Program overview

Propel supports faculty members new to the large federal grants application process who want to apply for a large grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF) or the Department of Energy (DOE).

This program provides participating faculty with nine months of intensive mentorship, education, workshops and editing support as they plan, draft, finalize and submit their NIH, NSF or DOE proposal.

Program length: Academic year

Number of in-person sessions: 8 half-day sessions

 

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Session dates

Propel will meet on the following dates:

• August 21
• September 18
• October 16
• November 13
• January 15
• February 12
• March 19
• April 27

Available tracks

• NIH
• NSF
• NSF CAREER 
  • Those submitting for the first time and those who are resubmitting to CAREER are both eligible for this track. If you are working on a resubmission, you have the option of beginning the program in either August or January.
• DOE
  • Participants will attend most sessions with NSF participants but will also participate in DOE-specific breakout sessions

 

Eligibility requirements

To be considered for Propel, faculty members must:

• Be employed at USC Columbia, the USC schools of medicine in Columbia or Greenville, a four-year USC comprehensive institution or a USC Palmetto College campus.
• Hold the title of assistant or associate professor (including assistant and associate research faculty). 
  • Full professors pursuing NIH/NSF/DOE grant funding for the first time are also eligible.
• Be new to the federal grant application process or have only received relatively small external grant awards/subawards.
• Not have received a large federal grant such as an NIH R01 or a medium/large NSF award of $500,000 or more. 

 

Participant expectations

Propel participants are expected to:

• Attend eight in-person program sessions on Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (The final session will take place on Tuesday, April 27.)
• Take the lead in scheduling at least one mentor meeting per month.
• Submit draft proposal sections on schedule and implement feedback.
• Plan, develop and submit a competitive grant proposal by the program’s end.

 

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Propel leads

Michael Beets, Ph.D.

Professor, Exercise Science
Arnold School of Public Health
Public Health Research Center

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Emily Devereux, DPA, CRA

Associate Vice President for Research Development
Carolina Grants and Innovation Hub
Office of the Vice President for Research

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