Funding Opportunity: ARI/CFAR Retention Bridging Awards

Call for Applications: ARI/CFAR Retention Bridge Awards for Early/Mid-Career HIV Research Investigators

The UCSF AIDS Research Institute and the UCSF-Bay Area Center for AIDS Research are pleased to announce a renewal of the ARI funding program aimed at supporting early and mid-career investigators working in HIV research who have been impacted by recent changes at the NIH and the broader research funding landscape. This program, the ARI/CFAR Retention Bridging Awards, is designed to provide temporary financial bridging to ensure the retention of talented HIV research faculty facing current funding challenges due to funding lapses or delays in notices of new or continuing awards.

Purpose of the Program

  • Support retention of early and mid-career HIV research investigators during critical transitions caused by fluctuations in NIH and other grant funding.
  • Contribute to temporary salary support of the faculty member to mitigate the impact of funding interruptions and/or provide time to submit new grant proposals or modify current grant proposals.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Retention Bridging Awards, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Hold a UCSF primary Assistant or Associate Professor faculty position (all series are welcome) 
  • Have 50% or more of their Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) supported by research funding 
  • Conduct research primarily focused on HIV and/or related infections and complications
  • Demonstrate a clear impact from recent changes in the NIH and research funding landscape
  • Have concrete plans to adjust to the new funding environment with new grants or a new research focus 

  • Have or will have spent down discretionary accounts to a balance of no more than $50K by December 31, 2026

Funding Amount and Duration

  • Award Amount: $30,000
  • Duration: Funds must be spent within one year from the date of the award (anticipated January 1, 2027).
  • Funding Usage: The award is strictly to be used for UCSF faculty salaries (base salary only, no Z or additional payments). 

Factors for Consideration

Applications will be evaluated based on the following factors:

  1. Reason for Being at Risk: Clear explanation of the specific circumstances that have placed the applicant at risk, such as delays in notices of award or the need to rework proposals or identify new focus areas to meet new requirements/priorities.
  2. Need: Demonstration of significant financial need due to the impact of NIH or other research funding changes, including lack of availability of other funding sources or discretionary funding to support the gap
  3. Department/Division Commitment: Evidence of strong support and commitment from the applicant’s Department or Division, including any additional resources or support they can provide. Note that this factor is not required, but if the Department or Division is unable to provide support, the reasoning must be justified.
  4. Plans for adjusting research in new funding environment. Assessment of the applicant’s plans.

Application Process

Eligible HIV research investigators should submit the following 2 documents below:

  • Half page (up to ~300 words) with the following components:
    • A brief description of their research program
    • An explanation of the specific circumstances placing them at risk
    • A description of their need and resources available (including, if applicable, discretionary funds and Department/Divisional commitment)
    • Plans to adjust their research in the new funding environment if bridged. 
  • Recent biosketch

  • If selected for funding - The Division Chief/Department Chair or person responsible for sign off on the pay plan of the applicant will need to verify by December 15th that the candidate will have a funded position for FY28, and that their discretionary accounts will be projected to be < $50,000 by the end of December. 

Deadline for Applications

Applications must be submitted by COB Monday, November 2. Late applications will not be considered. We aim to have funding decisions finalized by the end of the month.

Contact Information

For any inquiries regarding the application process, please contact Lauren Sterling ([email protected]).

We look forward to supporting our dedicated investigators through this challenging period and helping to ensure the continued excellence of HIV research at UCSF.

Application Form

Please submit your application in the form below. If you have any issues with the form display, the form can also be accessed at the following link.