Gun Violence Solutions Project

Call for Proposals: UVA Gun Violence Solutions Project Research Subcommittee 2026 Grant Program

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GVSP Request for Proposals

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The UVA Gun Violence Solutions Project (GVSP) Research Subcommittee invites proposals for individual or collaborative projects to begin in February 2026.  

Proposal Deadlines:

  • Faculty collaborative grants – LOI deadline: Monday, December 15, 2025
  • Full faculty collaborative grants and seed project grants – Friday, January 23, 2026

Research Funding Mission/Vision

Grantmaking in 2025-2026 will support the Gun Violence Solutions Project’s vision of a transdisciplinary research community, leveraging the University’s array of expertise and excellence to address gun violence in our community, the Commonwealth, and beyond. The GVSP’s research mission is to foster actionable research outcomes and practicable interventions through activities including research, implementation, and evaluation.

Goals

  • Undertake research and application projects with clear pathways to enacting change in communities
  • Stimulate collaboration across disciplines, methods, and knowledge bases
  • Build the University as a uniquely interdisciplinary partner, ready to collaborate with other institutions and partners

Study Topics and Collaboration Types of Interest

  • Postvention, as well as prevention, oriented projects
  • Projects addressing suicide
  • Projects that examine gun violence in small cities (250,000 people or less) or rural communities
  • Projects implementing and evaluating existing evidence-based/informed interventions 
  • Creative collaborations applying knowledge, including methodological knowledge, to what may be a new area of study for the collaborators
  • Collaborations across phases of a policy or program (e.g., research, development, implementation, evaluation)

Grant Types

The number of proposals supported and the total amount of support will depend on the number and quality of proposals received. Applications may be declined, partially awarded, or fully awarded. The GVSP is planning for another round of funding in 2026. The GVSP seeks to fund two general types/sizes of projects:

  • Faculty collaborative grants
    • The goal of this funding is to build new research collaborations related to gun violence solutions among researchers and practitioners at UVA. Existing research collaborations will be considered.
    • Collaborations are encouraged, including at least two partners from different  fields/departments/etc. For purposes of these grants, partners must be faculty, clinical leaders, or postdocs. In cases of postdocs as partners, postdocs must provide documentation of managing supervisor authorization.
    • For projects with prospects to leverage findings to secure external funding for research or creative activities. 
    • Funding requests may be up to $65,000 per project.
  • Seed project grants 
    • Seed project grants are for projects that require smaller initial investment to initiate research, develop collaborative partnerships, or pilot implementation in preparation for external grant applications.
    • Collaboration is also encouraged, though not required.
    • Funding requests may be up to $10,000 per project.

GVSP will consider off-cycle requests for up to $10,000 for time-sensitive opportunities on a rolling basis. Email Bobby Doyle for more information about off-cycle requests

Eligibility

  • UVA faculty of any rank and track from all schools and units across Grounds are eligible to apply for Faculty Collaborative Grants.
  • UVA faculty, postdocs, and students of any rank and track from all schools and units across Grounds are eligible to apply for Seed Project Grants. 
  • Postdocs must provide authorization from their managing supervisor. 
  • Graduate students must provide authorization from their advisor or director of Graduate Studies. 
  • Undergraduate students must provide authorization from a faculty advisor, a departmental director of Undergraduate Studies, or relevant Association Dean. 
  • Projects may involve partnership with external partners, but UVA must be the project lead.

Funding Period

  • February 2026 – December 31, 2026

Reporting Requirements

Grant recipients are required to join a GVSP symposium to share their work and to submit a brief final report by their grant end date.

Faculty Collaborative Grants Application Process

Letter of intent:

  • Interested applicants must submit a brief letter of intent by December 15, 2025. The GVSP Research Subcommittee will review the letters and, based upon the number and quality received, invite full proposals from applicants with promising projects. Not all invited proposals will be funded.
  • Letters of intent should
    • Briefly describe (approx. 1 page, single spaced) the central aims of the project, its connection to GVSP’s research vision, goals, and/or areas of interest, and an overview of the proposed work that will be undertaken to achieve the aims, including methods and rough timeline.
    • Identify and briefly describe (approx. 1 page, single spaced) the project members, both UVA-affiliated and external partners as applicable, including relevant titles, department/agency affiliation, etc., and a brief statement of their expected role in the project.
    • Include a list of approximate expenses for major budget categories. Note allowable budget items such as student or postdoc support, catering and meals, computing equipment, travel & lodging, books and supplies, honoraria, contracted services, etc. If the budget includes faculty summer salary, please indicate how this component advances the work.
  • Submit LOIs by December 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. to submissions.karsh@virginia.edu, with the subject line “GVSP Faculty Collaborative Grant LOI Submission”.

Full proposal requirements:

  • Full proposals requested from finalists are required by January 23, 2026, limited to 6 pages (excluding title page, CVs, and letters of support) and must be structured to include the items below:  
    • Title Page with a project title and PIs’ names, departments, and emails.  
    • Project description: Detailed description and overview of the research or intervention. Articulate the relevance, significance, and impact of the planned work within the broader context of existing research or practice. Describe the connection(s) to GVSP’s mission, goals, and/or areas of interest. 
    • Plan, objectives, and timeline: Include questions to be addressed, the methods and techniques to be employed, the goals of the project, and the expected outcomes with their potential impact on the field. Additionally, please outline the timeline of the project. 
    • Next steps and advances that are needed to pursue external funding: Describe the next step in the research or practice, how the supported research or practice could enable the PIs to successfully pursue funding opportunities, etc. Acknowledging that current external funding sources are in a state of flux, please provide, if you can, planned funding sources and grant types, planned submission dates, and anticipated funding level.  
    • Budget and justification: Budget should include expenses in major budget categories such as student or postdoc support, catering and meals, computing equipment, travel & lodging, books and supplies, honoraria, contracted services, etc., including explanations as appropriate. If the budget includes faculty summer salary, please indicate how this component advances the work. 
    • Project team: Include brief qualifications and contributions of the PIs, key faculty collaborators, or students, as well as their roles in the proposed project. 
    • CVs—abbreviated CV or NIH biosketch up to 5 pages for each PI/co-PI. 
  • All materials should be submitted by  January 23, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. as one PDF file by emailing Karsh Submissions, with the subject line “GVSP Faculty Collaborative Grant Submission.”

Seed Grants Application Process

  • Interested applicants may submit their application by  January 23, 2026. A letter of intent is not required for seed grant applications.
  • A brief proposal (max 3 pages, excluding CVs) must include:  
    • Project title and PIs’ names, departments, and emails.
    • Project description: Description of the area of research or intervention, its significance and impact, and its connection to GVSP’s mission, goals, and/or areas of interest.
    • Research plan and objectives: Include questions to be addressed, methods, goals, rough timeline and potential for future external funding opportunities. 
    • Brief budget and justification: Budget should include a short list of approximate expenses in major budget categories such as student or postdoc support, material, contracted services, travel & lodging, etc. No faculty salary is allowed.
    • CVs - abbreviated CV or NIH biosketch up to 5 pages for each PI/co-PI. Undergraduate students should submit a resume.
  • All materials should be submitted by  January 23, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. as one PDF file by emailing submissionskarsh@virignia.edu, with the subject line “GVSP Seed Grant Submission.”

Timeline

Week of December 1-5, 2025: Open office hours are available for applicants’ questions. Meet with Heather Zelle via Zoom on Tuesday, December 2nd, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., or Friday, December 5th, 2 p.m. to 4 .pm. If neither of those times work, please contact Heather via email.

December 15, 2025: Letters of intent due by 11:59 p.m. EST

December 19, 2025: Invitations to submit full proposals for Faculty Collaborative Grants sent

January 23, 2026: Full proposals (Faculty Collaborative and Seed) due by 11:59 p.m. EST

February 13, 2026: Notification to applicants, formal funding agreement and funding to follow shortly thereafter

December 31, 2026: End of grant period. (Faculty collaborative grants may request a one year no-cost extension.)

Funding Limitations and Administration

  • In order to receive funding, accepted proposals must submit a letter from the relevant Department Chair or Dean that indicates they support the application, and the relevant unit will be able to accept and manage the funding. Note that GVSP Grant funding cannot be used to pay the 22% University tax. Instructions will be provided with the acceptance notification. 
  • Faculty home departments will manage funds, including expenses, reimbursements, and tracking fund balances. Note that funding agreements to faculty and postdocs will require a signature from the department chair or business manager. Please be certain your department is aware of and will accept this responsibility.
  • All projects must comply with university and school procedures (e.g., IRB approval if applicable).