Federal funding has long been the gold standard for research support, but today’s realities tell a different story. Award rates are shrinking, political climates are shifting, and many scholars are left scrambling to keep their work afloat. Faculty who once relied on NIH or NSF grants alone are now asking: what other options exist?
That question is at the heart of NCFDD’s new 4-week course, Rethinking Your Research Funding, which begins October 6. The program is not just about writing stronger proposals. It is about learning how to think differently about funding itself.
Why This Course, Why Now
The traditional funding pipeline was never designed for the complexity of today’s research climate. Scholars face long application cycles, shrinking award rates, and higher risks of gaps in funding.
This course equips participants to expand their toolkit and explore opportunities with foundations, state and local governments, industry, and philanthropy. By the end, faculty develop a strategic funding mindset. This approach emphasizes flexibility, resilience, and alignment between research goals and funder priorities.
What the Experts Say
The course draws on a team of experts who have secured funding across multiple arenas:
- Connie Yowell, PhD emphasizes the importance of understanding the philanthropic world, shaped by her experience at the MacArthur Foundation. Connie is the Senior Vice Chancellor of Innovation at Northeastern University.
- Jolie Sheffer, PhD guides participants in building strategic research plans that function more like a GPS than a rigid roadmap, flexible enough to adapt to shifting conditions. Jolie is an Associate Dean/Professor in the College of Arts & Sciences at Bowling Green State University
- Sabrina Noel, PhD, RD shares her vast experience as a researcher, building diverse funding portfolios and offering practical strategies for identifying funders and refining proposals. Sabrina is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health at UMass Lowell.
- Franco Montalto, PE, PhD highlights how applied research often intersects with the priorities of state and local government, and how to navigate those opportunities effectively. Franco is a Professor of Civil, Architectural, and Environment Engineering at Drexel University.
Together, they offer perspectives that move beyond theory and into lived practice.
Practical Tools for Faculty
Beyond the ideas, the course includes hands-on exercises designed to help faculty put strategies into action:
- Drafting a strategic funding plan that builds in exploration, relationship-building, and adaptability.
- Creating a mentor map to identify proposal reviewers, connectors, accountability partners, and role models who can help sustain long-term funding success.
- Learning to break the search for funding into smaller, more manageable steps so the process feels less overwhelming and more actionable.
These tools are meant to be applied immediately, not just filed away for later.
Looking Ahead
Rethinking Your Research Funding is more than a course title. It is an urgent call for faculty to adjust their strategies in a rapidly changing funding environment. By learning from experts and practicing new approaches, faculty can build the resilience needed to sustain their research and expand its impact.
The first session of Rethinking Your Research Funding kicks off October 6. Register for the course today.