The Innovation and Research Fellowship Program (IRFP) grant funds are provided to support technological research and the innovation ecosystem in New Jersey and to encourage Ph.D. candidates and graduates to continue their research in fellowship with New Jersey’s science and technology companies.
Donor Name: New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
State: New Jersey
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Fellowship
Deadline: 01/23/2023
Size of the Grant: $1,000,000
Grant Duration: 24 months
Details:
The IRFP grant monies shall be used by the grantee employer primarily as salary for the Fellow. Upon presenting reasonable justification within the IRFP grant application, the applicant-employer may include expenditures for equipment and/or conference attendance in an amount that is no more than five percent of the total salary amount.
Research Fellowship grants may be issued for up to two years and shall be used primarily for research and innovation. Under no circumstances shall IRFP grant monies be used by the grantee employer for administrative costs or capital purchases.
Funding Information
The amount of funding available in the Fiscal Year 2023 is estimated to be $1,000,000. The source of funds is the Workforce Development Partnership Fund pursuant to section 9 of P.L. 1992, c.43 (C.34:15D-9). Subject to the availability of funding the grant period may cover 24 months.
Eligibility Criteria
- Research Fellowship grants are provided to entities, comprising large businesses, employing more than 25 people and small businesses, employing from two to 24 people. The fellowship will be authorized on the availability of funding and according to the discretion of the NJDOL’s commissioner.
- The NJDOL will award IRFP grants to qualified employers for technological research to fund fellowships lasting up to two years. To be eligible for a grant under the IRFP, both the applicant employer and the applicant Fellow shall jointly apply and meet the criteria set forth.
- Applicant Employer Eligibility
- To be eligible under the IRFP, an applicant employer shall satisfy the following criteria as of the application submission date:
- Its primary business is the provision of a scientific process, product, or service and, the applicant employer owns, has filed for, or has a license to use protected proprietary intellectual property.
- It has a Business Certificate to do business in New Jersey.
- It is listed as a registered vendor with NJ Treasury.
- It is organized as a C Corp or LLC with a business plan.
- It is not a home-based operation.
- To be eligible under the IRFP, an applicant employer shall satisfy the following criteria as of the application submission date:
- Applicant Fellow Eligibility
- In order to be eligible for a grant under the IRFP, the applicant fellow shall satisfy the following criteria as of the application submission date:
- He or she must be prepared to receive a Ph.D. degree within 12 months or have just received a Ph.D. degree within the past 12 months.
- He or she must be in good standing with the conferring university.
- He or she must be a United States citizen, be a legal permanent resident, or possess all of the following: a valid immigrant visa, a valid employment authorization document, and an I-485 application pending with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service. (Fellow candidates seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) are not eligible to apply for the IRFP grant).
- In order to be eligible for a grant under the IRFP, the applicant fellow shall satisfy the following criteria as of the application submission date:
Preference will first be given to graduates from a New Jersey education institution or to a New Jersey resident who graduates from an education institution outside of New Jersey.
For more information, visit NJDOL.
