ARD-Administered Grants and Awards Programs

Ralph H. Bainbridge Memorial Fund

The annual income of approximately $5,000 will be used to partially support research in beef production and grassland management. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to interdisciplinary teams. Matching funds will be required. Awarded every two years. RFP issued about February 1st, awarded in odd-numbered years.

Channing B. and Katherine W. Baker Fund
Interest from the endowment is used to support one GRA in the areas of (i) soil conservation and management or (ii) breeding and genetics of food and feed grains. Preference in awarding the GRA will be given to Ph.D. students. Awarded every two years. RFP issued about February 1st, awarded in even-numbered years.

Burlington Northern Water-Science Endowment
Awarded on a bi-annual basis for water science research. Approximately $60,000 is available every two years. RFP is issued about January 15th, awarded in even-numbered years.

Hardin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship in Plant Stress Physiology
Awarded annually. $2,000 added to stipend of a selected student plus $1,000 to the department to assist student's research. One fellowship awarded annually. Nominations are due about June 1st.

Jorgensen Fund
The interest income will be used to partially support a GRA for a graduate student conducting research at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory on beef-range systems. Awarded every two years. RFP issued about February 1st, awarded in odd-numbered years.

Junior Faculty Excellence in Research Recognition (Ruth E. Branham Endowment)
Awarded annually. Up to two junior faculty recognized per year. Recognition consists of certificate, plaque, and $3,000 for use in research or professional development. Call for nominations is issued on June 1st.

Larrick Graduate Student Travel Grants
Awarded twice yearly. In accordance with the donor instructions, this program supports graduate student travel to professional meetings. In that the Whitmore Graduate Student Travel Grant supports students in animal science, agricultural education and leadership, and veterinary and biomedical sciences, the Larrick Graduate Student Travel Grant program supports graduate student travel in fields other than those listed above. Grants under this program are limited to a maximum of $500 per individual per fiscal year. This amount includes transportation (not to exceed coach class airfare), registration, lodging and meals. Deadline for submissions are May 15th and November 15th.

Mary and Charles C. Cooper/Emma I. Sharpless Fellowship
Jointly awarded on an annual basis by ARD and CASNR. $1,000 or $2,000 added to stipend of selected graduate students for assistance in recruitment. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

Moseman Fellowship
Awarded to an Agronomy and Horticulture graduate student in the amount of $2,500. Graduate students in the Agronomy and Horitculture graduate program, with interests in international agriculture and world food development may apply. The criteria for this award (i) scholastic record; (ii) leadership qualities; (iii) letter of transmittal from department head; and (iv) participation in campus activities. Preference given to students who are working in plant breeding or genetics although candidates from other agronomic disciplines are invited to apply. Nominations are due about June 1st.

Mussehl Poultry Research Endowment
Awarded every two years as endowment income permits. Income is about $25,000 per year. Research in poultry management, health, nutrition, physiology, waste management and utilization, and poultry product research is supported by the endowment. RFP is issued about June 1st, awarded in odd-numbered years.

Sampson Range and Pasture Management Endowment
Awarded every two years as endowment income permits. Three research, extension or teaching projects are funded every two years. The program is directed at pasture and rangeland management and the study of native grasses. RFP issued about January 15th, awarded in odd-numbered years.

Shear-Miles Fellowship
Awarded annually. $2,000 stipend added to stipend of outstanding graduate students. Nominations are due about June 1st.

John and Louise Skala Fellowship
Awarded annually. Fellowships may be awarded to graduate students who have been accepted into either a M.S. or Ph.D. program, and have been offered a graduate assistantship. These funds are to be used to supplement existing assistantships (GRA/GTA) with offers of $3,000 for M.S. and $5,000 for Ph.D. students. Fellowships constitute an award based on academic and scholastic achievement or promise, cannot associated with any service requirement, and will be awarded only to students doing research in the area of industrial uses of agricultural commodities. Cannot be candidate for Widaman, Milton Mohr, or Farmer's National if a candidate for Skala Award. Industrial Ag Products Center assists in the selection of recipients. Nominations are due about June 1st.

Widaman Trust Graduate Fellowship
Awarded annually. $2,000 added to stipend of outstanding graduate students. Nominations are due about June 1st.

William G. Whitmore Graduate Student Travel Grants
Awarded annually. In accordance with the donor instructions, this program will support attendance to professional society meetings in the field of animal science, agricultural education and leadership, and veterinary and biomedical sciences. Grants under this program are limited to a maximum of $500 per individual per fiscal year. This amount includes transportation (which is not to exceed coach class airfare), registration, lodging, meals, etc. Deadline for submissions are May 15th and November 15th.

Williams Endowment
Awarded every two years. Project proposals should relate to the “management of surface water run-off and erosion from agricultural land to achieve total maximum daily loading (TMDL) compliance". The specific focus of the research may be changed in future solicitations as emerging priorities change. Deadline for submission is May 15th in even-numbered years.

Helen Porter Van Spronssen Charitable Trust
The annual income from the Trust is to partially support ($10,000) one GRA in the range and livestock research program. This will be a named assistantship assigned to an approved ARD project in range and livestock research at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory. Awarded every two years. RFP issued about February 1st, awarded in odd-numbered years.

ARD Discretionary Funds

ARD Research Equipment Awards
Awarded annually, as provided in state appropriations. Approximately $225,000 awarded annually to all ARD units, according to prioritized requests. RFP are issued about September 1st.

ESCOP/ACOP Leadership Development Course
One faculty member is selected for participation each year. Award consists of tuition and travel expenses associated with ESCOP/ACOP Leadership Development Course. Participants spend about 10% of their time serving as administrative interns in ARD. Request for applications is issued in late November and application deadline is late January.

Graduate Student Recruitment Funds
Awarded as requested by departments. Up to two per department per calendar year. Award pays up to 50 percent of expenses or $200 per student. Purpose is to reimburse recruitment visits to UNL for students offered assistantships.

Interdisciplinary Research Grants
Awarded annually depending on availability of funds. Two or three grants awarded for up to two years duration and for up to $20,000 annually. RFP issued about February 1st.

Multi-state Research Funds
Awarded once each year. Approximately 25 percent of the Hatch Act funds provided to the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station (NAES) is set aside to support multi-state research activities. This account is used to provide travel expenses for attendance of official NEAS representatives at meetings at annual meetings of multi-state research projects (NE, NC, S or W), coordinating committees/information exchange groups (NCR, SIEG, etc.), administrative committees (NCA, etc) or proposal development committees (NCT, etc). Funding for operations, graduate student and technical support is also provided to official participants in multi-state research projects to allow them to accomplish the project objectives.

Special Hatch Funds
Awarded once every two years providing funds are available. An increase in the Hatch Act funds provided to the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station was set aside in a competitive grants program that addresses specific federal priorities. Requests for proposals are normally issued in April of odd numbered years and awards are made effective July 1st of that year. The request for proposal specifies the federal priority areas for which applications are sought.

Undergraduate Honors Student Research Program
Awarded annually. Approximately $52,000 awarded each spring to honor students conducting research with a faculty member holding an ARD appointment. Students receive a maximum of $2,500 for supplies and expenses and/or as a stipend. RFP issued about April 1st and September 1st.

UNL Wide Competitions

Chancellor’s Doctoral Fellowship
Chancellor’s Doctoral Fellowships are designed to assist departments with the recruitment of superior graduate student by adding fellowship funds to an assistantship. These fellowships are for $3,000 and are automatically renewable for a second year, given excellent progress toward the degree. All newly admitted doctoral students are eligible. A call will be sent in September.

Layman Trust Fund Awards
The Layman Awards are aimed at providing seed money for projects that will enhance the grantee's ability to obtain external funding or produce prominent scholarly work. Priority will b given to non-tenured tenure-track faculty and to other eligible faculty who propose projects of high promise and who make a compelling case that Layman funding is critical to their success. Awards may be made for pilot projects, prototype development, faculty development, and preliminary educational and public service programs. Award recipients are expected to actively pursue external funding sources and, where appropriate, submit a proposal for external funding within 18 months of receipt of the award. RFP issued about December with deadline in January - awards issued about May 1st.

Othmer Fellowship
Othmer Fellowships are intended to assist in recruiting exceptional scholars who are seeking a terminal degree (Ph.D., MFA). Othmer Fellows will receive, in addition to the departmental assistantship, a $7,500 fellowship per year. Othmer Fellowships are renewable for up to three years, given continued excellent progress toward the degree. At the end of the three-year fellowship period, Othmer Fellows are entitled to compete for other fellowship funding. A call will be sent in September.

Richard H. Larson Graduate Minority Fellowship
Richard H. Larson Minority Fellowships are designed to assist departments with the recruitment of superior graduate students from racial/ethnic groups under represented in higher education (i.e., African-American, Hispanic or American Indian students) by adding fellowship funds to an assistantship. These fellowships are for $2,500 and are automatically renewable for a second year, given excellent progress toward the degree. Larson fellowships may be offered in combination with other recruiting fellowships (e.g., Othmer or Chancellor's) where applicable. All newly admitted graduate students are eligible. A call will be sent in September.

Student Assistantship in Research and Scholarship (STARS)
The Student Assistantship in Research and Scholarship (STARS) program is designed to assist departments with the recruitment of racially/ethnically under-represented students, or women interested in pursuing graduate studies in disciplines where they are under-represented. The STARS program aids departmental recruitment of superior graduate students by adding a summer assistantship to a regularly funded departmental assistantship. In order for the student to be exempt from summer tuition, the departmental assistantship must be large enough during the academic year to provide summer tuition benefits. These assistantships are for $3,000 and are to be used to support a student during the first summer after matriculation into a full-time program of graduate study (i.e., the summer after the first year of graduate study). A call will be sent in September.

University of Nebraska Foundation Grant
The University of Nebraska Foundation grant is for equipment and information technology. The four campuses of the UNL system are eligible to compete for these grants. The goal of this program will be to strengthen UNL’s priority areas through the purchase of needed information technology and equipment, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration among departments, colleges and other campuses. RFP issued and a letter of intent submitted March 1st to the Vice Chancellor for Research and the proposals by the middle of March to the cognizant Deans.

Willa Cather and Charles Bessey Professorships
These professorships were established to recognize distinguished scholarship and creative activity. Any UNL full professor, regardless of discipline, who does not currently hold another named professorship or chair, is eligible to be nominated or apply. A faculty member may not hold a Cather or Bessey Professorship and another named professorship or chair simultaneously. The professors will receive a $2,500 annual stipend. Nominations and applications should be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs by the middle of October.