AIM Research Seed Award Program
The Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM) invites applications for its 2026 Research Seed Award Program, designed to support the development of innovative, interdisciplinary research projects that leverage AI to address critical societal challenges. The program aims to foster projects that consider the applications of AI in alignment with AIM’s four key areas of focus: accessibility, sustainability, justice, and learning.
The Seed Award seeks to:
- Support early-stage, high-impact research that aligns with AIM’s mission to drive collaborative, innovative AI research with positive societal impact.
- Foster interdisciplinary collaboration among university researchers and community partners.
- Lay the groundwork for sustained research with the potential to secure future external funding.
While we are open to all areas of AI research, priority will be given to proposals that align with one or more of the following topics:
- Accessibility: Addressing disability, aging, neurodiversity, and mental health through universal design, language inclusivity, and adaptive technologies.
- Sustainability: Exploring climate, food security, agriculture, and aquaculture, aiming to improve public health, policy, and business.
- Justice: Investigating race, gender, digital inequality, policy, and power dynamics, with an emphasis on fairness and equity.
- Learning: Advancing education, workforce development, organizational development and training, and cognitive enhancement.
- November 2025 Seed Award Announcement & Virtual Information Session
- December 5, 2025 Letter of Intent Deadline (required for all tracks)
- January 16, 2026 Invitation to Submit Full Proposals
- February 27, 2026 Full Proposal Deadline
- May 1, 2026 Award Notifications
- July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027 Funding Period
Track Overview
There are two specific tracks for proposals: collaborative research teams (Track A) and individual faculty meetings (Track B).
Track A: Collaborative Awards
This track fosters interdisciplinary partnerships across colleges to encourage innovative and complex AI-related projects.
- Purpose: To support large, cross-college collaborative projects with the potential to secure additional funding.
- Duration: The grant cycle is from July 1, 2026 - July 20, 2027
- Review Criteria: Proposals review criteria will be included in the invitation to submit full proposals.
Teams must include at least two Principal Investigators (PIs) who are UMD AIM-affiliated faculty members (tenure-track or professional-track) from different disciplines. While the PIs may come from different colleges or departments, this is not required. Regardless of their home units, the proposal must clearly describe the nature of the collaboration, explaining the distinct expertise of each PI and how their combined perspectives advance the interdisciplinary goals of the project. The inclusion of students, industry collaborators, and community partners is strongly encouraged. Projects that engage local community partners through meaningful participation and shared decision-making are strongly encouraged. PIs who received an AIM Seed Award—in any track (except as faculty mentors for student grants )or as co-PIs or collaborators—during the previous funding cycle are not eligible to apply in this round.
Requests range from $25,000 to $75,000 total. Budgets must be commensurate with the proposed work and clearly justified. It will be rare for awards to receive the maximum amount. Budget justification will be part of the evaluation criteria, and awards at the maximum amount will be rare to support as many projects as possible.
There is no formal matching requirement for this funding opportunity. However, PIs are encouraged to work with their colleges and departments to access additional monetary or other forms of support that will help sustain and advance the project’s goals during the proposed budget period. Such letters will be positively considered, with consideration for those whose units are unable to provide funding.
Allowable Costs
- Personnel: Salaries and fringe benefits for faculty, staff, and students directly involved in the project.
- Supplies & Materials: Laboratory supplies, consumables, and materials directly related to the project (e.g., chemicals, software licenses).
- Equipment (Max $10K): Essential equipment with a useful life over one year (subject to limits/approval).
- Travel: Travel expenses for project-related activities (e.g., conferences, fieldwork), directly tied to the research.
- Consultants & Subcontracts: Payments to consultants or subcontractors for specific expertise, with justification.
- Other Direct Costs: Compute costs (e.g., AWS), data collection, software, communication (e.g., mailing, shipping), and training relevant to the project.
Unallowable Costs
- Personal Expenses: Personal items (e.g., clothing, cell phones) or entertainment unrelated to the project.
- Unjustified Large Equipment: High-cost equipment not essential or justified for the project.
- Fines & Penalties: Legal costs or penalties for policy violations.
- Capital Improvements: Renovations, real estate purchases, or construction.
- Indirect Costs: Costs exceeding the allowable rate.
- Alcohol & Entertainment: Costs for alcohol or non-research-related social events.
- Lobbying & Advocacy: Costs related to lobbying or political advocacy.
- Unrelated Memberships: Memberships or subscriptions not directly needed for research.
- Unjustified Overseas Travel: International travel not directly related to the research.
For any questions regarding allowable/unallowable costs, please contact aim@umd.edu
Track B: Individual Faculty
This track supports individual faculty pursuing groundbreaking AI-related research and creative projects. It offers flexibility for innovative ideas that may not yet fit into larger-scale collaborative grant opportunities.
- Purpose: To support large, cross-college collaborative projects with the potential to secure additional funding.
- Duration: The grant cycle is from July 1, 2026 - July 20, 2027
- Review Criteria: Proposals review criteria will be included in the invitation to submit full proposals.
The Principal Investigator (PI) must be a tenure-track or professional-track faculty member at the University of Maryland who is affiliated with AIM. Each project may have only one PI; co-PIs are not permitted. The maximum award amount is $20,000 per project. PIs may submit only one proposal in any AIM Seed Award track during this cycle, and individuals who have previously received an AIM Seed Award are not eligible to apply. Duration: Grants are for a maximum of one year.
Requests may range from $5,000 to $20,000 total.
There is no matching requirement.
Allowable Costs
- Personnel: Salaries and fringe benefits for faculty, staff, and students directly involved in the project.
- Supplies & Materials: Laboratory supplies, consumables, and materials directly related to the project (e.g., chemicals, software licenses).
- Equipment (Max $10K): Essential equipment with a useful life over one year (subject to limits/approval).
- Travel: Travel expenses for project-related activities (e.g., conferences, fieldwork), directly tied to the research.
- Consultants & Subcontracts: Payments to consultants or subcontractors for specific expertise, with justification.
- Other Direct Costs: Compute costs (e.g., AWS), data collection, software, communication (e.g., mailing, shipping), and training relevant to the project.
Unallowable Costs
- Personal Expenses: Personal items (e.g., clothing, cell phones) or entertainment unrelated to the project.
- Unjustified Large Equipment: High-cost equipment not essential or justified for the project.
- Fines & Penalties: Legal costs or penalties for policy violations.
- Capital Improvements: Renovations, real estate purchases, or construction.
- Indirect Costs: Costs exceeding the allowable rate.
- Alcohol & Entertainment: Costs for alcohol or non-research-related social events.
- Lobbying & Advocacy: Costs related to lobbying or political advocacy.
- Unrelated Memberships: Memberships or subscriptions not directly needed for research.
- Unjustified Overseas Travel: International travel not directly related to the research.
For any questions regarding allowable/unallowable costs, please contact aim@umd.edu
Letter of Intent (LOI) Requirements
Those interested in submitting a grant for any track must submit a binding Letter of Intent (LOI) that outlines the proposed project (2-page max, single-spaced with 1-inch margins and a minimum of 11pt font of any type). The LOI should include the following elements:
On the first page, only include:
- Project Title
- Principal Investigators (PI)s - List names, titles, departments/colleges, and AIM affiliations.
- Collaborators/Partners (if applicable) - Include any student, industry, or community partners.
- Project Description:
- Project Purpose: Briefly describe the problem or issue the project addresses and its significance to the field and society. Clearly indicate which AIM focus area(s)—accessibility, sustainability, justice, or learning—the project aligns with.
- Theoretical or Intellectual Framework: Summarize the conceptual or disciplinary foundations of the project. This may look different in different fields but the goal is to clearly state the gap in the work that this project addresses.
- Research Questions or Hypotheses: State the key research question(s) or hypotheses.
- Methods/Approach: Explain how you will address the research question(s) or test hypotheses.
- Expected Contributions and Impact: Describe what new knowledge, understanding, or applications may result from the work.
On the second page, only include:
- Key references (5-7) - Provide essential citations to situate the project within the relevant literature.
- Estimated Budget – Provide a summary table outlining the total proposed budget with brief justifications (e.g., personnel, materials, community engagement). This is an estimate for planning purposes and may be revised in the full proposal stage.
- (optional) Figures and Tables. Include only if they clarify the project’s design, methods, or anticipated outcomes (must be a minimum of 10pt font in the table/figure).
The LOI is intended to help the AIM review committee gauge project scope, interdisciplinarity, and alignment with program goals. Formal proposals will be requested from select teams.
Any LOIs that do not adhere to the above criteria, including the two-page limit, will be desk rejected.
LOI Review Criteria
All Letters of Intent (LOIs) will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary AIM committee. Evaluation will be based on the following criteria:
Demonstrates clear connection to at least one of AIM’s four key areas: accessibility, sustainability, justice, or learning.
Presents an original, creative, or high-impact approach to addressing a critical societal and scientific challenge using AI.
Clearly integrates concepts, frameworks, or methods from multiple disciplines to address the research question. Demonstrates how combining these perspectives advances understanding or innovation beyond a single disciplinary approach.
Methods and project plans are realistic, well-defined, and appropriate for the scope and timeline.
Shows promise for advancing knowledge, practice, or societal outcomes and potential to attract external funding.
Estimated budget is reasonable, commensurate with the proposed work, and represents the minimum necessary to complete the project.
Clearly identifies key partners, their roles, and how their combined expertise supports the project’s goals.