Montana Clinical and Translational Research Center

2025-2026 Mini-Grants Funding Opportunity

Next Call Deadline: TBD, Check Back Soon For Our Next Application Deadline

The goal of the Montana Clinical and Translational Research Center (MCTRC) is to build clinical and translational (C&T) research capacity in our state. Over the next five years, we will be providing funding through Pilot and Developmental Awards to support C&T research projects led by UM researchers in collaboration with Partner Organizations. Our Partner Organizations include:

All Nations Health Center
Billings Clinic
Logan Health
Missoula Public Health
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
Providence
Shodair Children’s Hospital

We realize that UM and Partner Organization researchers may not be ready to submit proposals for the larger Pilot and Developmental Awards. Therefore, we are offering the C&T Mini-Grant Program ($5K per award) to support researchers in developing new partnerships / mentorship collaborations. These Mini-Grant awards will be available to investigators from both UM and our Partner Organizations, but are not to be used to support human subjects research.

Two separate C&T Mini-Grant Program funding mechanisms are proposed:

UM Researcher Mini-Grants: This funding opportunity is available to UM researchers. Potential projects include funding to support travel to develop a new collaboration or mentorship relationship, teaching / course buyout to allow time for project development, or support in developing a community research partnership. Funding to support the development of a collaboration with a Partner Organization researcher will be prioritized.

Partner Organization Mini-Grants: Funding will be provided to MCTRC Partner Organizations to support emerging investigators and to help develop relationships with UM researchers and other Partner Organizations. Potential projects include funding to support travel to develop a new collaboration or mentorship relationship, FTE buyout to allow time for project development, or support in developing a community research partnership. Funding to support the development of a collaboration with a UM researcher and/or Partner Organization will be prioritized.

Mini-Grant Proposal Requirements:
Proposal (2 pages maximum). Should contain the following components:
Project abstract (1-2 paragraphs).
Project description that includes background on your research project idea and detailed description of how the $5K C&T Mini-Grant Program will support your future Pilot or Developmental proposal submission.
A description of your Partner Organization / UM collaborator.
Timeline and expected outcomes.
Budget: Itemized budget and justification (not included in the 2-page proposal).
Supporting Documentation (not included in the 2-page proposal):
Letters of support.
Biosketches or CVs.
Citation of References (optional).

Proposals should be submitted into the MCTRC portal:
Register here: mctrc.health.umt.edu/registeruser. You must register using a University of Montana or Partner Organization email address. (If it is not accepting an email domain that is from a Partner Organization, please email kathrene.conway@umontana.edu.)
You will receive a verification email (This can take a few minutes).
Click on the link in the verification email.
Login.
If you are not already seeing the Mini-grants page, use the menu bar at the top to choose Projects->Mini-grants, Applications.
Click the Create button and follow the form instructions.

Selection Process:
Proposals will be reviewed by the MCTRC leadership team, with decisions made as applications are submitted

Final Report:
At the conclusion of funding (one year from the start of funding), a 1-page summary of your activities will be submitted through the portal.

Contact:
For more information regarding this funding opportunity, contact Ms. Aimee Elliott, MCTRC Operations and Fiscal Manager (aimee.elliott@umontana.edu).
For questions related to developing mentor-mentee relationships, contact Curtis Noonan, Director of the MCTRC Professional Development Core (curtis.noonan@umontana.edu).

For help with the MCTRC online portal, please contact Kathrene Conway, MCTRC Portal Developer (kathrene.conway@umontana.edu).

Development and Pilot Grants Requirements

Winter/Spring 2026 Development and Pilot Grants Funding Opportunity  

Letter of Intent due: 5:00 pm Mountain time on January 30, 2026 
Invitation for full application by:  February 13, 2026 

OVERVIEW 

The Montana Clinical and Translational Research Center (MCTRC) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research initiative at the University of Montana (UM) that seeks to build clinical and translational (C&T) research capacity in our state. MCTRC offers annual funding opportunities for C&T research projects led by researchers from UM and our Partner Organizations. Key dates for this current year of funding (Year 3) are indicated below. We invite applications for research projects across the C&T research spectrum. Per NIH definitions, C&T research is patient-oriented, and includes a broad spectrum of basic, preclinical, clinical, clinical implementation, and public health research. MCTRC has Core resources available to help investigators implement their C&T research projects; descriptions of these resources are below. 

Successful Pilot and Development research proposals will either be a collaboration between a UM investigator  with at least one Partner Organization co-Project Lead, or will be independently led by an investigator at a Partner Organization. MCTRC Partner Organizations include: Providence Health System, Billings Clinic-Logan Health, Shodair Children’s Hospital, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Missoula Public Health, All Nations Health Center, and the Montana Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.  

We invite letters of intent from investigators working across a wide variety of disciplines focused on improving human health. Such disciplines include, but are not limited to: public health, pharmacy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, psychology, social work, medicine, biological sciences, environmental sciences, forestry, physiology and athletic training, health communication, and public administration and policy. The MCTRC is particularly interested in and will prioritize funding for C&T research focused on the health priorities identified from the 2023 Montana state health assessment (SHA) and the 2024 – 2028 state health improvement plan (SHIP). The SHA and SHIP were conducted by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Public Health and Safety Division and include core information regarding the health status of Montanans and the health-related priorities areas for Montana. The SHA and SHIP include findings from community health assessments and health improvement plans conducted locally by County and Tribal Health departments and non-profit hospitals across the state. The health concerns and priorities identified through the SHA include behavioral health (mental health/wellness and substance use disorder), health care access and quality, including preventive health services, and social determinates of health (e.g., community wellness, economic stability, etc.). The health-specific priority areas identified in the SHIP include behavioral health, cardiovascular health, and maternal health.  

KEY DEADLINES  

• Letter of Intent due: 5:00 pm Mountain time on January 30, 2026 

• Invitation for full application by: February 13, 2026 

• Applications due: 5:00 pm Mountain time on March 27, 2026 

• Recommendations for Funding Announced*: April 30, 2026 

• Anticipated Project Period:  

• For Pilot Awards: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027  

• For Developmental Awards: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2028  

*Final funding decisions are subject to NIH approval. The anticipated Project Period may change based on NIH review timelines. 

Letter of Intent 

The required letter of Intent is limited to 2 pages or less. The letter of intent should briefly explain the proposed research, a description of the collaboration between UM and the Partner Organization, where it fits into the clinical and translational research spectrum, and how the research addresses a health issue affecting Montanans. If applying for a Pilot Award, the letter should specify how the proposed research is necessary for assessing feasibility for future work, and how the results will support submission of a subsequent research proposal. If applying for a Developmental Award, the letter should specify how the research will inform the subsequent submission of an NIH R01 or similar award. Applicants for the Developmental Awards must also submit a NIH biosketch with their letter. Letters of intent must be submitted into the MCTRC online portal no later than 5:00 pm MDT on January 30, 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent at any time prior to the January 30, 2026 deadline.   

Submitting a Letter of Intent 

To submit within the MCTRC online portal: 

• Register here: mctrc.health.umt.edu/registeruser. You must register using an @umontana.edu, @mso.umt.edu, or @umconnect.umt.edu email address.  

• You will receive a verification email.  (This can take a few minutes.) 

• Click on the link in the verification email. 

• Login.  

• Click on the button for the mechanism to which you want to apply (Pilot LOIs or Development LOIs). 

• Click the Create LOI button and follow the form instructions. 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 

Two funding opportunities are available - Pilot and Developmental Projects. MCTRC expects to fund between 1-3 projects total in this round. Please note that investigators cannot receive scientific support from multiple IDeA program sources (i.e., COBRE, INBRE, MW CTR-IN) at the same time. 

MCTRC CORES 

Four Cores provide resources to support investigators in C&T research. Applicants and investigators are encouraged to contact Core directors to inquire about support for their projects: 

Community Engagement and Outreach (CEO) Core:  The CEO Core provides investigators with training, mentoring, and actionable tools to inform the success of their outreach and engagement activities with diverse populations across the state. Core director: Todd Harwell (todd.harwell@umontana.edu). 

Research Design, Compliance, and Data (RDCD) Core: The RDCD Core provides expertise and resources in all phases of study protocol development and implementation with careful attention to adherence to federal and institutional research policies, rules, and guidelines. The Core can also provide support in primary and secondary data collection, data management, and data analysis. Core director: Erin Semmens (erin.semmens@umontana.edu).  

Professional Development (PD) Core: The PD Core provides a user-informed training and mentorship platform to support the professional development needs of C&T researchers. The PD Core is able to link new C&T researchers with mentors in grant development and clinical research. Core director: Curtis Noonan (curtis.noonan@umontana.edu). 

Health Research (HR) Core: The HR Core administers the Pilot and Developmental Projects awards program, and facilitates new collaborations between UM researchers and MCTRC’s clinical and public health Partner Organizations. Core director: Sophia Newcomer (sophia.newcomer@umontana.edu) 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

Full proposal requirements 

If invited to submit a full application following the letter of intent process, applicants will be given an instructions packet with details on submitting a proposal. Below, we have provided a summary of the required components of the full application. Applicants who are considered an Early Stage Investigator will be required to identify a mentor for their project. The ideal mentor will be an independently-funded investigator in the specific research area or discipline of the applicant. If an applicant does not already have such a mentor, then HR Core Director Sophia Newcomer and PD Core Director Curtis Noonan will work with them to help identify an appropriate mentor. Project budgets will be required to include a small stipend to support the mentor’s commitment.    

Contact 

For more information regarding this funding opportunity, contact Sophia Newcomer, MCTRC Health Research Core Director (sophia.newcomer@umontana.edu) or Tony Ward, MCTRC Director (tony.ward@umontana.edu).   

For help with the MCTRC online portal, please contact Kathrene Conway, MCTRC Portal Developer (kathrene.conway@umontana.edu).