Sponsor
Simons Foundation - Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) Division
Description
The program is intended to support high-risk theoretical mathematics, physics and computer science projects of exceptional promise and scientific importance on a case-by-case basis.
Please see the Simons Foundation Targeted Grants in MPS webpage for more information.
Funding Availability
The Targeted Grants in MPS program provides funding for up to five years. The funding level and duration is flexible and should be appropriate based on the type of support requested in the proposal. There is no recommended or assumed funding level for this program.
Maximum Project Value
Allowable expenses include:
- Up to one month of summer salary and related benefits per year for the PI and any co-Investigator(s). These salary funds are not substitutional (cannot be used to relieve a university of salary costs) and cannot be used to reduce teaching loads below the departmental norm. They can only be used to supplement the salary similarly to a summer salary in the U.S. system. For scientists at non-U.S. universities on calendar year (12-month) salaries, the program will allow PIs to request up to 1/12 of their calendar year salary as a contribution to research time on the project, provided that the salary request is not in violation of their institution’s policies of more than 100% effort per year.
- Domestic or international travel for the PI(s), co-Investigator(s) and students, as appropriate. Parking, hotel, taxi, registration and other related travel and conference costs are allowable.
- Salary support and related benefits, including tuition support, for staff/research scientists, postdoctoral fellows and research associates, graduate students or undergraduate research assistants.
- Support for visitors and collaborators, including domestic and international travel, meals and lodging expenses.
- Conferences and working meetings appropriate to the needs of the project, including meals, travel, lodging, vehicle rentals for participants and facility fees.
- Research equipment, experiments, computations, supplies and other expenses directly related to the research, including computers, computer support, professional literature, publication expenses and professional membership dues.
Please see the Simons Foundation’s grant policies on their website for further guidelines.
Please note that in the event of budgetary or other considerations, The Simons Foundation, Inc. reserves the right to refer an application to The Simons Foundation International, Ltd. (SFI) for consideration and funding, in which case SFI’s grant policies would apply.
Indirect Costs
20%
Indirect costs to the primary institution are limited to 20 percent of direct costs with the following exceptions: equipment, tuition and any portion of each subcontract in excess of $25,000. The primary institution may take indirect costs on the first $25,000 modified total direct costs of each subcontract. Indirect costs paid to a subcontractor may not exceed 20 percent of the modified total direct costs paid to the subcontractor.
The indirect cost rate is non-negotiable. No indirect costs may be taken on Simons Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships.
Deadlines
If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.
| Type | Notes |
|---|---|
Internal Deadline | Letters of Intent are accepted on a rolling basis. OR-5 form and complete Letter of Intent must be submitted to the Research Services Office (research.services@uoguelph.ca) a minimum of one week prior to the intended submission date to the Simons Foundation. |
External Deadline | Applicant submits Letter of Intent through the Simons Award Manager (SAM) system. Applicants will be notified of a decision within two months of the LOI submission. |
External Deadline | A review of the LOI may lead to a request for a full proposal. Full proposals must be submitted via SAM by the main PI and respective institution. The full proposal deadline will be noted in the LOI notification and will be no sooner than three months from the date of the LOI approval. The Research Services Office must receive a copy of the full proposal along with a signed OR-5 form to resserv@uoguelph.ca at least one (1) week ahead of the full proposal deadline communicated by the sponsor. |
How to Apply
Please refer to the 'How to Apply' section on the Simons Foundation website for more details.
Letter of Intent
Applicants must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) via the Simons Award Manager (SAM). The deadline is rolling, and an LOI can be submitted at any time.
Applicants will be notified of a decision within two months of the LOI submission.
Full Proposal
A review of the LOI may lead to a request for a full proposal. Full proposals must be submitted via SAM by the main PI and respective institution. The full proposal deadline will be noted in the LOI notification and will be no sooner than three months from the date of the LOI approval.
Applicants will be notified of a decision within three months of the full proposal submission.