Learn more about the Creative Achievement & Research Administration Team (CARAT)

CARAT (Creative Achievement and Research Administration Team) assists CAHSS faculty with research development and pre- and post-award services. CARAT offers a range of support to faculty seeking extramural funding, including drop-in sessions, individual consultations, workshops, and co-sponsored sessions. Check out their website and myUMBC group for upcoming activities.

To request a consultation, use this form. To begin a proposal with an identified funder, use this form. You must be logged-in to myUMBC to complete these CARAT forms.

Note that the lead time for fellowship proposal development is 2-3 business weeks, and at minimum 4 business weeks for grant proposal development. CARAT reserves the right to decline proposal requests that do not include adequate lead time.

UMBC and CAHSS Resources for Research & Creative Achievement

• The CAHSS Office of the Dean has several internal funding programs, including the CAHSS Dean’s Research Fund and CAHSS Research Fellows Program, and maintains a list of annual opportunities and awards.

• The Dresher Center for the Humanities provides internal funding opportunities, including research development and completion funds and residential and summer fellowships for projects in the humanities. The monthly Dresher Center Digest spotlights these opportunities.

• The Center for Social Science Scholarship (CS3) provides information on research funding, including internal and external grants and other opportunities for social science research. The monthly CS3 newsletter features these opportunities.

• The Center for Innovation, Research, and Creativity in the Arts (CIRCA) website provides research resources on internal research support, including fellowships, programming and pedagogy grants, and contingency funds, and a list of external funding opportunities in the arts. The weekly CIRCA Digest is also a resource for funding information in the arts.

• The Public Health Research Center (PHRC) offers internal grants as well as proposal development services.

• The Division of Research and Creative Achievement has funding opportunities for UMBC faculty, including limited-submission and internal funding opportunities, such as START, SURFF, and SURE. Visit the Faculty Resources page for general and current information.

Faculty seeking to develop extramural grants and fellowships should submit a CARAT Consultation Request form for research development support, or a CARAT Proposal Development Request form for help in preparing and routing an application for a known opportunity.

Contact CARAT Director Dr. Marc Ruppel with questions about CARAT’s pre-award services. Consult with your department chair or program director before beginning any funding application!

External grant and fellowship applications must be routed for university approval in either UMBC's Kuali system or through the CAHSS internal routing form before submission. Plan additional time for routing.

• PI Eligibility: UMBC uses Kuali, a cloud-based research administration tool, for proposals and awards. UMBC faculty, who are identified as a Principal Investigator (PI), Co-Investigator, or Key Person on proposals and awards, must obtain and then maintain PI eligibility in order to develop external funding proposals and receive awards at UMBC. This includes all faculty on the tenure track. Teaching Professors may also become PI Eligible through an exception process. Becoming PI Eligible involves completing the following trainings in CITI: Principal Investigator Research Administration Training and Education (PIRATE), and the Research Security Combined Module, as well submitting a PI Eligibility request form via DocuSign (after trainings are completed). PI applicants must also obtain PeopleSoft Finance and PAW Access. NOTE: Both CITI trainings are required to apply for any external funding, including from non-federal sponsors. NOTE: Faculty will need to re-take and renew their PIRATE certification three years from the date of completion.

  • Reach out to CARAT for assistance on PI Eligibility.

  • Reference for checking your training record.

• External Fellowships: Refer to the UMBC Faculty Handbook for information on fellowship leaves, as well as the CAHSS Salary Supplement Guidelines for Externally Funded Fellowship Leave. Fellowship applications must be routed in advance of submission.