Team-Based Consulting
STAIR offers up to 2,900 hours of team-based consulting annually to support proposal development for conventional funding mechanisms. These services are tailored to the specific needs of early-career Principal Investigators (PIs) and Research Administrators (RAs) at 13–21 non-R1 institutions, with a strong emphasis on fostering collaborations with R1 institutions. The consulting aims to help partnering institutions build competitive teams and strengthen their capacity to secure and manage research funding.
STAIR services will include:
- Comprehensive, “concierge” proposal development support (starting Spring 2026)
- Travel awards (annual, based on engagement with STAIR)
- Training for research administrators
Open Call for Collaborative Project Proposals
Up to five collaborative projects will be selected each year to receive customized support aligned with their funding goals and institutional context. Each selected team will receive up to 580 hours of dedicated support annually from the STAIR team.
Important note: STAIR will only provide consulting and resources to develop and improve the proposal and budgets but will NOT be responsible for submitting the grant unless the PI is from Penn State (not required). The PI institution will be responsible for additional compliance checks and submission within the required timeframe.
This comprehensive support will be tailored to the specific needs of each team and may include:
- Assessment of institutional strengths and team gaps and needs
- Project development support, including RFP review, proposal guidance, and technical section templates and reviews
- Budget preparation and budget justification assistance
- Development of graphics and data visualizations
- Red team proposal review process guidance
- Guidance on compliance documentation (but submitting institution still responsible for internal review and compliance)
- Consultation with PSU Office of Research Protections (ORP) regarding IRB, IACUC, research security, and biosafety requirements
- Post-award research administration guidance