AIR Annual Resilience Theme Grant

2023-2024

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The Arizona Institute for Resilience (AIR) seeks to fund an interdisciplinary team to develop and execute a creative and inspiring year-long agenda of events and activities focused on a single, resilience-related theme-of-the-year for 2023–2024. This theme will be investigated, explored and examined through a series of activities using a wide variety of venues. During the 2023–2024 academic year, the team will engage researchers, students, and community participants across diverse disciplines and ways of knowing to spark interest in the theme, increase understanding of the issues surrounding it, promote new research partnerships, and provide a focus for highlighting University opportunities for learning and developing solutions to relevant challenges related to the theme. This year-long effort will lead to at least three significant collaborative outcomes, including a proposal for external funding to support continued research and collaboration, an article ready for submission to peer-review, and a creative product that educates the community about this theme.

We want researchers from highly diverse disciplines to learn from each other about how they approach the same general topic—what questions do they think about, what language do they use, and how might they work together to develop some compelling new projects and proposals? Proposals for the theme-of-the-year will include description of a variety of activities, such as research-focused seminars, workshops, or working groups; public talks that engage broad community audiences; educational field trips or other student experiences; and film, art, or literary approaches to investigation of and communication on this topic.

Period of Performance

April 17, 2023 through June 30, 2024

The funding period will begin in April 2023 to enable the team to plan for activities to begin at the start of 2023–2024 academic year; we expect activities to occur for the duration of the year. The AIR communications team will provide assistance in promoting the theme and its associated activities and accomplishments.

Funding Priority

Because these grant funds will be awarded through the TRIF-WEES initiative, themes that align with the TRIF-WEES funding themes will be most competitive. TRIF-WEES is funded by Arizona taxpayers, so projects that demonstrate a clear relevance to Arizona citizens (or a subset therein) will be prioritized.

To provide connection among partners across campus for involvement in designing your proposed activities, you can share your contact information via this Google form. Please indicate if you are interested in collaborating with others on the Resilience Theme grant and provide text about your expertise or interest in resilience. A Google sheet with contact information for potential collaborators will be shared via AIR’s website starting on February 13, 2023.

Eligibility

UA faculty, continuing-eligible and continuing status academic professionals, postdocs, and/or research staff across all disciplines and levels are eligible to apply.

Funding may be used for

• Short-term, hourly UA student wages and associated ERE
• UA research technical staff, including graduate students, and associated ERE and tuition and fees (when applicable)
• Up to two weeks summer salary/supplemental comp for research scientists and pre-tenure faculty
• Short-term outside contracts (such as for graphics, websites, videography, facilitator) or supplemental compensation for UA staff for whom this work is outside the scope of their position
• Honoraria
• Meeting, workshop, and event costs
• Supplies
• Travel
• Other uses may be considered

Criteria for review

• The compelling nature of the proposed theme. Does it lend itself to discussion from a variety of disciplines/perspectives? Is it easy for the public to grasp, at least at a basic level? Is it of interest to major funding agencies? Is it relevant to Arizonans, with applications beyond the state?
• Breadth and diversity of the proposal leadership team
• Diversity of the proposed activities in terms of approaches and targeted audiences
• Goals and outcomes are SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound
• Demonstrates potential return on investment in terms of workforce (including student) training, community engagement, products, major new funding; have target funding program(s) been identified?
• Feasibility of the proposed activities to be organized and occur across the full academic year
• Reasonableness of the budget and proposed expenditures to support the proposed activities
• Evidence that the approach has been well thought out and the team is organized; timeline of activities, plan for coordination of them

How to apply

In addition to the applicant and proposal details, prepare a short (250-word max) abstract.

Please combine the following into a single pdf file for submittal:

1. Two-page (maximum) proposal that addresses:
   • Statement of the proposed theme to be addressed; its significance, including relevance to AIR/resilience and to the greater public; and the different disciplinary approaches that will be used to study it
   • Proposed outcomes: activities, including leadership, timeline, format, intended audience, and output products
   • Approach to organizing and executing the activities
   • Expected returns, including positioning for specific external funding opportunities, peer-reviewed publications, technology transfer, workforce (including student) training, and/or benefits to Arizona
2. One-page CV each for PI and key collaborators, highlighting work relevant to this proposal.
   • Please note that proposals will not be reviewed if all CVs do not meet this requirement.

Prepare a separate detailed budget and justification using the Excel Budget Template provided under Supporting Documents.

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QUESTIONS about the 2023-24 AIR Resilience Theme Grants?

Contact Anna Seiferle-Valencia

QUESTIONS/ISSUES with Arizona Cultivate? 

Contact Danielle Barefoot