Technology Funding & Core Expenses

Funding Mechanisms

OSTR offers two distinct supplemental funding mechanisms for CCR PIs to request additional funds for research technologies and services requiring exceptional costs. Eligible expenses include services from cores and external vendors. A third program, the Staff Scientist/Clinician Technical Enrichment Program (STEP), supports hands-on training in advanced technologies for CCR staff scientists and staff clinicians.

PIs with exceptional NGS costs can continue to utilize “Large” STARS to request additional funding. However, STARS proposals for these needs must be approved for funding before work can commence.

Small STARS

Offering supplemental funding for exceptional costs of technologies and research services.

Overview:

• Provides a 50% cost-sharing subsidy for advanced technologies and research services.
• Each subsidy request must be at least $3K.
• Capped at $8K subsidy per fiscal year per PI.
• Cannot be used for NGS services, animal support, or equipment.

Learn more about applying

Large STARS

Supplemental funding exceeding $8K to offset exceptional experimental costs, including NGS and other research technologies, but NOT animal resources.

Overview:

• Funding up to $30K per project.
• PIs may receive funding for only one project per fiscal year.
• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the fiscal year.
• Sufficient preliminary data are required to demonstrate feasibility.
• Applications must be proposed in the context of a specific project resulting from the PI’s ongoing CCR research.

Learn more about applying

STEP Training

The Staff Scientist/Clinician Technical Enrichment Program provides an opportunity to compete for funding and receive comprehensive training.

Overview:

• Limited to one STEP applicant per core laboratory.
• Hands-on training in a CCR core or facility.
• Requires a 1–2-hour weekly time commitment.

Learn About STEP

Principal Investigator Dashboards

The dashboards enable CCR PIs to track core expenses through CCR and NCI-Frederick cores as well as track subsidies received to date, including monitoring transfer of funds for STARS.

Overview

• Tracks NAS and iLab core expenses
• Displays committed and invoiced expenses by CAN/PID
• Tracks subsidies approved to date, including funds transfer
• Provides visibility into project activity across participating cores
• Allows Principal Investigators to assign proxy users for spending oversight
• Automatically assigns Branch Administrative Officers (AOs) as proxies