This program is designed for investigators, who: 

  • have had a major, renewable federal award end within the last 24 months or will end within the next four months,
  • have submitted either a competitive renewal or replacement project application that has been positively reviewed, and
  • are awaiting federal funding decisions with the expectation that the application has strong likelihood of funding.  

The funds provided through this opportunity are designed to assist investigators in retaining critical personnel and continue some of the project or program activities. This opportunity is not intended to fully replace federal funding at the same level, but rather to bridge individuals between awards, and is geared toward faculty that have few other resources to maintain their research and personnel.    

Access the application form here.

Eligibility

Tenure-track Duke University faculty with primary appointments in schools, institutes, or centers outside of the School of Medicine and who are expected to maintain an independent research program are eligible to apply. Additional eligibility requirements include: 

  • Confirmation of match from college/school/institute/center leadership;
  • Strong track record or clear potential for external funding;
  • Fundable score or similar documentation on a recently reviewed competitive renewal or new application that replaces a recently ended award;
  • Few additional resources to support the research group (e.g., Other awards or discretionary funds); and
  • Investigator must expend any remaining funds from the award being bridged prior to spending bridge funds. 

Investigators who have substantial funding (>$400,000) from other sources will not be considered for funding through this opportunity.

available funding:

Individuals may request up to 50% of one-year of a project's budget ($100,000 max.). Determinations of allowable budget will be based on the latest Notice of Award. Funds will be provided by the Office of the Provost (75%) and the applicant's unit (school, college, institute or center where the individual has a primary appointment)(25%).

Application materials

Individuals, in completing the application form, will be asked to provide the following:

  • A letter of support from the Principal Investigator's unit (department, division, etc.), indicating:
    • Confirmation of the expectation that the PI maintain an independent research program;
    • Explanation of the essential role of requested funds in advancing the research program, aligning with the unit’s strategic priorities, and supporting the principal investigator’s career development trajectory;
    • Commitment to provide the necessary matching funds, ensuring that both the source and amounts comply with the expectations set by the respective school, college, institute, or center; and
    • Current assessment of PI discretionary funds.
  • Biosketch or abbreviated (no more than 5 pages) CV of the PI
  • Most recent Notice Of Award for the award in question
  • Abstract of the current Federal grant proposal
  • Reviews of the current Federal grant proposal
  • Plan to address any concerns raised in the reviews in case a resubmission is necessary (limit one page)
  • Streamlined budget, which adheres to the following allowable and unallowable costs:
    • Existing personnel – staff, trainees, non-tenure track faculty on soft money
      • research supplies and other research expenses
      • critical travel
      • publication costs
    • Unallowable items
      • PI or other tenure track faculty salaries
      • New hires (except for Ph.D. students)
      • Equipment (unless justification provided why equipment purchase is necessary now).
      • Collaborators or subcontracts to other institutions (except for critical research continuations to a poorly resourced subcontractor)
  • Budget justification

Application deadlines

  • December 10, 2025
  • March 10, 2026

review criteria:

Applications will be reviewed by an internal panel of senior faculty from across the schools and will be evaluated on the following criteria.

  • The likelihood that the investigator will obtain funding;
  • How well the investigator is able to address critiques from the Federal grant proposal evaluation process;
  • The strength of the recent publication record of the investigator in the area of the application; and
  • The appropriateness of the budget request of the bridge funding.

Reporting requirements:

  • Annual progress report(s) for each year of funding – two page maximum on progress toward goals at the end of each funding period, that includes grant submissions and publications.
  • Follow-up reporting on publications,  grant submissions, and grant awards for three years.