Collaborative research: building research infrastructure and development to grow emerging research institutions (bridge)

Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Integrative Activities awarded $545,819 to the University of Wisconsin System, through its University of Wisconsin Oshkosh campus, under the Integrative Activities program (CFDA 47.083) to establish the BRIDGE (Building Research Infrastructure and Development to Grow Emerging Research Institutions) initiative for Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs). The grant, awarded July 15, 2025, and extending through June 30, 2029, will deliver three primary products and services: (1) development and implementation of a "Post-Award Research Concierge" position and associated training program at two UW PUI institutions to reduce administrative burden on faculty managing externally funded grants; (2) execution of a first-of-its-kind system-wide peer review in partnership with the National Council of University Research Administrators; and (3) establishment of a community of practice comprising representatives from all 11 UW PUIs to address peer review findings and collaborative research enterprise challenges.

The initiative is designed to enhance faculty capacity for grant-seeking and research engagement by alleviating administrative barriers that discourage external grant pursuit at PUIs. Expected outcomes include improved faculty satisfaction with sponsored programs services, increased research expenditures, expanded faculty engagement in grant activities, and heightened undergraduate student participation in mentored research experiences. The project will generate replicable models and best practices applicable to other PUI systems nationwide, directly advancing NSF's mission to build research capacity and broaden participation in the nation's STEM enterprise.

Abstract

Predominantly undergraduate institutions (puis) face many barriers to fully engage in the research enterprise. Nationwide, puis enroll millions of students and fill a critical role in educating the future U.S. Workforce. Faculty-mentored undergraduate research, often funded through faculty external grants, helps recruit and engage students, while also providing hands-on experiences for success in the workforce. However, local and national surveys reveal that faculty members at puis suffer a significant burden in managing the administrative tasks associated with external grants, which often discourages the pursuit of grant-funded research. This project will serve as a model to promote a dynamic research-oriented culture that ensures faculty have support to pursue and manage externally funded projects, resulting in increased grant proposals and funding, which will ensure undergraduate students have greater access to mentored research experiences that enhance their academic and workplace success. To address research enterprise challenges at puis, this project has the following three objectives: 1) introduce the ?post-award research concierge? Position and develop a model training program at two universities of wisconsin (UW) PUI institutions. 2) partner with the national council of university research administrators for a first-of-its-kind system-wide peer review. 3) create a community of practice with representatives from the 11 UW puis that will prioritize and address peer review findings and other relevant topics. Outcomes will include improved faculty satisfaction with sponsored programs services, increased faculty capacity and engagement in research and grant seeking, increased research expenditures, and increased undergraduate student research participation due to increased grant funding. The project will result in multiple models that can benefit the research enterprise, which will be disseminated regionally and nationally through a robust dissemination plan. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.