Pilot Program FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Pilot Grant Program?
To submit a Letter of Intent, you will first need to register in our award management portal by going to: https://awards.ccts.uic.edu/register
Once registered and logged-in, at the top of your homepage, you will see all funding opportunities that are currently accepting applications and corresponding links to submit an application.
Please note that the Pilot Grant Program only accepts LOI/Full Application materials through our online portal (https://awards.ccts.uic.edu/). No materials will be accepted over email.
How many projects are invited to submit Full Applications each cycle?
While the amount of projects invited to submit Full Applications varies year-to-year, on average, we invite the top 30-40% of LOIs to submit a Full Application.
How many Pilot Grants are awarded each cycle?
We anticipate funding 5-6 awards per year.
Can an investigator submit more than one Letter of Intent in the same cycle?
There are no limitations on the number of LOIs that a person can submit per cycle. Please note that, depending on the number of submissions, you may be asked to select only one of your applications to be selected for funding.
I just missed the application deadline, may I have an extension?
No, applications deadlines are firm.
If I have been previously funded by the UIC CCTS Pilot Grant Program, am I eligible to be funded again with a different project?
Yes, you are welcome to submit another application if you have previously been funded by the Pilot Grant Program.
Who is eligible to be a Principle Investigator on a Pilot Grant Project?
Principal Investigators must be clinical, research, or tenure track UIC Faculty or Senior Scientists at UIC. Generally speaking, senior scientists have a doctoral level degree, have their own lab or run a research program, and/or are eligible to apply for an R01.
Am I eligible to be a PI on a Pilot Grant Project if I am a postdoctoral researcher or a research coordinator?
Post-doctoral fellows may serve as key personnel, but cannot be PIs. Research Coordinators are also not eligible to be a PI. Principal Investigators must be clinical, research, or tenure track UIC Faculty or Senior Scientists at UIC.
Are emeritus faculty eligible to apply for pilot grant funding?
Emeritus faculty are eligible to apply.
If I plan to leave UIC in the next few months and get awarded, can I transfer the Pilot grant to my new institution?
No. All awardees must hold a valid UIC faculty appointment throughout the duration of the pilot award and this award is not transferable to another institution. If there is a clear and logical plan to transfer the award to another faculty member on the project, we may allow to transfer the award to another PI. This is determined on a case by case basis and must have a strong justification.
Are adjunct professors eligible to apply?
Although adjunct faculty cannot serve as PIs, they may serve as named investigators, collaborators, or key personnel.
Can there be multiple Principle Investigators on a Pilot Grant Project?
Multiple Principal Investigators are allowed; however, one Principal Investigator must be identified as your project’s “Contact PI.”
This “Contact PI” will be the point of contact throughout the application process and over the course of the award, if funded. This “Contact PI” will submit all application materials, and if awarded, they also will be responsible for submitting all required reporting materials over the course of the award period.
While the online LOI/Full Application submission portal only allows for one PI’s name/information, if you are invited to submit a Full Application, you can indicate all Co-PIs within the Full Application Biosketch section.
Can there by multiple Co-Investigators on a Pilot Grant Project?
Multiple co-investigators are allowed to encourage interdisciplinary teams of investigators that span across different Colleges and Departments. Co-Investigators from different Colleges/Departments are also encouraged, as they have the potential to spark new interdisciplinary collaborations or new avenues of research.
Can my project include collaborators and/or co-investigators from institutions outside of the University of Illinois system?
Having a co-investigator or collaborator from a different institution is allowed. However, you cannot allocate award funds for a Co-Investigator or collaborator who is not within the University of Illinois system.
Does the total award amount include indirect costs?
Award amounts are based on direct costs only, and budgets should not include indirect/F&A costs.
Can CCTS Pilot Funding be used as a sub-award of another ongoing project (internal or external to UIC) or be used to supplement funding for another funded study (internal or external to UIC)?
CCTS Pilot Funding cannot be used as a sub-award of another ongoing project (internal or external to UIC) or to supplement funding for another funded study (internal or external to UIC).
Can CCTS Pilot Funding be used towards salary support for the PI or any co-investigators?
No, CCTS Pilot Funding cannot be used towards salary support for the PI or any co-investigators.
Does my project have to be submitted to NIH for prior approval?
If your project involves animal subjects or human subjects, it must receive prior approval from NIH before you can begin your project. In order to submit for prior approval, you will need to provide your IRB/IACUC approval letter, proof of required training for key personnel and other required documentation. NIH Prior Approval can take up to six weeks to obtain; you will need to factor this into your study timeline to avoid delays.
Do I need full IRB approval before applying for the award?
While we do allow application submission without IRB approval, we highly recommend securing IRB approval as soon as possible. In general, those with IRB approval have a more competitive proposal and higher likelihood of getting funded.
There is a section in the submission portal for all IRB information/uploads. In this section, you can either indicate whether you have human/animal subjects prior approval (and can upload your approval letter), or you can indicate that you do not have approval yet. If you select that you do not have approval yet, you will be able to provide a brief explanation of your expected timeline of approval.
Is the PI of the project the only person with access to the submission portal to submit application materials?
Yes. Please note that if a project includes more than one PI, the team must designate a “Contact PI” who will be the point of contact throughout the application process and over the course of the award, if funded. This “Contact PI” will submit all application materials, and if awarded, they also will be responsible for submitting all required reporting materials over the course of the award period.
Are images or figures permitted in the Letter of Intent submission?
No, images and/or figures are not permitted to be included in the LOI submission. However, if you are invited to submit a full application, you can upload images/figures as part of your full application.
Can any additional pages be added to my Letter of Intent submission?
No additional pages can be added to a Letter of Intent submission.
Can references and citations be included with the Letter of Intent?
References and citations are not required within the Letter of Intent. If the PI is invited to submit a full application, references and citations can be included.
How should I format my uploaded documents in the full application?
Documents can only be uploaded as PDF documents. Applications should adhere to the following formatting specifications:
- 11‐point Arial font
- Single‐spaced
- 0.5 inch margins on all sides
- 8 1⁄2″ x 11″ (i.e. standard size) paper
- Pages numbered
Any other questions should be directed to pilot program management
Email Mary Murray at mcampb22@uic.edu