RSI Explorer Grant Proposal Submission

The Fall 2025 submission period is now open. Proposals are due by May 27, 2026.

RSI Explorer Grant proposals (up to $150K in total direct costs over a period of two years) will prioritize proposals that address significant challenges and opportunities associated with climate change and the stewardship of natural resources.

Proposals may seek support for fundamentally new or existing research projects that are taking a new direction, including (but not limited to): exploratory projects that might grow into larger research thrusts; proof-of-concept research that might enable follow-on federal funding; funds to support process engineering, scale-up or development of first lab prototype devices based on existing research results; or instrumentation that would support an individual or multiple research projects.

The call is limited to lead PIs who have their primary affiliation with one of Caltech's academic divisions and the ability to conduct research on campus. Only one application per lead PI is allowed.

NOTE: Starting in spring of 2026, RSI explorer grant applications should be submitted via the PAM system. Detailed instructions for submitting an RSI explorer grant application are included in this document. Please note, if these instructions are not followed, we may not receive the application. We ask that as we transition to this new system, applicants send a courtesy email to [email protected] to let us know that a proposal has been submitted through PAM. Any RSI-specific questions about the PAM submission process not addressed in the instructions can also be directed to [email protected].

Proposals must include:

1. A completed Application Form, including the following information:
   1. Lead PI name/affiliation/e-mail;
   2. Co-PI name(s)/affiliations(s)/e-mails(s);
   3. Proposal title;
   4. One-sentence proposal summary;
   5. Research initiative focus area(s);
   6. Sustainability challenge statement (50 words). The Sustainability Challenge statement should describe the particular sustainability challenge that the proposal addresses, and how the research might address that challenge if successful;
   7. Statement of impact (500 words). The impact statement needs to describe a sustainability challenge that the proposal addresses, a description of how the research might impact that challenge, and an explanation of how the research outcomes might be translated to realize that impact. If at all possible, the application should identify a relevant metric for global sustainability (e.g., Gt CO₂ emission reduction, cubic feet of water purified) that provides a quantitative analysis of the project's potential for impact over some specified time frame;
   8. If applicable, description of leverage of unique or timely internal/external resources, or key personnel. (300 words);
   9. Budget Justification (500 words);
2. A Proposal Technical Narrative - 3 pages (11 pt font, 1 in margins, single-spaced), inclusive of figures and references.
3. A completed RSI Proposal Budget Worksheet. (Note: Indirect Costs are not assessed on RSI Research Grants.)
4. Note, the PAM system should route proposals to the relevant division chair(s) for approval.

The Application Form, the Proposal Technical Narrative, and the Proposal Budget Worksheets must be attached to the application within PAM.

The Spring 2026 submission period is now open. Proposals are due by May 27, 2026.

General queries may be submitted to [email protected].

Review Criteria:

The following criteria will be among the factors considered in the selection process. Note that we are especially interested in projects that can have a broad impact on sustainability, and research teams are encouraged to have talked with practitioners to demonstrate interest in the outcomes of their work.

• Mission/sustainability challenge – How well aligned is the proposal with the overall mission of the RSI (or any specific initiatives)? How do the research outcomes connect with the sustainability challenges identified?
• Intellectual strength – How strong is the proposal as a science or engineering research project? Does it appropriately identify the risks and feasibility of the work? If the proposal is to investigate scaling previous work or applied/translational feasibility, does it appropriately identify market/technoeconomic risks?
• Potential for impact – Do the proposal's research outcomes provide a short or long term path to catalyze change, through commercial actions, policy recommendations/support, new research or educational opportunities, or other? On what timeline? If the proposal is to pursue application/scaling, Has the team identified a primary commercial path or partnership with an organization that can implement the outcomes?
• Leverage of internal/external resources or key personnel – Does the proposal make use of timely internal or external resources, key personnel or expertise? Does the proposed work seed new collaborations or enable critical infrastructure? If the proposal is for instrumentation, is there a plan for long-term management or broader campus access?

You may view a sample of the evaluation form here.