General
Who is eligible to apply for the Incubation, Acceleration and Transformation Awards offered by Dean’s Fund for Scientific Advancement?
To be eligible to apply as a PI for any of these funding mechanisms, you must be a faculty member
with a primary appointment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. However, many of the
awards encourage collaboration, so there may be an opportunities for research scientists, research
associates and post-docs to be listed as key personnel on proposals. If you have further questions about
eligibility, please contact Allison Brown (albrown@hsph.harvard.edu).
May I apply to different award mechanisms during the same funding cycle?
Yes, as long as you are applying to each mechanism with a distinct project proposal.
What should I choose as a start date for my project?
The application system will not require a start date, however it is expected that funds will be spent
within eighteen (18) months following the notice of award.
Can I request salary support for key personnel/collaborators?
Yes.
Should I include indirect costs in my proposed budget?
No. The full award should be used to support direct project costs.
How are payments distributed for these awards?
Awardees are given a 33 digit billing code to transact expenses.
When collaborating with another Harvard school, can funds from these awards be allocated to the partner schools for their work on the project?
Funds may be used at collaborating Harvard schools, though the budget justification should include a
detailed explanation about how the funds will be used and how the Harvard Chan School will ultimately
benefit. These funds cannot be used to support salaries at other schools that are already fully covered
by institutional funds.
Who will review applications?
A standard review committee has been assembled with faculty from each department. Committee
members are asked to recuse themselves if they are applying to an award they are assigned to review.
Is collaboration with external universities/partners allowed on projects funded by the Dean’s Fund for Scientific Advancement?
External collaboration is permitted in cases where there is a clear scientific rationale for why the work
needs to be done externally. However, indirect costs cannot be charged to this award.
What is the difference between working with another Harvard school and having a subcontract?
Sub contracts are used for collaborations between the Harvard Chan School and outside institutions.
Collaborations amongst Harvard schools call for billing agreements.
Are subcontractors required to submit a statement of intent/support or other paperwork at the application stage?
A letter describing the subcontractor’s commitment to the work outlined in the proposal and the scope
of their contribution should be submitted at the time of application. All other paperwork needed to set
up the subcontract can be submitted if and when the project is funded.
Activation
Are those who have received Career Incubator Award in the past eligible for the Activation Award?
Yes. Activation Awards are open to all assistant and associate professors, even if they have received
funding from Career Incubator Awards in the past. However, competitive renewal applications will not
be accepted from previous Career Incubator Fund awardees.
Incubation
Are those who have received a McLennan Award in the past eligible for the Incubation Award?
Yes.
Acceleration
How are platforms defined for the Acceleration Award?
Research platforms are defined as: Adaptable and dynamic resources that can be leveraged by
multiple faculty to support, strengthen, and expand research across a number of disciplines.
The Acceleration Award calls for collaborators in at least two different departments and at least one other Harvard school. What if collaborators have joint appointments at our School and another school or in my department and another one?
While it is common for faculty members to have joint appointments across departments and schools,
for the purposes of this award, they will be categorized in the following ways:
- Those with multiple HSPH appointments: investigators will be categorized by their primary
appointment - Those with an HSPH appointment and an appointment at another institution: investigators will
be categorized by their HSPH appointment for the sake of interdepartmental collaboration
With this in mind, the goal of the Acceleration Award is to encourage and facilitate unique collaborations
that lead to work that may not otherwise happen. Funding decisions will made primarily on this criteria.