The Research Pivot awards are designed to enable tenure-track Duke University faculty to refocus their research due to priority shifts in the federal funding landscape.  These funds may be used for pilot studies, existing personnel support, and proposal development.

Eligibility:

Tenure-track Duke University faculty, who have previously or are currently serving as a Principal Investigator on a federal award, with primary appointment in a school, center or institute outside of the School of Medicine. The faculty member must be expected to maintain an independent research program. Specific criteria include:

  • Strong track record or clear potential for external funding.

available funding:

Individuals may request up to $150,000 for use over a 12-month period. At the end of the one-year award period, recipients will be required to submit a progress report, which should include: project status, what has been accomplished, problems encountered, any changes made to project objectives, project expenditures. At that time, a No Cost Extension (NCE) can be requested. NCEs are granted at the discretion of the Duke Office for Research & Innovation.

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 process:

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

  • A letter of support from the school, center or institute in which the individual has a primary appointment, indicating:
    • Confirmation of the expectation that the PI maintain an independent research program;
    • Commitment to provide required funds, including the source of such funding;
    • Assessment of funds currently available to the PI, including discretionary.
  • Biosketch or abbreviated (no more than 5 pages) CV of the PI
  • Other support (to include current external awards)
  • Description of current research and explanation of why this research is unlikely to be funded. explanation as to why a shift in the faculty member’s research is desired at this moment in time (no more than one page)
  • Project description, of up to two (2) pages that include the following:
    • Impact Statement, including an explanation as to why a shift in the faculty member’s research is desired at this moment in time;
    • why this project would be difficult to fund from other sources; and
    • a plan to make substantial progress toward their aims within the one-year term.   
  • Budget & Budget Justification (One-page)
    • Allowable items
      • Existing personnel – staff, trainees, non-tenure track faculty salaries
      • research supplies and other research expenses,
      • critical travel
      • publication costs
    • Unallowable items
      • PI or other tenure track faculty salaries
      • New hires (except for PhD students)
      • Equipment (unless justification is provided as tp why equipment purchase is necessary now).
      • Collaborators or subcontracts to other institutions

Application deadlines 

  • January 10, 2026
  • April 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 need to shift research based on federal funding priorities
  • The likelihood that the investigator will obtain future funding
  • The strength of the recent publication record of the investigator.
  • The appropriateness of the budget request.

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.