
One to two awards, totaling up to $100,000
Eligibility, terms and review criteria
The full proposal must include:
1) A completed Application Form. Download the fillable PDF form here
Please provide the following information in the dedicated fields on the application form:
a) RFP applying for
b) Lead PI name and division
c) Co-PI name(s) and division(s), if applicable
d) Proposal Title
e) Project Summary, 3 - 4 sentences.
f) Proposal questions, answer in 2 - 3 sentences.
- How does it engage other members from the Caltech community?
- What is a successful outcome, and what would it allow you to do that is currently not possible?
- To your knowledge, is anything similar being done by colleagues at other universities? If so, by who and where and how does it differ from what you propose.
2) Additional Documents: to be attached separately from the application form.
a) What do you propose to do? Description of your project, 500 words max, 12-point font. One page of figures with legends, 4 figures max (use 10 or 11-point font for figure legends, these are not counted in the 500 word limit) and list of references (no page limit).
b) Simple budget (no page limit): Outline how you propose to use the funds, each with a short (1-2 sentence) justification.
Budget may include:
- Equipment, equipment usage (e.g. fMRI hourly fees)
- Reasonable consumable supplies
- Travel for dissemination of research findings
- Budget may NOT include: faculty salary
c) Document listing other support: title of grant, amount of money, and brief one sentence description, (no page limit).
d) Signed Division Approval Form (DAF): Please note that if you are submitting a proposal with collaboration between labs in different divisions then the DAF must be signed by all Division Chairs.
Submission
Email your completed application form, project description, budget, list of support, and DAF as a single PDF file to: 2025_Re.6nqx1g0dtl97wpzf@u.box.com
Name your attached PDF file as follows: Last Name_2025
Your proposal will be uploaded to Box and you will receive a confirmation email from Box within a few hours of submission. If you do not receive a confirmation email after 24 hours, please contact us directly at Chen.Inst@caltech.edu
