Earmark funding opportunities workshop scheduled for June 19

Save a seat RSVPs are requested for the workshop. Attendees are invited to bring lunch. Cookies and refreshments will be available.

UNMC faculty, researchers and administrators interested in congressionally-directed funding and the best avenues to secure it are encouraged to attend a workshop on Friday, June 19 at noon in Sorrell Center room 2018.

Commonly called earmarks, congressionally-directed funding is a line-item in a federal appropriations bill that directs money to a specific organization for a specific purpose.

In academia, earmark funding provides funds to build infrastructure and research expertise and helps institutions like UNMC to level the playing field with larger institutions.

Congressionally-directed funding is competitive and is limited to a select number of projects that align with federal government priorities.

Thanks to the hard work of Nebraska’s congressional delegation, UNMC directly received nearly $11.5 million in congressionally-directed funding in fiscal year 2009 for projects such as

• Fighting drug-resistant infections;
  
• Soldier survival;
  
• Human performance;
  
• Tracheal intubation; and
  
• A health information database.

In addition, UNMC collaborations on earmark projects with other entities generated an additional $4 million for UNMC.

The one-hour workshop will be hosted by UNMC’s Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Office of Government Relations. The workshop will cover:

• The difference between congressionally-directed funding and grant funding;
  
• University and congressional timelines;
  
• How to write an earmark request; and
  
• The congressional process.