Seed Grant

Seed Grant Scheme for Research & Development

Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) has implemented seed grant program to encourage and support the faculty members of the constituent units/departments/Centers to engage in research activities in addition to their academic responsibilities. The broad objective is to provide financial support to research encourages the culture of collaborative research, to enhance research and technical skills helping capacity building and career growth of the teaching fraternity. The seed grant scheme meant to enable researchers to generate viable and tangible research outcomes to fuel up confidence for applying and securing grants/fellowships from public/private national and international funding agencies. Collaborative and interdisciplinary projects are encouraged.

Eligibility

• All regular faculties of any constituent college of Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) are eligible to apply.
• For collaborative inter or intra-departmental projects, the faculty who is driving the project shall be the principal investigator (PI).
• Resident clinicians, visiting faculty, research scholars, and students can also take part as co-investigators based on the investment in the project.

Research Project Categories

The research projects preferably can be designed on the area domains those are local, national or international importance. Collaborative and interdisciplinary projects are encouraged. Applications should be submitted in the prescribed format among the following categories:

Category 1: General Projects

• Research projects with sufficient novelty and able to generate significant data.
• Applicants should have prior experience in conducting research projects independently and have publications in Scopus/Web of Science indexed journals.
• The upper limit of the grant is Rs. 10.00 Lakhs.
• The maximum project duration is 2 years.

Category 2: Pilot and Ph.D. studies

• Pilot projects within Rs. 1.00 Lakhs shall be granted for early career faculty to initiate a long term project. The project duration is 2 years.
• The upper limit of the grant is Rs. 5.00 Lakhs. The maximum project duration is 36 months for Ph.D studies.

Category 3: Postdoctoral Research grant

• For the promotion of postdoctoral research along with a fellowship.
• A grant of Rs. 2 lakhs per year will be granted for a maximum of 2 years period.

Category 4: Seed Grant for Startups

• Start-ups registered by the regular faculty of YU incubated at Yenepoya Technology Incubator are eligible.
• Start-up incubated for not more than 2 years at the time of application.
• The upper limit of the grant is Rs. 5 Lakhs.
• The project duration is 12 months.

Application Procedure

• Applicants should submit proposals in the prescribed format duly signed by all the investigators through proper channel to the Registrar, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University). A soft copy of the proposal should be e-mailed to seedgrant@yenepoya.edu.in.
• Research proposals should include sufficient details on scientific merit and justifications on the roles and qualifications of Principal Investigator and budget items in the context of the research.
• The status of the proposal shall be intimated on completion of the scrutiny process as per the notification on the calendar of events issued at the time of calling for application for seed grant scheme for research.

Peer review and project approval

• Proposal will be reviewed by expert reviewers for its scientific merit and originality. The project will be judged for the quality of writing, technicality, novelty, feasibility, focus, application, scientific and societal impact and team strength.
• The applicant is expected to provide a written rebuttal to their queries.
• Once shortlisted, the applicant shall present the project in the Seed Grant Review Committee (SGRC).
• The minor projects are exempted from presentation.

Flow chart of Seed Grant approval process:

• Project sanction order will be released subsequent to submission of ethical clearance and other relevant approvals.
• The release of funds shall be on an actual basis after receiving the annual reports on the completion of a year/phase of the project. However, the funds for category I seed grant scheme shall be need based.
• The date of commencement of the project will be the date of sanction order.
• All the items procured from the seed grant shall be the property of the department and can be used for subsequent studies by the department.
• Field work and manpower allowances shall be as per the University norms.
• All the procurements should be through the purchase department and bills should be sent to the finance department in the format for payment.
• Diagnostic investigations shall have special discount for research. However, prior permission needs to be taken for the same from the competent authority/Medical superintend.
• Seed grant reserves the right to terminate the project at any stage if it is convinced that (i) appropriate progress is not being made (ii) the grant has not been utilized properly (iii) furnishing of false information or suppression of factual information.
• Financial utilization certificates should be submitted as of 31st March every year/or as indicated under the category of funding.

Publication of Results/Presentation of Papers:

• All publications must be in journals indexed in Scopus/Wos. A minimum of two publications in Q1 or Q2 ranked journals is required for general projects. Pilot projects must have at least one original article published in a Q2 or Q3 ranked journal. For seed grants supporting Ph.D. studies, two publications are required—at least one in a Q1 ranked journal and the other in a Q2 or Q3 ranked journal.
• All publications must include acknowledgement to the financial support in the form of seed grant.
• Seed grant can be used for paying the open access publication charges with prior permission from the University.

Submission of progress/completion report and project extension/termination:

• The subsequent grant will be released after receipt of progress report, utilization certificate (UC) and statement of expenditure (SOE) in the prescribed format. Subsequent installments shall be released based on the satisfactory review of the report.
• On completion of the project, closure report should be submitted along with the UC and SOE approved by the Finance Officer of the University. Copies of the published articles showing the seed grant acknowledgement should be included along with closure report. If any patents filed, the details of the same should also be enclosed.
• Extension: Projects shall have to be strictly completed within the duration specified in the proposal. Extensions in extraordinary circumstances (e.g. delay in patient recruitments) shall be permitted, if the PI submits relevant justification to the University. Extension of maximum of three months without any additional grant shall be approved on the request by the PI.
• For extension beyond three months, separate application should be submitted. This should include objectives, detailed methodology and precise budget plan and extension timeline.
• Termination: In the case of PI receiving an extramural grant for the same/similar project, the seed grant shall be terminated and PI should submit closure report along with the UC and SOE approved by the Finance Officer of the University.

Change of Investigators

• In the event of PI leaving the institution, the Co PI shall take over as the PI with permission from the University.
• If the project does not have a Co-PI, the University shall request Head of the Department to identify a suitable PI to handle the project.
• In the event of failing to find a willing substitute investigator to carry forward the project the PI will be asked to submit all the reports pertaining to the seed grant, SOE and UC for winding up the project.

Forms and formats