The UK College of Health Sciences and the Office of Research and Scholarship (ORS) remains deeply committed to providing the capital resources faculty investigators need to advance the research mission of the College. As an integral part of that commitment, we are pleased to announce the FY26 Equipment Grant Program. This program is designed to purchase equipment to support research labs and groups of investigators in the submission of competitive extramural research proposals. Grants can be used to assist with the purchase of new equipment or to upgrade existing equipment. It is our intent to support multiple proposals again this year. In the spirit of collaboration, we strongly encourage investigators to work together and present a proposal budget that reflects a commitment of matched funds (e.g., non-recurring funds, departmental funds, etc.).
Eligibility: All full-time CHS faculty, regardless of title series or tenure-eligibility, are eligible to apply.
Program Policies
- Awards will be made to individual or teams of investigators.
- Equipment requests can be for dedicated use within an individual laboratory or for shared use. Equipment that facilitates the research of multiple CHS investigators, or that will be available within a shared space, will be given higher priority in the review process.
- Only one piece of equipment may be requested per application.
- Investigators with the ability to contribute towards the cost of the equipment are expected to do so.
- Equipment maintenance, installation costs, remodeling or renovation requests will not be supported with equipment funds.
- Proposals must include a current quote from the vendor. Outdated quotes and proposals without quotes will not be considered.
Application Instructions: All applications should be submitted in a single PDF document (11 pt. type, single-spaced, 0.5- inch margins) that includes:
- Equipment Proposal (2-page narrative limit)
- Provide a brief description of the equipment, including physical dimensions and scientific capabilities. Describe where the equipment will be located and demonstrate support from personnel with the requisite expertise if the equipment is to be housed outside of your assigned laboratory.
- Describe the need for the equipment and the research the proposed equipment will support. Identify the anticipated equipment users and who has what expertise to operate the equipment.
- Identify how this equipment positions you and/or your team to be more competitive for federal grant support. Identify your plans for seeking extramural support within two years of receipt of the equipment, including a submission timeline of targeted grant mechanisms. Applications without this information will not be considered.
- Specifically outline the cost break down. Include how much the applying individual or team is contributing, as well as the department, if applicable, to the total cost of the equipment. Also, how much is being requested from ORS as part of the equipment grant.
- Describe the plan for how the equipment will be shared, including how other investigators will access the equipment and provisions for any required training.
- NIH-style or DoD-style biosketch of senior key personnel
- Vendor quote
- Match commitment letter, when applicable
Proposals are due by 5 pm on August 1st, 2025.
Please submit the full application via email to Olivia Brown (olivia.brown1@uky.edu). Proposals will be reviewed by an ad hoc committee and decisions are expected by August 29th, 2025. All equipment funded through this program must be purchased by January 30, 2026. Any questions may be directed to Brian Noehren b.noehren@uky.edu .