Information for FAS ladder faculty funded by the Science Development Fund (SDF)

To: FAS ladder faculty supported by the Science Development Fund (SDF)
Cc: FAS Dean's Office; FAS Steering; Provost's Office; President's Office

Dear colleagues,

As all of you are aware this is a time of great uncertainty about federal funding for research we conduct across many different fields. I'm writing to share information about processes already in place for Science Development Fund-supported ladder faculty whose grants may be cancelled or interrupted. We also want to hear from you about the scale of the disruptions you are facing, so we can determine additional measures that might be needed. I want to assure you that Deans Gladney, Scheve, and I are closely monitoring the situation.

Bridge funding eligibility and request process

As many of you know, a process is already in place in the FAS for eligible faculty to apply for bridge funding in the event of a funding gap, and we have already received several such requests. We shared this information with department chairs earlier this month, and we want to inform you about bridge funding as well. We have also created a new web page with this information.

Faculty eligible to apply for bridge funding are those who were hired with Science Development Fund (SDF) support and who are in need of short-term financial assistance to sustain their research programs due to a grant ending. If you are receiving this memo, then your initial start-up account was funded by the SDF. The expectation is that bridge funding will help faculty continue to generate results or data that will make future funding success more likely.

Bridge funding can be used to maintain research staff, cover supplies or animal care, or to continue data collection necessary to maintain research momentum. It does not typically provide summer salary or postdoctoral support. It is funding of last resort: all other means of supporting research must be exhausted before bridge funding can be used.

To apply for bridge funding, you may submit a request in writing to your divisional dean. Funding requests are then considered by your divisional dean and the Vice Provost for Research.

Bridge funding requests should articulate a compelling rationale for support (for example: that without support Yale might lose talent and skills that took significant time and investment to build) and outline other sources of funding that have been exhausted.

Questions, concerns, feedback

If you have questions or concerns, or if there are particular research disruptions that you would like to bring to my attention, please reach out. I want to hear how federal funding changes are affecting you so that we can plan and respond appropriately.

Your divisional deans and department chairs can be your first point of contact for questions.

In the FAS Dean’s Office, Assistant Dean Doro Noble and Senior Associate Dean Bob Burger are available to field questions and concerns, and I also invite you to write directly to me. Please inform your divisional dean if you are contacted by a federal agency and told that you are being denied funding that has already been approved.

Up-to-date information on federally-funded research is available on the website of the Vice Provost for Research along with a set of FAQs on federal funding. 

With thanks and best wishes,

Steven

Steven Wilkinson
Dean
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Yale University