Minigrants
Engaged Learning
2nd Floor Student Services Building
900 University Ave
Riverside, CA 92521
Tel: (951) 827-7389
Email: engage@ucr.edu, ugr@ucr.edu
Program Overview
Get Funded for Your Awesome Ideas: Unleash Your Research with Mini-Grants!
Hey First-Years! Are you bursting with brilliant ideas for a research project or a creative endeavor? Do you dream of working closely with a professor to explore something truly fascinating? Well, get ready to turn those dreams into reality, because Undergraduate Research Mini-grants are here to give your projects a major boost! These grants provide crucial funding to support research expenses related to all sorts of amazing faculty-mentored and student-led research and creative projects. This means if your big idea needs materials, special software, or even a unique prop, we can help cover the costs so you can focus on making your project happen!
But the support doesn't stop there! We also offer Travel Grants specifically designed to help you take your hard work beyond UCR. Imagine getting to present your groundbreaking research at a national conference! These travel grants can help cover the costs of getting there, allowing you to share your discoveries with a wider academic community, network with experts in your field, and gain invaluable experience that will look incredible on your resume. It's an amazing opportunity to showcase your talent and make connections that could shape your future career or graduate school plans.
Here's the exciting part about the funding: you can receive up to $1,000 for your project or travel expenses, and these grants are offered twice a year! This gives you multiple opportunities to apply and secure the funds you need. Just keep in mind that students can only be funded once per academic year. The best news? There is no cost to apply for these mini-grants, so there's absolutely nothing to lose by putting your best ideas forward. We want to see your creativity and research potential flourish. So, if you're ready to make your research and creative projects a reality and even share them on a national stage, start thinking about your big ideas now – the Mini-grants are waiting to help you make it happen!
Target Audience and Requirements
All UCR sophomores and juniors can apply for mini-grants.
- Minimum GPA 3.0
- Faculty Mentor Letter of Recommendation
- End of Year Report
- Participation in Research Symposium
Research Grant:
- Must submit original proposal w/ clear timeline, methodology & citations, and justified budget.
Travel Grant:
- Proof of acceptance to present at the conference
- Explanation of research
- Expected learning outcomes from the conference
Deadlines
For Spring & Summer Awards:
- March 1 at 5 pm
For Summer & Fall Awards:
- May 1 at 5 pm
For Winter & Spring Awards:
- November 1 at 5 pm