RSD supports the development of plans from principal investigator (PI)-initiated individual proposals to large-scale, multi-disciplinary collaborations that may involve multiple departments or institutions (other academic partners, community partners, government and/or industry). RSD supports research strategy development at the individual level for new faculty or investigators who are targeting a very different funding opportunity, such as an National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded researcher who is pursuing a National Science Foundation opportunity. A strategic research plan generally includes statements describing mission, vision, values, high-level goals, milestones for three to five years and relevant federal funding targets.

Benefits of Strategic Research Plans

In addition to helping provide focus to their research, strategic research plans make it easier for researchers and research teams to identify funding targets, discuss opportunities with program officers, and develop a sequence of funding opportunities to pursue well in advance of deadlines. The desired outcome is a more thoughtful proposal development process that allows enough time to build scientific teams, develop critical relationships such as with community or industry partners, and provide the needed documentation to research offices in time to ensure high quality submissions. The strategic research plan can also be used by other resource development offices across campus, including close collaborators in Corporate and Foundation Relations (CRF) and Brown Technology Innovations (BTI). 

Tools and Approaches for Research Strategy Development

The RSD team draws on tools from resources such as appreciative inquiry, a strengths-based, high-engagement approach to collaborative strategy development; design thinking, an iterative approach developed by creative arts designers and refined in the entrepreneurial sector; and other processes intended to optimize group processes to maximize innovation. 

RSD manages the process from the beginning to end and remains a resource for teams as they pursue their strategy and submit federal funding proposals (or other targets led by RSD collaborators in CFR, BTI or other resource development teams at Brown).

Examples of Strategic Research Plans Facilitated by RSD

RSD has partnered with various schools, centers and initiatives across Brown to develop strategic research plans, including:

• School of Engineering
• Data Science Institute (DSI) 
• Center for Digital Health (CDH)
• Initiative for Sustainable Energy (ISE)
• Center for Technological Responsibility, Reimagination, and Redesign (CNTR), based at DSI

In order to become an established research center at Brown, teams of faculty are required to submit a proposal to the Academic Priorities Committee. With the goal of seeing them through successful APC approval, RSD guides groups of scientists through team building and strategy development processes over the course of three to nine months. RSD helps them articulate how their center takes advantage of resources and investments the University has already made, fills a strategic gap and seizes funding opportunities that are emerging from federal funding institutions.

Sample proposals are available upon request by emailing orsd@brown.edu.