Research Advancement & Strategy
Supporting UCF faculty by identifying funding, strengthening proposals, and fostering collaboration to advance innovative and impactful research.
The Division of Research Advancement and Strategy (RAS) supports faculty success through targeted programs, collaborative services, and strategic initiatives. We help researchers develop competitive proposals by identifying opportunities, strengthening projects, and supporting large interdisciplinary efforts.
RAS includes two areas: Research Development, which enhances proposal competitiveness and faculty readiness, and Research Initiatives, which fosters collaboration, innovation, and strategic impact.
Together, we advance UCF’s research enterprise—connecting ideas, people, and resources to create lasting impact.
Research Development
The Research Development team helps to identify funding opportunities, coordinate limited submissions and internal funding programs, and support early career researchers and mentoring. We offer workshops and networking opportunities, provide proposal development support and specialized review, and share resources with the research community to increase grant competitiveness and success.
Research Initiatives
EARLIER
The EARLIER program at UCF supports large, complex, and interdisciplinary proposals that advance our institutional research priorities. A joint effort between Research Development and Pre‑Award Shared Services, EARLIER reduces administrative burden by providing project management oversight to coordinate timelines, facilitate internal and external collaborators, and provide tailored services such as grant writing, budget development, document preparation, and strategic planning from concept to submission.
Pre-Award Shared Services
The Pre-Award Shared Services (PASS) team at UCF provides centralized support for proposal development support under a shared services model, across select colleges and divisions. PASS assists with budget creation, internal routing, and sponsor submissions, ensuring compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements. We collaborate closely with faculty and staff to streamline the proposal process and offer ad-hoc support when local pre-award staff are unavailable for extended periods.
Faculty Cluster Initiative
The Faculty Cluster Initiative (FCI) at UCF fosters interdisciplinary collaboration by linking faculty from all twelve colleges to address complex societal challenges. The faculty clusters promote innovation and excellence across various domains, including energy systems, cybersecurity, learning sciences, and health technologies. These clusters facilitate cutting-edge research and education, contributing to global advancements and enhancing UCF’s reputation as a leader in transformative research.