Fordham AI Research Grant (FAIR)

Objectives

The FAIR initiative will provide pilot funds to stimulate interdisciplinary AI research projects. The larger objective is to increase the visibility of Fordham in interdisciplinary AI research and to allow faculty to leverage preliminary results obtained with this funding to acquire larger external awards. Thematic areas can include interdisciplinary sponsored research and collaboration in areas studied at Fordham, with emphasis on supported areas not limited to AI and ethics, AI and law, AI and community engagement, AI and security, AI and systems, AI and mathematics, and AI and humanities. 

The proposal should clearly indicate how the funding would achieve both of the objectives, i.e. aligning AI research with Fordham's strategic priorities and securing external funding for interdisciplinary AI research at Fordham. While all interdisciplinary research proposals will be given full consideration, priority for funding this year will be given to interdisciplinary AI research collaborations across departments, and/or across colleges and schools. 

Details:

  • Applicants may apply for up to a maximum of $10,000 over a maximum of one year.
  • Applicants are required to identify externally funded opportunities through RFPs from specific agencies, ensuring that selected opportunities generate Indirect Cost (IDC).
  • Applicants are eligible to receive the award up to three times in five years.
  • A two-step payment process will be implemented as follows:

1. 50% of the awarded funds will be available upon approval of the application.

2. The remaining 50% will be accessible when the Principal Investigator (PI) successfully submits the external grant proposal.

Funding will be available for projects beginning October 1, 2024 concluding by June 15, 2025. Proposals for shorter periods and lesser amounts are also encouraged.

Budget

The Office of Research (OR) will provide professional development funds supporting:

  • supplies, materials, software licenses;
  • salary (or fees) for external consultants, technicians, or contractors, research assistants, and graduate students;
  • research related travel, but not for travel to scientific, academic or professional meetings/conferences (except in exceptional cases, e.g., where interdisciplinary conference participation is crucial to research objectives); recipients must adhere to the University Travel Policy and may need to submit an international travel request form to Fordham’s International Travel Risk Assessment Committee (ITRAC) that will forward its recommendation to faculty member's dean or vice president to determine whether the proposed travel is pre-approved;
  • equipment; recipients must adhere to the Laptop First one device per person policy;
  • costs of convening research team meetings; and,
  • other justifiable research expenses.

Faculty salaries and indirect costs are not allowable expenses. Faculty members who will have received three months' summer salary supported by external grants are not eligible to apply for the program if their research efforts take place during the summer.

Application Requirements

1. Cover Page - must include the following information:

  • Proposal title
  • Name, title, departmental affiliation, address, e-mail address, and telephone number of all proposed investigators
  • Designation of a Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator

2. Abstract (250 words)

3. Research plan (4-page maximum – single spaced, 12-point font, 1” margins on all sides) must include:

  • Statement of scientific objectives and their significance;
  • Interdisciplinary nature of the AI research project;
  • Work already completed related to the proposed work;
  • Description of the research team and research setting;
  • Proposed methods and plans for data analysis;
  • Potential to improve external visibility with specifics;
  • Potential for future grant support, including specific prospective grant opportunities.

4. Appendix materials (1-page maximum each– single spaced, 12-point font, 1” margins; do not count toward the Research Plan page limit) including:

  • Research schedule and milestones;
  • Relevance to mission of funding agencies;
  • RFPs from external agencies (selected opportunities must generate IDC).

5. Budget justification (1-page maximum).

6. Curriculum vitae or bio-sketch for each investigator including current grant support and limited to four pages for each investigator.

Combine all required elements listed above into a single pdf document. Name that file as follows:

LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME FAIR AY2025.pdf, with the last and first name of the PI as the first terms in the filename. Then submit the FAIR application form available on the Fordham AI Research Grant website.

7. Each grantee must submit a FAIR summary report of the scholarly activity by September 1, 2025 and may be required to present at a Fordham faculty research forum.

Deadlines

  • Application deadline: October 1, 2024
  • Funds utilization deadline: June 15, 2025
  • Funding will be available for projects beginning October 1, 2024 concluding by June 15, 2025

Please email the OR at [email protected] with inquiries.