Note: This program was formerly known as the Global Research Collaboration Grant (GRCG).

About the Grant

The International Research Collaboration Grant (IRGC) supports UGA faculty in developing new, sustainable international research partnerships. Awards of up to $10,000 from OGE, combined with a required unit contribution, support preliminary research activities undertaken in pursuit of specific external funding opportunities.

Eligible activities include international travel, video conferencing, preliminary data collection, field work, feasibility studies, and proposal preparation. This grant does not support ongoing research projects.

The IRC Grant is sponsored jointly by the UGA Office of Global Engagement (OGE) and the Office of Research (OR), in partnership with academic units.

Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• Full-time tenured or tenure-track, clinical, or other research faculty at UGA. PostDocs are not eligible.

• The proposed collaboration must involve researchers based outside of the United States.

• The proposed collaboration must be new. This grant does not support ongoing research projects.

• The proposal must identify specific external funding sources that will be pursued as a result of grant activities.

• Previous recipients of the IRC Grant or GRCG who received funding in or after 2024 are not eligible to apply.

Award Amount and Unit Contribution

OGE awards are up to $10,000. Awards require a financial contribution from the investigator’s UGA unit (department, school, or college) at a 2:1 ratio. For example, a maximum OGE award of $10,000 requires a $5,000 unit contribution, for a total project budget of up to $15,000.

Investigators may request less than the maximum amount, resulting in a proportionally smaller unit contribution requirement. Unit contributions must be explicitly allocated in support of the proposed project. Additional financial contributions from international partners are considered favorably in award decisions.

All funds must be fully expended no later than June 7, 2027.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the online proposal form. The submission consists of two parts:

Part 1 — Online Form (entered directly in Smartsheet):

• Project title

• PI name, school/college, department, academic rank/appointment, and track

• Names and departments of any UGA collaborators (or “N/A”)

• Names, affiliations, emails, and one-sentence role descriptions for any external collaborators, funding agencies, or technical assistance recipients (or “N/A”)

• Budget Contributions Summary: UGA unit contribution, OGE contribution, and international partner contributions (if applicable)

• Business Office contact name and email

Part 2 — Single PDF Upload (all components combined into one file):

• Summary of planned project (1,000 words max.)

• Description of preparatory activities to be supported by the IRC Grant (500 words max.)

• Expected outcomes, identifying by name the sponsor(s) and program(s) for subsequent external funding submissions (250 words max.)

• Budget, using the Faculty Research Grant Budget Template (available from the Office of Research)

• Letter from your unit leader confirming the unit’s financial commitment to the project

• Curriculum vitae of the UGA lead PI and international collaborator(s)

Review Criteria

Proposals are reviewed by a committee appointed to assist with the selection process. The committee evaluates:

• Quality of the proposal — Research and technical assistance activities should be high-quality, innovative, and clearly articulated.

• Importance and strategic fit — The proposal should contribute to key societal challenges and align with UGA’s strategic priorities.

• Partnership development — The proposal should demonstrate potential to build sustainable collaborations with institutions abroad.

• Extramural funding plan — The proposal must present a credible plan to attract external funding, linking proposed activities to specific future submissions.

Reporting Requirements

Awardees are required to submit:

• An initial progress report one year after the start of funding

• A final report two years after the start of funding

Reports should summarize what was accomplished and document activities related to external funding pursuit.

Questions

Questions regarding the IRC Grant, including requests for assistance identifying international partners, may be directed to Harper Davison, Harper.Davison@uga.edu.