2025/26 SNIP RFP

Strategic Networks and Initiatives Program (SNIP)

2025/2026 Request for Proposals

Overview

The College of Agricultural Sciences (CAS) Office for Research and Graduate Education invites proposals for Strategic Networks and Initiatives Program (SNIP) grants to be considered at two levels in 2025/2026. SNIP provides support for faculty-driven, interdisciplinary initiatives at the vanguard of agricultural and natural resources research. At both levels, funding may be awarded to collaborative interdisciplinary teams seeking to investigate focused research problems in pursuit of large-scale extramural grant opportunities.

The goal of SNIP is to offer ambitious CAS faculty members the opportunity to explore novel research problems. The primary aims of the program are to help faculty to build a network of colleagues and form an area of strength in the college for transformative research. The two SNIP levels are tailored to assist teams at different points in the process of pursuing large-scale extramural grant opportunities.

SNIP provides funds for network-building activities and preliminary work that are typically during the discovery phase of a project and often not allowable on extramural grants, including (but not exclusively) exploring the potential of a research problem, engaging in team-building activities, and collecting preliminary data.

SNIP is intended to encourage faculty-driven ideas. However, we understand that sometimes it is hard to know what may or may not be competitive in the current funding landscape. With that in mind, we have compiled additional information as a part of this RFP release to provide overviews of college priorities so that applicants may use these as inspiration to frame their proposed initiative in the context of these identified challenges. Contact Gretta Tritch Roman (gst118@psu.edu), Director of Research Development and Initiatives, for assistance with the development of proposals and questions related to the program.

Awards Structure

Level I Launch Grants
Up to $10,000 for one year to support the initial development of an innovative research question and the formation of an interdisciplinary collaborative team required to address it.

Level II Pursuit Grants 
Up to $25,000 for two years to strengthen established interdisciplinary research initiatives to be competitive for large-scale extramural grant submissions.

Due to ongoing uncertainty in the federal funding landscape and our commitment to ensuring sufficient support for currently enrolled graduate students, Level III Cohort Grants will not be offered in this cycle. We appreciate your understanding and hope to open them again in future SNIP cycles.

Eligibility 

1. For all levels, the PI must be a faculty member with a research appointment in the College of Agricultural Sciences (tenured, tenure-track, or non-tenure-track).
2. For all levels, projects must seek to address a critical research need and opportunity beyond the scope of a single laboratory or investigator's focused area of research. All proposed research projects must require the participation of interdisciplinary collaborators with complementary fields of expertise. All ideas for multidisciplinary topics are encouraged.
3. For Level I grants, a plan for engaging multiple departments is required, but all team participants do not have to be identified in the proposal. 
4. For Level II grants, teams must include at least three persons with faculty appointments and across different departments. Team members should be from at least two different departments in CAS. See specific proposal requirements below. Faculty from any college at Penn State may be included as participants; however, SNIP funds cannot be used to support any non-CAS personnel or students.

Two-Phase Application Process 

Phase 1 Concept Note Submission: Level I (strongly encouraged); Level II (required)

Submit a short concept note for proposals (max 300 words) using the online submission portal in InfoReady, linked online at https://agsci.psu.edu/research/resources/funding/college-of-agricultural-sciences-snip/

Concept notes may be submitted at any time after the competition opens and will be reviewed on a rolling basis until September 12, 2025. Concept notes submitted after this deadline will not be accepted as the pre-requisite for Level II full proposals.

Include the following in the note:

1. A brief summary of the research problem and why an interdisciplinary team is required to address it;
2. Expected outcomes and duration of the grant (within the limitations outlined in the summaries on the first page of this RFP).

Phase 2 Full Proposal Submission

Full proposals must be submitted through InfoReady before midnight on October 10, 2025, to the Office of Research and Graduate Education. The competition portal will be opened for full proposal submissions on September 13, 2025.

• Guidelines for each level are provided within this RFP. Applicants are advised to adhere to the provided template for proposals as the evaluations are based on the questions provided for each level.
• The Director of Research Development and Initiatives will set up a meeting with any team who submits a concept note to advise on the proposal development and alignment with the aims of the competition.

College Research Priorities

The Office for Research and Graduate Education has identified key strategic priority areas to promote and help guide faculty efforts toward a competitive extramural proposal. These priorities were identified through a robust stakeholder process that underpinned the Research and Graduate Education Strategic Guide. Across these five areas of existing and aspirational strengths of the college, we anticipate that there will be opportunities for funding large-scale proposals in the near future. Note that these topic areas are only provided to help generate ideas. Proposals across ALL topics will be considered equally.

Future Foods

We encourage proposals that advance the development of resilient, nutritious, and accessible food systems through innovations in plant and animal science, food processing, and sustainable production. Projects may focus on identifying traits that enhance resistance to environmental stressors, improving food safety and palatability, or developing alternative proteins and novel food products. Proposals that integrate biotechnology, microbiome science, or sustainable inputs are especially encouraged.

Resiliency in the Face of Climate Instability

We encourage proposals that address the vulnerabilities of agricultural and natural systems to climate-related stressors such as extreme weather, invasive species, and biodiversity loss. This includes research that strengthens plants’ innate abilities to adapt to stress, resist pests and diseases, and thrive in changing environmental conditions—reducing reliance on synthetic inputs.

Emerging and Advanced Technology

We encourage proposals that develop or adapt emerging technologies to improve agricultural productivity, environmental monitoring, and human well-being—especially for small- and medium-sized farms. Projects may include precision agriculture, automation, AI, remote sensing, or biotechnology. Please refer to the Technologies for Agriculture and Living Systems Initiative for guidance on how the college is positioning around this topic.

Industry Engagement

We encourage proposals that proactively engage with industry partners to build relationships for future extramurally-funded collaborations, to provide professional and workforce development for graduate students, and to leverage the private sector in advancing innovation and technology development.

Integrated Health

We encourage proposals focused on challenges facing rural health and communities, especially from a "one health" perspective. Research that addresses food and nutrition security and equitable access, preventing chronic illnesses, slowing outbreaks of diseases (including zoonotic), or minimizing environmental health risks and safety is a priority. Topics may include but are not limited to rural population health, social stratification, rural community development and resilience, health and food systems economics, food policy, agricultural safety, water quality, antimicrobial resistance, veterinary public health, food safety, and vectorborne diseases.

Level I Launch Grants 

Up to $10,000 for 1 year of support
Launch Grants will provide support for the initial development of an innovative research question and the formation of an interdisciplinary collaborative team required to address it. Funds will be awarded to support team-building activities aiming to establish research trajectory, refining research goals and objectives, promoting networks across departments in the College of Agricultural Sciences and the University, defining leadership, structuring the collaboration, and identifying potential extramural funding sources. The activities could include group meetings, seminar series, small workshops, grant writing workshops, and others. The majority of SNIP grants awarded in FY 2025/2026 will be Launch Grants.

Specific proposal requirements for Launch Grants (concept notes encouraged)

A. Title and Primary Investigator
Entered in InfoReady

1. Designate only one PI who will serve as the primary contact for the project (see Eligibility requirements).

B. Summary (200 words maximum)
Entered in InfoReady

1. Summarize the research problem and the proposed activities aiming to build the team and/or the collaborative network.

C. Proposal Narrative (recommend 3 pages; 5 pages maximum)
Uploaded as a PDF in InfoReady; bibliography does not count toward maximum page count.

1. Refining the Problem
   • State the research problem and the significance of the work for the future of agricultural and natural resources research.
   • Describe the proposed activities that will help to formulate the research problem more clearly as an initiative and position it as an area of strength in the college.
2. Plan for Building the Team
   • Why does this problem require the collaboration of an interdisciplinary team to address it?
   • What are the proposed team-building activities that will promote networking across departments in the College of Agricultural Sciences, and (if applicable) across colleges at Penn State?
   • Which disciplines do you anticipate being integral to the initiative and how do you propose to engage current and new participants?
   • Describe the proposed structure of the initiative’s leadership and collaboration.
3. Sustainability Plan
   • Provide benchmarks that will be used to identify the progress in launching the initiative during the funding period.
   • Provide a plan for continued collaboration including, potential grant programs your team may target in the next year or two or when appropriate, how the proposed activities may lead to a Level II proposal.

D. Budget and Justification (page limit does not apply)
Upload completed Excel template in InfoReady

1. Use the template provided in the InfoReady competition to list all personnel and non-personnel costs. Note that the provided template will calculate the fringe rates for personnel.

Upload a separate budget justification in InfoReady

1. Provide a detailed justification with a brief description and explanation of need for costs associated with Launch Grant activities. Use the budget sections provided in the template.
2. All other project costs typically allowed by federal extramural sponsors are allowed in this program.
3. SNIP funds cannot be used for:
   • Faculty salaries (including supplemental) or standing appointment salaries
   • Travel to professional meetings
   • Support of personnel NOT in the College of Agricultural Sciences
4. Budgets can be constructed for a maximum of 1 year.
5. Please note that submissions to this internal competition do not require the budget to be created through the College’s Grants and Contracts Office.
6. Funds from this program must be expended within one year of the award date.

E. Project team (not required; individuals can participate in multiple proposals):
Entered in InfoReady

1. You may list all known collaborators with their departmental affiliations and describe their expertise and relevance to the research problem. This section is not required but is made available for documenting established team members.
   1. Faculty from any college at Penn State may be included as participants (be sure to note the budget restrictions and commitment requirements outlined in section D).

Level II Pursuit Grants 

Up to $25,000 for 2 years of support
Pursuit Grants provide support for strategic research initiatives that are competitive for large-scale extramural grants. Eligible interdisciplinary teams should be able to demonstrate ongoing research, clear research goals, and established partnerships. The funding could be used to collect preliminary data to strengthen the proposal(s) or for other activities aimed at submitting a proposal for significant extramural grants by the end of the SNIP grant term.  

Specific proposal requirements for Pursuit Grants (concept notes required)

A. Title and Primary Investigator
Entered in InfoReady

1. Designate only one PI who will serve as the primary contact for the project. (see Eligibility requirements) 
   • Note: You may enter list of co-PIs and other participants in the InfoReady form (described below in section E).

B. Summary (200 words maximum)
Entered in InfoReady

1. Summarize the established research initiative or collaborative project and the proposed plan to develop and submit a proposal for large-scale extramural funding.

C. Proposal Narrative (recommend 3 pages; 5 pages maximum)
Uploaded as a PDF in InfoReady; bibliography does not count toward maximum page count.

1. Description of the initiative and future directions: 
   • Provide a brief description of the initiative/team.
   • State and explain the significance of the research with particular attention to how the research is transformative and addresses a critical research need with potential to be competitive for large-scale extramural funding.
   • Describe past activities that shaped the interdisciplinary collaboration.
   • Describe the current and future research goals of the initiative/team.
   • Describe the plan and the target program for external funding (include the following: agency, request for proposals, submission deadline).
   • Describe the proposed activities that will support the submission of (a) proposal(s).
   • Provide benchmarks that will be used to measure the progress of the project during the funding period. 
2. College readiness 
   • What key strengths in the college will contribute to success?
   • What gaps in the college create a need for the initiative?
   • How will the proposed activities address the gaps and capitalize on the strengths?
3. Benefits to the College and University:
   • What impact will the project have on the stature and visibility of the college and university?
   • What will be the lasting effects of the network or initiative?
4. Sustainability plan:
   • Provide a plan for the future of the initiative or the collaborative research with benchmarks beyond the funding period.

D. Budget and Justification (page limit does not apply) 
Upload completed Excel template in Infoready

1. Use the template provided in the InfoReady competition to list all personnel and non-personnel costs. Note that the provided template will calculate the fringe rates for personnel.

Upload a separate budget justification in InfoReady

1. Provide a detailed justification with a brief description and explanation of need for costs associated with Pursuit Grant activities. Use the budget sections provided in the template.
2. All other project costs typically allowed by federal extramural sponsors are allowed in this program.
3. SNIP funds cannot be used for:
   • Faculty salaries (including supplemental) or standing appointment salaries
   • Travel to professional meetings
   • Support of personnel NOT in the College of Agricultural Sciences  
4. Budgets can be constructed for a maximum of 2 years.
5. Please note that submissions to this internal competition do not require the budget to be created through the College’s Grants and Contracts Office.
6. Funds from this program must be expended within two years of the award date.

E. Project team (individuals can participate in multiple proposals):
Entered in InfoReady

1. List all collaborators with their departmental affiliations and describe the role and responsibilities of each project team member, including their expertise and relevance to the research problem. 
   • The team must include at least three CAS members: the PI and two or more co-PIs, preferably all from different CAS departments. At a minimum, team members should represent at least two different departments in CAS. Extraordinary exceptions will be considered with a strong justification that three or more distinct disciplines from CAS are represented within the team.
   • Faculty from any college at Penn State may be included as participants (be sure to note the budget restrictions and commitment requirements outlined in section D).  

Proposal Review Process 

Level I 

• Proposals will be evaluated by program administrators within the CAS Office for Research and Graduate Education and a review committee of college faculty who may or may not have subject expertise. Emphasis will be placed on the potential for a proposed initiative to be competitive. 
• Evaluation criteria:
  • Demonstrates the potential for developing an advanced agricultural and natural resources research question.
  • Presents a convincing argument for the requirement of an interdisciplinary team to address the research problem.
  • Outlines specific activities to achieve the following:
    • formulate the research problem more clearly as an initiative (working group meetings, workshops, etc.);
    • promote networking across departments in the College of Agricultural Sciences (may include multi-disciplinary seminars, symposia, etc.) beyond one or two related disciplines.
  • Identifies specific disciplines needed for the collaboration and provides plans for targeting and engaging faculty in the activities.
  • Outlines specific benchmarks to gauge progress in launching the initiative during the one-year funding period.
  • Includes plans for continuing the collaboration beyond the Level I funding as described in the guidelines.

Level II 

• Proposals will be evaluated by subject matter experts who will make funding recommendations to the CAS Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education. 
• Proposals from research teams established through SNIP grants are encouraged, but previous or current SNIP funding is not required.
• Preference will be given to inter-departmental teams.
• Evaluation criteria:
  • Presents an innovative approach to a clear and well-defined research problem.
  • Addresses a critical research need with potential to be competitive for large-scale extramural funding (funding required to robustly support multi-investigator projects).
  • Proposes research that is transformative with the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in order to pursue large-scale extramural funding rather than incremental (i.e., building only on one or two team members’ research).
  • Demonstrates an already-formed robust interdisciplinary collaboration through past activities.
  • Identifies team members with the expertise required to address the proposed research problem.
  • Proposes activities that will realistically support the submission of a proposal for large-scale extramural grants.
    • Provides details for specific funding programs (including the agency, request for proposals deadlines, etc.).
  • Demonstrates the potential to have an impact on the stature and visibility of the College of Agricultural Sciences overall and faculty research in particular (i.e., building on existing strengths in the College of Agricultural Sciences or advancing new initiatives).
  • Includes adequate benchmarks for gauging progress in achieving the research goals.
  • Presents a convincing strategy for leveraging the initial support of this grant to stimulate a lasting impact through continued collaborations and longer-term funding (beyond the Level II funding period).

Reporting  

Level I 

• An interim report will be due six months after the beginning of the awarded performance period.  
• A final report on SNIP-funded Level I projects will be due one month after the end of the performance period.
• Submit reports through the InfoReady system. Report reminders and guidance will be provided. 

 Level II  

• Interim reports on SNIP-funded Level II projects will be due at six-month intervals depending upon the duration of the proposed project. 
• A final report on SNIP-funded Level II projects will be due one month after the end of the performance period (depending on the term funded).
• Submit reports through the InfoReady system. Report reminders and guidance will be provided.