CCTS Pilot Funding Program (Catalyzing Impactful Translational Science)

About this program

University of Kentucky’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) offers a rolling Pilot Funding Program to support translational research with flexible budgets and project periods up to 36 months, intended to generate preliminary data and strengthen translational infrastructure. Applications are submitted anytime via the CCTS Service Request Form after free CCTS membership; requests ≤ $5,000 receive expedited review while those > $5,000 undergo an NIH-style Scientific Review Committee assessment with written feedback, a possible 15-minute response session, and notification within two business days. Eligible applicants are UK faculty (one PI per study, co-investigators/mentors allowed; one request per study with amendments permitted), and budgets should align with the proposed work and specify requested CCTS services. Proposals must be translational, hypothesis-driven or hypothesis-generating, pilot-sized, and relevant to human health, with preference for projects that advance grant submissions, promote early-career investigators, yield publications, enhance infrastructure or community outreach, or are multidisciplinary.