The Division of Research and Innovation wishes to announce a one-time funding opportunity to Arkansas Biosciences Institute investigators to accompany the annual call for proposals that will launch mid-March.

This one-time funding opportunity is intended to fill gaps associated with equipment acquisition or repair, and bridge support to increase the likelihood of external funding for ABI-related work that has been wholly or partially completed. Project budgets in the range of $10,000 to $25,000, and equipment requests of approximately $150,000 will be entertained. Any funds that are awarded must be depleted by May 31.

The application process will be different than the annual ABI Call for Proposals which will launch in mid-March 2024. Application materials will include:

1. Title of project that includes the phrase ABI Gap 2024;
2. NIH-style Specific Aims page, not to exceed one page;
3. Rationale for gap funding, not to exceed one page;
4. Budget, prepared on the ABI Budget Template with accompanying page Budget Justification; and
5. List of publications and active grants for PI and coPIs.

Bundle items 1-5 in a single PDF file with the name of the PI and the phrase ABI Gap 2024. The application process will be available on InfoReady. Requests are due by Thursday, Feb. 29, via InfoReady. 

Funding from ABI has the following research foci:

• Agricultural research with medical applications
• Bioengineering research that expands genetic knowledge and creates new applications in the agricultural/medical fields
• Tobacco-related research designed to provide new behavioral, diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge for treatment of tobacco-related diseases
• Nutritional research and other research aimed at preventing and treating cancer, congenital or hereditary conditions, bone diseases or metabolic disorders
• Other areas of research related or complementary to primary ABI-supported programs.

The ABI was created as the major research component of the Tobacco Settlement Act.