J-WAFS Seed Grant Call for Proposals FAQs
Eligibility
Who do you accept proposals from?
We accept proposals from anyone with Principal Investigator (PI) status, in any MIT school or department. PI status is typically reserved for faculty as well as individuals with titles such as principal research scientist, principal research engineer, etc. Research teams, including teams spanning more than one school or DLC, may submit proposals so long as there is at least one MIT Principal Investigator.
What are you looking for in a project proposal?
We are open to eligible proposals that further the overall J-WAFS mission. J-WAFS’ mission is to catalyze MIT research, innovation, and technology for ensuring safe and resilient supplies of water and food while reducing environmental impact, to meet the local and global needs of a rapidly expanding and evolving population on a changing planet.
What kind of proposals do you fund?
Proposals in all areas related to water and food security, safety, and sustainability are eligible for funding. While we have no designated priority areas, please check our annual call for proposals for examples of areas of interest. Proposals should be for new, innovative projects that are sufficiently distinct from prior research. Requests for funding to supplement existing sponsored research, or for course or curriculum development, will not be considered.
Do you prefer proposals for science, engineering, and technology development over approaches from other disciplines?
No. While MIT has particular strengths in science and engineering and we have funded many technology-oriented projects, we also fund research related to urban studies and planning, supply chain analytics, economics, anthropology, archeology, and more. We are open to proposals from all departments, labs, and centers across the Institute and in all research areas as long as the proposed project relates to our water and food mission.
Is there a maximum award amount?
Seed grant funding is available up to a maximum of $75,000 per year for two years, overhead free.
Is there a limit for how many proposals are submitted by the same PI?
PIs may participate in up to two proposals in a given year.
Can PIs that have already received a seed grant or other funding from J-WAFS still apply?
Yes. Former PIs as well as currently funded PIs may still submit proposals.
General Proposal
How do I apply?
We are now requiring an initial letter of interest. Full proposals will be welcome by invitation based on review of the LOIs.
LOIs should be submitted online through J-WAFS’ web-based proposal submission portal, https://jwafs.mit.edu/seedgrantportal.
What do I need to submit?
- Proposal Information Form (webform on application site)
- Single PDF with file name “PILastName-JWAFS2025LOI.pdf,” containing:
- LOI narrative (max 2 pages)
- Research team and cost narrative
- Appendices (may include technical figures, references)
Can a person other than the PI(s) submit a grant proposal?
A proposal must be led by a faculty member or a member of the research staff with principal investigator privileges (generally senior or principal research scientist, or senior or principal engineer). However the PI may designate a participating student, post-doc, administrative assistant, or other individual to be the contact person who submits the proposal through the submission portal.
*Note: There can only be one login per submission team, so we suggest sharing the login account information, or having one person handle the administration through the Wizehive portal.
How do I create an account in Wizehive?
Click this link and follow the instructions to sign up for a Wizehive account: https://webportalapp.com/sp/home/jwafs
How do I log in to Wizehive?
Follow this link to log in: https://webportalapp.com/sp/home/jwafs
How many projects will you be funding?
Every year J-WAFS receives numerous proposals that are very strong and competitive, and always many more than we are able to fund. J-WAFS anticipates funding six to eight projects this year.
How many years will you fund a project for?
We will fund a project up to $75,000 per year, free of overhead charges, for up to two years.
What are the deadlines?
*** As noted above, this year our seed grant proposal process has changed. We are now requiring an initial letter of interest. Full proposals will be welcome by invitation based on review of the LOIs. ***
The 2025 timeline is as follows:
Thursday, October 10, 2024: J-WAFS RFP announced and WizeHive online submission portal open for letters of
interest
Monday December 9, 2024: Letters of interest due (by 5 pm)
By early January, 2025: Invitations to submit full proposal
Friday, February 14, 2025: Full proposals due (by 5 pm)
Spring, 2025: Announcement of funded projects
Monday, September 1, 2025: Start of funded projects
When will the winners be announced?
We anticipate announcing the 2025 funded projects in the spring of 2025.
What is the start date for the funded projects?
Funded projects should assume a September 1, 2025 start date.
Who decides which grant applications to fund?
J-WAFS makes its funding decisions based on peer review from MIT faculty and senior research staff, as well as recommendations from an appointed review committee.
Our grant proposal was denied. Why?
Every year J-WAFS receives numerous proposals that are very strong and competitive, many more than we are able to fund. Just because a proposal was not funded does not imply that it was not a strong proposal. We typically provide peer review comments to the proposers in order to give feedback about their proposal.
Can you share my proposal review comments?
After all funding decisions are announced, proposers can get access to the reviewer comments on their proposal.
If my proposal was denied last year, can I resubmit it this year?
Yes. Every year J-WAFS receives numerous proposals that are very strong and competitive, however the pool of proposals varies every year. Therefore, a proposal that is not awarded one year may still be competitive the next year. We do suggest that applicants interested in re-submitting proposals take into account the reviewers’ comments and make appropriate revisions.
Budgeting
How do I submit my budget?
We require all budgets to be submitted as an Excel document using the J-WAFS budget template, which can be found on the submission portal. A PDF version of the budget should also be included in the proposal narrative.
What are allowable budget line items?
Typical budget items include personnel, M&S and other research expenses, tuition for appointed RAs, justifiable travel for MIT personnel or for outside collaborators, and limited equipment purchases. Faculty summer salary should be limited to one summer month per PI over the grant period, and total faculty salary (for all PIs and including EB) may not exceed 15% of the award.
What are unallowable budget line items?
Proposals that are primarily for equipment purchase will not be considered; equipment should be limited to no more than 20% of the total budget. Equipment purchases are expected to directly support the proposed research and should occur early in the project, and not within six months of the end date of the award.
Can I have sub-awards in my budget proposal?
No sub-awards or pass-throughs are allowed; this funding is intended to support MIT research. However proposals with two MIT PIs may apportion the award across discrete budgets and separate accounts for each PI. Please use the “multi-PI” Excel budget template for this situation.
What is the maximum funding for PI(s), salary(s)?
Faculty summer salary should be limited to one summer month per PI over the grant period, and total faculty salary (for all PIs and including EB) may not exceed 15% of the award.
What overhead rate should I use?
J-WAFS Seed grants are set up as internal orders, and have no F&A or fund fees imposed on spending under the grant. The J-WAFS seed grant budget template is set up to show no F&A.