Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Grant Program (SIRG)

The Cal Poly Pomona Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Grant (SIRG) Program supports interdisciplinary research projects designed to generate pilot data, build collaborative capacity, and position teams to compete successfully for significant external funding. Proposals must involve collaboration across at least two departments and typically span multiple colleges, engaging two or more cross-disciplinary collaborators in projects aligned with Cal Poly Pomona’s Mission and Vision.

• Awards will range from $10,000 to $25,000. We anticipate funding 3–6 proposals in this cycle.
• Funding will support activities during the 2026–2027 academic year and Summer 2026.

Allowable Use of Funds

SIRG funds may be used for:

• Summer salary support for PI and Co-PIs (up to $5,000 per investigator for Summer 2026; academic year support will not be considered)
• Supplies, materials, or travel necessary to collect essential pilot data
• Other justified project-related expenses that directly support project completion

Partial funding may be awarded

Eligibility

All Cal Poly Pomona members of Unit 3 (Faculty, Librarians, Coaches, and Counselors) are eligible to participate as team members.
The Principal Investigator (PI) must be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member.
Faculty who received SIRG funding in 2025–26, 2024–25, or 2023–24 are not eligible to apply in this cycle.
Previous awardees must have submitted their required final report in order to be eligible for new SIRG funding.

Expectations

SIRG projects are expected to culminate in the submission of a competitive interdisciplinary proposal to an external funding agency.
Priority consideration will be given to proposals with strong potential to secure major interdisciplinary contracts or grants consistent with Cal Poly Pomona's Mission and Vision.

Proposals Submission

Applications must be submitted through InfoReady.
The InfoReady site will open on February 17, 2026.
Proposals must be submitted by:  5:00 PM on April 12, 2026; late proposals will not be considered.
Award announcements are expected by May 1, 2026.

Proposal Requirements

1. Letter of Support from the Department Chair for each PI/Co-PI
2. Letter of Support from the Dean of the lead college
3. Report of Previous SIRG Outcomes (if applicable; one-page maximum) including:
   • Title of prior SIRG project
   • Names of all Co-PIs
   • External funding resulting from the SIRG award (pending or received)
4. Project Narrative (a maximum of five pages)  The narrative should be written for an educated general audience and must include the sections using the headings below:.
   • Title of project
   • Project abstract  (250-word limit)
   • Problem Statement and Approach  Describe the interdisciplinary problem to be addressed, and your proposed approach.
   • Alignment with Cal Poly Pomona’s Mission and Vision  Briefly describe how the proposed activity relates to one or more core values of CPP's Mission and Vision.
   • Team Expertise and Roles  Summarize the expertise of the PI and Co-PIs and describe their specific roles in the project.
   • Plan for External Funding  Identify potential external funding agencies and specific programs. Include anticipated award amounts where possible. Correspondence with program officers is encouraged and may be included as an appendix.
   • Budget and Justification  Provide a justified budget describing how SIRG funds will support the proposed work. Budget items may include (but are not limited to) faculty support (summer or academic year), student support, supplies, travel, equipment, or other project-related expenses. The budget should clearly align with the project objectives and timeline.
   • Objectives, Timeline, and Measurable Outcomes  Clearly articulate planned activities and expected outcomes.
5. Bibliography  Include references cited in the project narrative. This does not count against the five page limit for the project narrative.
6. Curriculum Vitae  Provide a CV (maximum of two pages each) for the PI and for each Co-PI demonstrating the qualifications necessary to compete successfully for external funding. 

All files must be submitted in PDF format
Project narrative must be:  Single-spaced, 12-point Arial font, 1-inch margins

• Outcomes from previous SIRG funding (when applicable)
• Clarity and significance of the interdisciplinary question or problem;
• Organization and clarity of the written application;
• Relevance of the proposed project to the core values of Cal Poly Pomona Mission and Vision;
• Reasonableness of the proposed timeline;
• Reasonableness of the budget in relation to the project objectives;

External Funding Competitiveness  A primary goal of SIRG funding is to support competitive external grant submission.  Reviewers will assess:

• The likelihood that the proposed project will lead to a competitive external grant submission to the identified sponsor(s);
• The readiness and capacity of the team to secure significant external funding. 

A final report is due on May 22, 2027.

The final report must be submitted to the AVP for Research and Innovation in the format of a full length proposal that has been submitted, or is ready for submission, to a specific external funding agency.