Protecting the Pipeline

Sustaining Scientific Talent and Innovation in San Diego

The School of Medicine is proud to announce the creation of a new pivot grant program made possible by a generous $1 million donation from the Prebys Foundation.

This pivot grant program aims to support and retain key talent and expert scientists working across UC San Diego’s research enterprise, particularly in health-related research, and mitigate the impact of federal funding disruptions.

The pivot grant program will be administered by the School of Medicine but is open to any UC San Diego early- and mid-career scientists who have been directly impacted by federal funding disruptions during the FY2024-25 budget cycle.

Eligibility Criteria 

Overview

UC San Diego will use this rapid response grant to retain key talent and support the work of interdisciplinary scientists in health-related research. This support will: 1) help investigators move critical research forward, 2) allow the university and region to retain key intellectual talent, and 3) inform sustainable new directions in federal funding.

Objectives

1. Encourage retention of early–mid career scientists in health-related fields.
2. Illustrate the impact of rapid-response “pivot grants” on mitigating systemic funding challenges, and demonstrate adaptive strategies used to preserve research talent retention and spawn high-impact areas of research with potential for future external funding.
3.  Identify policy trends and inform potential advocacy efforts while highlighting institutional resilience

Eligibility Rules

1. Impact: Primary investigator (contact PI on MPI proposals) with documented impact of federal funding changes on current grant portfolio (see Section 4).
2. Research Area: Health-related research, including basic and clinical.
3. Appointment: Applicants must hold an active UC San Diego faculty (any rank) appointment at the time of application and throughout the award period
   Note: Postdoctoral scholars, research trainees, or temporary, visiting, non-salaried or affiliate researchers are not eligible to apply as PIs under this mechanism. However, they can be included under a faculty-led proposal if seeking support. Priority may be given to applications that demonstrate support for early-career researchers and trainees.

Direct Impact from Federal Funding Disruptions

1. Grant Termination or Total Stop Work Order:
    Formal cancellation of the award by the funding agency at least 6 months before the completion of the project period. This includes subawards from other institutions but not Co-I/subs/tasks from grants that are primarily awarded to UC San Diego – in those cases the contact PI/MPI should apply.
2. Receipt of a Partial Stop Work Order (SWO):
    A directive halting specific components or activities of a federally funded project.
3. Funding Freeze Notification:
    A pause in disbursement or obligation of funds due to agency-level budgetary actions or federal appropriations delays.
4. Withdrawn Applications:
   A proposal that was successfully submitted for review as a new grant, or for which an RPPR was submitted on time for continuation but was later administratively withdrawn.
5. Notices of Reduced Funding:
   Ongoing awards that received formal reductions to previously awarded budgets.
6. Delayed Notices of Award (NOAs):
   Continuation proposals that are greater than 60 days overdue for an NOA, and there is clear evidence that alternative funding sources were not available to continue work and evidence of staffing and spending changes.

Research Continuity & Institutional Impact

1. Negatively affects high-impact research that could be pivoted into a fundable line of research.
2. Could result in high-impact and public-facing research outcomes (partnerships with private industry to illustrate impact on health and biomedical research in the region are high priority).
3. Risks interrupting ongoing research or lab operations.
4. Affects support for postdoctoral scholars, research trainees, technical staff, or collaborators (if salary support is requested).
5. Poses potential long-term impacts on PI’s research trajectory or future competitiveness.

Other Funding Considerations

1. Applicants must disclose any existing or pending institutional bridge funding or other emergency support.

Priority Consideration

• • Early-career equals the NIH definition of ESI/NI.
  • Mid-career equals associate professor rank.

Additional consideration may be given to proposals that include support for postdoctoral scholars or research trainees, particularly those impacted by funding disruptions.

Use of Funds

1. Salary continuity (PI, staff, postdocs)
2. Lab operations or personnel support
3. Materials and supplies

1. Support of individuals outside of UC San Diego
2. Travel
3. Administrative overhead costs

Budget Maximum