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University of Wisconsin Milwaukee SM-Apply

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee SM-Apply

UWM Discovery and Innovation Grant (DIG) Program
Opens Feb 24 2026 12:30 PM (CST)
Deadline Mar 31 2026 05:00 PM (CDT)
Description

A detailed description of the program and the application is published in the Request for Proposals.

When using the online application: 

  1. You may work on the application incrementally, but you must mark each task Complete before you will be able to Review and Submit the Application. 

  2. Watch for messages from SM-Apply.  People using the Focused/Other or Clutter boxes in Outlook may find some of the confirmation emails going to their Clutter/Other boxes.  You can make adjustments to those boxes.  For more information, please consult:  https://support.office.com/en-gb/article/focused-inbox-for-outlook-f445ad7f-02f4-4294-a82e-71d8964e3978. 

For administrative inquiries regarding the DIG program, questions about requirements or deadlines contact Kathleen Koch, kjk@uwm.edu  . 

For assistance with using the SM-Apply application system please review the vendor FAQ: 
https://help.smapply.io/hc/en-us/articles/115001445354-Completing-an-Application-FAQ .

For other technical questions about the SM-Apply application system or issues with the budget spreadsheet, contact Kaitlyn Mayer, kstielow@uwm.edu 

Program Summary: 

The Discovery and Innovation Grant (DIG) is an internal seed funding program that is intended to lead to competitive external proposals at a minimum of three times the DIG award amount. The program prioritizes:

  • Proposals from early career researchers.
  • Proposals that involve new lines of inquiry from mid-career researchers who have a history of external funding success. 
  • Projects that do not have significant overlap with proposals that have already been submitted to funders.
  • Investigators who do not have significant external funding balances.

Applicants must have a UWM faculty appointment or an academic staff appointment of at least 50%, Principal Investigator status, and the expectation of a continuing/renewed appointment for at least three years. Lead PIs may submit only one proposal per application cycle, although they can be co-PIs on other proposals. As a lead PI you may apply for the DIG or the ARC program this year, not both. Those who received a DIG award as a PI with a start date of July 2023, 2024, or September 2025, those who are a PI on a current ARC award, and those who have not submitted a final report for a past internal award are ineligible to apply for the current DIG funding cycle. 

Budget limit: Direct costs up to $60,000

UWM Discovery and Innovation Grant (DIG) Program


A detailed description of the program and the application is published in the Request for Proposals.

When using the online application: 

  1. You may work on the application incrementally, but you must mark each task Complete before you will be able to Review and Submit the Application. 

  2. Watch for messages from SM-Apply.  People using the Focused/Other or Clutter boxes in Outlook may find some of the confirmation emails going to their Clutter/Other boxes.  You can make adjustments to those boxes.  For more information, please consult:  https://support.office.com/en-gb/article/focused-inbox-for-outlook-f445ad7f-02f4-4294-a82e-71d8964e3978. 

For administrative inquiries regarding the DIG program, questions about requirements or deadlines contact Kathleen Koch, kjk@uwm.edu  . 

For assistance with using the SM-Apply application system please review the vendor FAQ: 
https://help.smapply.io/hc/en-us/articles/115001445354-Completing-an-Application-FAQ .

For other technical questions about the SM-Apply application system or issues with the budget spreadsheet, contact Kaitlyn Mayer, kstielow@uwm.edu 

Program Summary: 

The Discovery and Innovation Grant (DIG) is an internal seed funding program that is intended to lead to competitive external proposals at a minimum of three times the DIG award amount. The program prioritizes:

  • Proposals from early career researchers.
  • Proposals that involve new lines of inquiry from mid-career researchers who have a history of external funding success. 
  • Projects that do not have significant overlap with proposals that have already been submitted to funders.
  • Investigators who do not have significant external funding balances.

Applicants must have a UWM faculty appointment or an academic staff appointment of at least 50%, Principal Investigator status, and the expectation of a continuing/renewed appointment for at least three years. Lead PIs may submit only one proposal per application cycle, although they can be co-PIs on other proposals. As a lead PI you may apply for the DIG or the ARC program this year, not both. Those who received a DIG award as a PI with a start date of July 2023, 2024, or September 2025, those who are a PI on a current ARC award, and those who have not submitted a final report for a past internal award are ineligible to apply for the current DIG funding cycle. 

Budget limit: Direct costs up to $60,000

Log in to apply
Opens
Feb 24 2026 12:30 PM (CST)
Deadline
Mar 31 2026 05:00 PM (CDT)