Fall 2026 PRE Accelerator Awards
During the Fall semester, proposals are being accepted for Accelerator (FY27 funding) projects.
- Accelerator grants of up to $75,000 for 18-month projects are awarded to small teams of 2-3 investigators from two or more distinct disciplinary perspectives that are formed to pursue curiosity-driven, high-risk, high-reward, pilot-scale research towards an identified proposal target.
Applications in any topic area are invited.
Fall 2026 Timeline
Accelerator proposal process, requirements and deadlines
Successful Accelerator teams will make a compelling case for the merit of the proposed research in terms of anticipated scientific, technological or societal impacts that will result. All PRE proposals will be reviewed and scored using four criteria: merit; impact; team; and budget.
- Friday, August 21, 2026 - Call for Proposals released (name.# login required) – Full RFP
- Wednesday, September 9, 2026 by 5 p.m. (EDT) – Required Letters of Intent due – LOI Submission Link
- Friday, October 23, 2026 by 5 p.m. (EDT) - Full proposals due (name.# login required) – Full RFP and Submission Page
- Friday, December 11, 2026 – Decisions announced
- January 1, 2027 – Accelerator Project period start
There have been a number of changes made to the program and application process this round, including the review criteria. Please read the RFP carefully to ensure the proposed project meets all requirements.
Teams seeking Accelerator funding must complete a mandatory Letter of Intent (LOI) by Wednesday, September 9, 2026, by 5 p.m. (EDT). Submitted online, the LOI must include the project name, team and a 250-word or less abstract summarizing the proposed research challenge and its significance along with expected research deliverables. Letters of Intent will be reviewed by Research Development staff for compliance. Eligible teams will receive an email confirmation to submit a full proposal.
Eligible teams can submit a full proposal by Friday, October 23, 2026, by 5 p.m. (EDT). Full proposals consist of a 3-page narrative, budget request, team member bio sketches and optional references.
Eligibility and team composition requirements
PRE teams must include Ohio State researchers representing two or more distinct disciplines for Accelerator funding.
- The lead PI for the proposing team must be an Ohio State faculty member, either tenure/tenure track or research, or a clinical-track faculty member who is engaged in research.
- One Ohio State Co-PI for each proposed disciplinary perspective must also be named. Co-PIs can be faculty or research staff from intellectually distinct disciplines.
- Post-docs are not eligible to be a Co-PI on a PRE team but can be listed as a collaborator. Collaborators do not count towards team composition requirements.
- A Fellow is eligibile to be a Co-PI if their fellowship functions like a research scientist position. If the fellowship is focused on meeting a credentialling requirement, then the fellowship functions as a student appointment, and the individual would be eligible to be a collaborator.
- Visiting Faculty are not eligible to be a PI or Co-PI on a PRE team but can be listed as a collaborator. Collaborators do not count towards team composition requirements.
Researchers may only be named as PI or Co-PI on a single PRE project proposal per Accelerator or Catalyst competition.
- If any researcher is named as PI or Co-PI on more than one proposal in the same competition (Accelerator or Catalyst), only the first proposal submitted, as indicated by the time and date stamp from the submission site, will be reviewed and any proposal submitted with a duplicate investigator named after that will be disqualified.
- Any PI or Co-PI named on an active, awarded PRE project (Accelerator or Catalyst) cannot be named as a PI or Co-PI on another PRE proposal (Accelerator or Catalyst) until the awarded PRE project period ends, although they can be included on the team as a collaborator. A list of faculty and staff currently serving as PI or Co-PI on an active PRE award, and who are therefore ineligible to apply in the current cycle, may be found here.
- External collaborators and consultants are permitted; however, they do not count towards team composition requirements and cannot be supported with project funds.
Budget Information
Accelerator Grants provide up to $75,000 for an 18-month performance period. Funding will be provided in a single increment, with Research Development assistance available upon request, as appropriate to the scope/scale of the proposed project.
PRE funding for Accelerator projects may be requested to support the following project-specific expenses:
- Consumable research materials and supplies
- Facility user or service center fees, subject payments (with approved IRB), or other contractual costs
- Personnel support, not to exceed 60% of total requested funds, to support student stipends and required tuition/fees and/or salary and benefits for staff scientist(s) and/or post doc(s). If the proposed work is highly theoretical or computational in nature, with little to no need for experimental costs, consumable research materials/supplies, acquisition of datasets, testing or service lab fees, or human subject/animal care costs, teams may request an exception to increase this cap to 75% of total requested funds. This request must be detailed and fully justified in the budget request section of the proposal.
- Travel to meet with external collaborators, sponsors or to host collaborator meetings on campus (campus costs only (catering, meeting materials); no travel support for non-Ohio State personnel)
No-cost extensions are NOT permitted and unused funds must be returned to the PRE program following the conclusion of the project.
Funds cannot be used for:
- Faculty salaries;
- Indirect (F & A) Costs;
- *NEW* Capital equipment purchases or software licenses in excess of $5,000;
- Travel to conventional academic meetings or conferences;
- Publication costs; or
- Support for external collaborators or consultants on the project.