2025 Bridge Funding Program

Applying for bridge funding upon unanticipated termination/interruption of funding

Goal

Short-term, limited funding (“bridge funding”) may be available to support continuation of research, if 1) there is an unanticipated termination or interruption of extramural funding and 2) there is a clearly demonstrated path to future funding. Funding is designed to maintain research programs at a minimum “essential” level. To be considered for funding, applicants must detail plans and specific timelines to secure new external funding.

Principal Investigator (PI) eligibility to apply for bridge funding

• A Principal Investigator (PI) on a federal/state award who is notified of sudden, unanticipated termination in extramural funding prior to the anticipated project end date/no-cost extension date, through no action of the PI, or routine course of grant activity OR the PI who expected to be funded (as communicated by the agency delegate) but has not received the anticipated funding because of federal/state agency delays.

AND

• The PI has already exhausted non-sponsored (e.g. discretionary) funds to cover the costs normally incurred on the activity.  

Internal cost sharing mechanism and additional details

• If bridge funding is awarded, it will ordinarily follow the standard Purdue model of: PI’s home unit (school/department): 1/3; College: 1/3; University: 1/3.
• Submission for bridge funding should be requested for the shortest duration necessary to cover expenditures. For example, bridge funding requested to cover graduate student costs should be constrained to one semester. In general, bridge funding will not exceed 6 months in total.
• As a condition of any bridge funding, the PI agrees to submit a new application for funding within 6 months of receipt of bridge funding, or the next posted grant deadline. This new application may require pivoting to an alternate/related fundable research idea.
• Requests for bridge funding should include only the minimum expenditures necessary for research continuation (e.g., non-essential travel expenditures should not be included).
• One application per terminated grant will be allowed. Any application should take into account impacted graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and research staff. If multiple faculty are included as Co-PIs advising the student/staff, their resources, along with departmental and college contributions, will be considered as an eligibility criterion.

Bridge funding

Graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and research staff whose salaries are directly charged to federal grants will be prioritized. Bridge funding will be non-recurring and cannot be used for summer salary. Unspent bridge funds will be returned to support others in need – including if the PI secures other funding to close the gap during the bridging period.

Submission Process

Applicants should inform their Heads and Deans about their intent to apply and work with their Business Office. To initiate the process, please assemble the following documents and upload as a single PDF to the following link: https://purdue.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1971581:

1. A copy of the grant/activity termination notice on which the application is based.
2. A specific plan and rapid timeline to pivot to a fundable research area that fits the current priorities of a federal agency (not to exceed 2 pages).
3. A description of specific efforts to secure the funding (#2 above) to support the personnel and work proposed (not to exceed 1 page).
4. A short letter from the School/Department Head and Dean certifying that non-sponsored funds available to the PI have been already expended for bridge funding purposes, and committing to the 1/3^rd matching model described above.
5. A budget (prepared in conjunction with the unit Business Office) that projects PI’s needs based on terminated funding.

Since funds are limited, the following criteria will be used by the Office of Research, Office of the Provost and Office of the CFO in determining which requests can be fulfilled.

• Alignment of the bridge funding request with university priorities.
• The PI’s efforts to secure other extramural funding concurrently to support personnel whose salaries are charged to the grant.
• The PI’s demonstrated willingness to pivot and submit a research grant that fits the current priorities of a federal agency.
• The termination/stop work date and distance from the end anticipated date of the grant.

Frequently Asked Questions