Research Start-Up Grants

About this program

The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust offers Research Start-Up Grants to augment institutional start-up packages for new tenure-track faculty conducting natural science research at private, predominantly undergraduate institutions. Grants match institutional cash contributions 1:1, up to $36,000, and must be spent within 24 months of the faculty member’s arrival; applications are due July 31, with awards announced in September. Eligible applicants are institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington, applying for approved tenure-track positions in natural science departments or related interdisciplinary fields. Proposals must include a new faculty research mentoring plan and identify an external scientific consultant who participates in the hiring process and provides the required documentation.