Research Grants Mentorship Program

Purpose

The Research Grants Mentorship Program is designed to strengthen New York Institute of Technology’s research enterprise by supporting faculty in developing competitive, externally funded research proposals. The program provides structured, individualized mentorship from an experienced NIH-funded principal investigator and consultant who holds multiple R01 awards and has a national reputation for successful grant development. Through this program, New York Tech aims to expand the number, quality, and competitiveness of faculty-led proposals submitted to federal agencies, including the NIH, NSF, DOD, and NASA. The goal is for this program, in coordination with your efforts, to submit a competitive proposal during the program and/or the same academic year.

Eligibility

• Participation is limited to research grant–engaged faculty who are actively developing a competitive external proposal.
• Priority will be given to faculty who have not yet secured major external research funding, or have not done so for some time, but have a demonstrated record of prior grant submission, including proposals that received reviewer feedback, summary statements, or scored but were not funded.
• Eligible faculty should be preparing to submit a federal grant application (NIH, NSF, DOD, NASA, or equivalent) within eight months of the start of the program.

Core Goals

• Build faculty capacity and confidence in developing externally funded research agendas.
• Provide targeted, expert guidance to refine research questions, methodologies, and proposal strategies.
• Increase New York Tech’s volume and success rate of submissions to major federal research sponsors.
• Strengthen institutional research culture and cross-college collaboration.

Program Structure

• Cohort Size: Limited to eight faculty participants per semester. Depending on the project, this work could span two semesters for some researchers. 
• Mentorship Model: Each participant receives a series of time-limited, one-on-one sessions throughout the semester with the external research consultant. The consultant will provide updates and engage in discussions with the vice provost for research regarding strategy and progress.
• Focus Areas:
  • Evaluation of the faculty member’s research agenda.
  • Strategic alignment with appropriate federal funding mechanisms.
  • Proposal development planning (aims, significance, innovation, approach).
  • Guidance on research design, feasibility, timelines, and budgeting.
  • Review and refinement of proposal drafts.
• Duration: One academic semester, with structured meetings scheduled at key milestones.